Indicted GOP Fundraiser Still Cashing In on Lawmakers’ Campaigns

Entry Overview: Heather Lombardini, a Lansing GOP fundraiser, is facing felony charges related to the Unlock Michigan dark money scandal. Despite this, she continues to work with GOP lawmakers and campaigns, raising questions about working with a fundraiser under indictment.

Key Facts:

• Lombardini, co-founder of Bright Spark Strategies, is facing a felony charge related to her role a “dark money scheme” - add cite

• She remains the treasurer for 19 active candidate committees and PACs, including those of sitting elected officials (See image 1 below)

• Bright Spark has received more than $300,000 in consulting work from GOP candidates since facing charges (See Michigan campaign finance expenditure reports via MITN)

  
  

Why It Matters: Lawmakers’ dependence on a fundraiser under felony investigation raises questions about ethics and accountability in political spending.

Full Entry: Heather Lombardini, a leading Lansing GOP fundraiser, faces a felony charge related to uttering and publishing charges related to the Unlock Michigan dark money scandal. According to affidavits filed by the Michigan Attorney General in support of the case, Lombardini used two 501(c)(4) organizations to fund the Unlock Michigan ballot question initiative through a "dark money scheme" by soliciting or receiving donations for the specific purpose of making expenditures to Unlock Michigan. 

While Lombardini’s trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026, Heather Lombardini’s fundraising services are still in demand to GOP lawmakers and right-wing causes. 

The firm she cofounded, Bright Spark Strategies, continues to serve as a fundraising consultant for Republican politicians and groups. The firm’s website lists Lombardini as a founder and partner and states that she “leads the fundraising team at Bright Spark Strategies.” 

State Rep. Karl Bohnak’s campaign relies on Bright Spark and Lombardini, having paid them nearly $12,000 in consulting fees in 2025 alone, making Bohnak one of the firm’s largest clients. Bohnak’s official campaign record keeper is Ellen Kletzka, a Bright Spark employee. Bohnak has reimbursed Bright Spark for event deposits and campaign catering expenses.

State Sen. Mark Huizenga is Bright Spark and Lombardini’s largest client in the Michigan legislature. His campaign committee has paid over $18,000 in 2025 to Bright Spark in consulting fees.  A Bright Spark employee, Ellen Kletzka, is the official record keeper for both Huizenga’s candidate committee and his leadership PAC (See image 3 below).

An analysis of Michigan campaign finance records shows that Lombardini remains the official  treasurer of 19 active candidate committees, PACs, or independent expenditures in Michigan, according to campaign finance records (See image 1 below). These same records show Lombardini’s firm has done over $300,000 in business with Michigan lawmakers’ candidate committees, PACs and ballot initiatives in 2025 on “consulting” alone (See Michigan campaign finance expenditure reports via MITN). This does not include the countless expenditures made by the firm on behalf of these lawmakers or committees that were later reimbursed. 

Why do these lawmakers, including State Rep. Bohnak and State Sen. Huizenga, continue to contract with Bright Spark Strategies and Heather Lombardini? 

See a list of committees served by Lombardini below: