The Democratic Party’s candidate for state representative in a key Oakland County district was told to resign from her campaign Monday by state party officials after they learned of allegations that she had embezzled money from another politician's campaign funds.

Jennifer Suidan, 34, of Wolverine Lake, who has not been criminally charged, allegedly embezzled more than $100,000 while working at a prominent Southfield law firm that handles funds for numerous Democrats, the officials said.

The money came from Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner's campaign funds, Meisner said at a news conference Monday at the Goodman Acker law firm.

Brandon Dillon, the chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, and other party officials immediately called for Suidan to drop out of her House race.

"There is no excuse for these actions, whether committed during a campaign or as a private citizen,” Dillon said Monday in a statement. “The only option on the table for Ms. Suidan as a candidate is to suspend her campaign for the 39th state House seat immediately."

Suidan did not immediately reply to voicemail, email and Facebook messages left by the Free Press.

At the news conference, Meisner told reporters that “in the last several days, I became aware of significant irregularities in the record keeping of my campaign committee."

“It now appears that the committee’s designated record keeper, Jennifer Suidan, misappropriated money from my campaign. When I learned of this, I immediately notified authorities,” he said.

Suidan “has betrayed my trust,” Meisner said, adding that he was withdrawing his endorsement of her candidacy for the 39th state House District. He said “no taxpayer money was involved,” only contributions made to his campaign fund.

Suidan was Meisner's campaign manager in the 2012 and 2016 elections. She worked for five years at the Goodman Acker law firm as a nonlawyer managing the campaign funds for Meisner and others, said the firm's senior partner Gerry Acker. She "has been terminated," Acker said.

The law firm has long been a strong supporter of Democratic Party candidates. The 39th District includes the city of Wixom, Commerce Township, a portion of West Bloomfield Township and the village of Wolverine Lake.

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Meisner said he’d reported the discovery of missing money to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the Oakland County clerk and state Bureau of Elections. The prosecutor's office on Monday said the sheriff's office is investigating.

Meisner’s request for an investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, and his move to share his decision with media just days after discovering that money was missing, may have deep-sixed the candidacy of Suidan, who many hoped this fall might swing to Democrats a district that is referred to as an "open seat," because the incumbent — Republican Klint Kesto — is term-limited this year. Prior to Kesto, the seat covered a district with somewhat different boundaries and was held by a Democrat — Lisa Brown, who is now Oakland County clerk.

Suidan opposes Republican nominee Ryan Berman of Commerce Township, who now looks to be a shoo-in, whether the discredited Suidan withdraws — leaving only write-in hopes for the Democrats — or whether she refuses to withdraw and is charged with criminal misconduct.

In response to the allegations against Suidan, the leaders of the Democratic Party's statewide campaign to elect House candidates called for Suidan to quit her campaign immediately, possibly leaving time for a write-in candidate to step forward. House Democratic Party campaign cochairs Kristy Pagan and Kevin Hertel said in a statement:

"The allegations against Jennifer Suidan are serious, and the only appropriate response is for her to suspend her campaign and we expect her to do so immediately. These allegations have no impact or connection to the rest of our candidates and we remain focused on the issues that matter to Michigan families."

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When informed of Monday's announcements about Suidan, Ferndale Mayor David Coulter said, "I'm just shocked — I've known her for years and she is the last person I would suspect of this type of behavior."

Suidan had received numerous endorsements from LGBT and environmental groups "because she's been such a strong advocate," Coulter said. He is listed as a co-host at a $150-per-VIP-ticket fundraiser for Suidan scheduled for Wednesday night at a posh home in Franklin. He said he won't go and withdraws his endorsement of her.

Coulter said Suidan’s troubles would hurt Democrats because she might’ve won her district after it spent six years in Republican hands.

“That’s definitely a seat that, this year, if the blue wave happens, is in play,” he said.

Contact Bill Laitner: blaitner@freepress.com