Former state Rep. Cecil Brockman won $2 million in state funding for a nonprofit in High Point that provides services for people with autism and other disabilities in 2023. Since then, nearly a fifth of that money went to his predecessor and former boss, Marcus Brandon.
Now the state is investigating whether taxpayer money was used to pay for lobbying of state lawmakers.
Documents the nonprofit Puzzle Play provided to the Office of State Budget and Management say Brandon’s consulting firm received the money for “fundraising consulting,” taking in 20% of every dollar raised until the fees reached $350,000. When an OSBM official spoke with Puzzle Play’s director, she said Brandon lobbied on behalf of the nonprofit, according to OSBM Chief Operating Officer Michael Arnold…