Former Michigan State University President John Engler has been ducking interviews with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's investigators, claiming he won't be in the state even while sitting court-side at MSU home basketball games.

That led Nessel to pen a strongly worded letter to MSU board chairwoman Dianne Byrum, asking that the board force Engler to sit down for an interview.

"In addition to our concern that Mr. Engler might be attempting to manipulate the forum of his interview to insulate himself from the repercussions of it, I am equally concerned about the message this sends to both the (Larry) Nassar survivors and the community-at-large," says the letter, sent Tuesday to Byrum and obtained by the Detroit Free Press via a Freedom of Information Act request.

"We must lead from the top," it says. "The reluctance of the former interim president of the University to cooperatively participate in a law enforcement investigation into the largest sexual assault scandal in the history of higher education — yet happily sit court-side to watch the men's basketball team on multiple occasions — speaks volumes about allegations of a culture of indifference on campus."

Engler, a Republican who was Michigan governor from 1991-2003, was unable to be reached for comment.

He needs to talk to investigators, Byrum told the Free Press.

“Until receiving this letter, I was unaware that the Attorney General’s office had been unable to secure a meeting with former Interim President John Engler. I agree with the AG’s position that Engler should honor the request to meet and cooperate fully."

Nessel, a first-term Democrat, is continuing an investigation begun by her predecessor, Bill Schuette, into MSU and how it handled the Larry Nassar scandal. She is also investigating whether former board member George Perles had a debt to the university wiped out in exchange for him retiring, a move attributed to Engler's office.

Nassar, who was an MSU and U.S. Olympic team doctor, is serving what in effect will be a life sentence for various sex crimes tied to the abuse of scores of girls and young women over 20 years.

MSU stonewalling

Both Nessel — in a late-February news conference — and William Forsythe, a special prosecutor appointed by Schuette to investigate MSU, have expressed ongoing concerns with MSU's stonewalling of the investigation.

MSU has claimed attorney-client privilege in not turning over thousands of documents to the attorney general.

More:Michigan Attorney General investigating Perles' resignation from MSU board

More:Special prosecutor: MSU actions 'made it virtually impossible to know' truth about Nassar

More:Sources: MSU board has asked John Engler to resign as interim president

The frustration continued in the letter Nessel sent Tuesday.

"I urge you and your fellow trustees to reconsider your position on waiver of the privilege and refrain from expending additional public funds on yet another investigation if you intend to continue in your refusal to disclose this information publicly. The survivors, the MSU community, and the entire State of Michigan deserve a fair and complete investigation not another unfulfilled promise."

The centerpiece of the letter, however, is a request for the MSU board to force Engler to sit down with investigators.

Byrum said the board will look into that.

"The Board will review Engler’s contract and determine what actions on our part will help facilitate an interview," she told the Free Press.

In late January, investigators sent a letter to then-MSU General Counsel Bob Young, asking for Engler, who was forced out as interim president under heavy pressure for repeated mistakes and statements about sexual assault survivors, to come in for an interview. Young himself was forced out shortly after Engler.

In that letter, the investigators offered to go to Washington DC to interview Engler, but only if he wasn't going to be in Michigan.

"In light of his abrupt departure from the University, we also offered to accommodate any logistical concerns that might exist, including traveling to him and conducting the interview at a date and time of his choosing," the letter said. "After originally indicating that the University could not assist with facilitating his interview, we were advised that Mr. Engler would cooperate."

The AG then worked with Engler's personal attorney, who told them his client would not be in the state any time soon. The AG's office then offered to come to Engler for the interview. Engler moved to Washington for business leadership roles after he was governor.

There could be a reason Engler doesn't want to be interviewed in Michigan, Nessel said in her letter.

"... an individual who interviews in another state is subject to different laws and processes for purposes of the interview. For example, the laws in Washington, D.C., related to intentionally lying to a police officer in the course of an investigation are not as strong as in Michigan."

Courtside at Breslin Center

An interview was set for March 28, because the AG was told Engler wouldn't be in Michigan anytime soon.

That wasn't true.

Engler has sat in prominent MSU alum and donor Peter Secchia’s seats, which are midcourt on the floor at Breslin Center. The former ambassador to Italy sat with him there for the MSU game against the University of Michigan on March 9. Engler hasn't limited his travels for basketball to just East Lansing. He and Secchia sat together court-side at the United Center in Chicago this past weekend for the Spartans’ games there, directly across from the MSU bench.

"I do not know if the University is aware of this behavior, but you certainly have the power to correct it. Section 10(d) of Mr. Engler's employment contract requires that Mr. Engler 'respond and provide information' regarding matters within his knowledge even after his employment with the University has concluded. That section also requires that Mr. Engler continue to 'provide reasonable assistance to the University' in defense of any claims that may be made against it. Thus, it appears that the University has ample legal authority to not only facilitate our interview with Mr. Engler but to demand that he participate in it. Accordingly, I am requesting that the University act to ensure that Mr. Engler appear in Lansing, Michigan within the next two weeks to be interviewed by investigators from my office."

The ongoing investigation has resulted in criminal charges against several MSU employees, including former MSU President Lou Anna Simon — whom Engler replaced. Simon is charged with lying to investigators.

On the Perles matter, the Free Press reported in January that Perles resigned in December, earlier than expected, in return for MSU wiping out a $200,000 debt he owed to the school.

The move zeroed the balance that Perles, also the school's former athletic director, owed on a $500,000 pledge, according to confidential donation records obtained by the Free Press. The pledge was to cover half the cost of a $1-million plaza in front of the school’s football building. It is named for Perles and his wife.

The directive to zero out Perles’ balance came from Engler's office, multiple sources employed inside Engler's administration told the Free Press. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk with the news media. MSU has denied this happened. Instead, the university said the debt was wiped out earlier in 2018.

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj. Free Press staff writer Chris Solari contributed to this report.