FLINT, MI -- Mayoral incumbent Karen Weaver’s most recent campaign finance report states she paid a business listed as owning a Flint gentlemen’s club $7,500 for “consulting.”

Repeated attempts to reach the mayor’s campaign and the club for explanation were unsuccessful, however a flyer circulating online shows Weaver’s reelection campaign hosted an anti-violence event at Flint’s Club 69 on Sunday, June 30.

The expense is listed in public campaign finance reports for the campaigns for the nonpartisan mayor’s seat.

The reports show mayoral candidates Weaver, state Rep. Sheldon Neeley and Gregory Eason have been spending thousands of dollars on signs, air time, advertisements, office supplies and legal aid leading up to the general election on Nov. 6. A report for a fourth candidate, Don Pfeiffer, was not available at the Genesee County Clerk’s Office.

Michigan’s Campaign Finance Act states a qualified campaign expenditure means spending for services, materials, facilities or other things of value by the candidate committee to further the candidate’s nomination or election to office.

Neeley has raised $23,465 and spent $17,615, according to the Committee to Elect Sheldon A. Neeley’s July 25 campaign finance report.

Neeley’s largest single expenditure was $3,205 for yard signs from Sawicki and Sons on July 3.

The July 25 report reflects Neeley’s largest campaign contribution was $5,000 from himself.

Eason has raised $10,250 and spent $10,250 this election cycle.

Eason’s only contribution was $10,250.06 from himself. Eason’s largest expenditure was $6,005 spent on campaign material from The Print Shop.

Weaver, who was elected to office in 2015, has raised $279,593 and spent $203,292 so far this election cycle. The incumbent raised $55,549 her first election cycle.

Weaver’s largest single expenditure listed on a July 23 campaign finance report was paying Power Team 69 LLC for consulting services. The payment is listed as occurring on June 26, a few days before the “Guns Down, Mics Up” event was held at Club 69, an establishment that is ordinarily operated as a gentleman’s club in Flint at 1410 S. Saginaw Street.

The “Young Flint” movement and the Dayton Family’s Ira Dorsey were involved with the event, according to the flyer.

State records show the resident agent for Power Team 69 is Deonta Brown and the company’s address listed with the state is Club 69. Deonta Brown could not be reached for comment.

Montez Brown, who co-owns The Scoop and Courtside Cuts on North Chevrolet Avenue, is part of Power Team 69. He stated Power Team 69 is a promotional company he’s worked with to open new businesses in Flint.

Friends of Karen Weaver, Weaver’s campaign committee, did not respond to MLive-The Flint Journal’s requests for comment.

“Michigan’s policies for how you describe expenditures is very broad,” Craig Mauger, executive director for Michigan Campaign Finance Network, stated.

Listing an expenditure as consulting hasn’t been questioned by the Secretary of State in the past, Mauger said.

Between July 17, 2018 and July 23, 2019 Weaver has spent $11,250 in campaign contributions to be on WFLT an AM radio show. Charles Winfrey, who manages the McCree Theatre, hosts the show.

City Chief Finance Officer Tamar Lewis and Flint’s Police Chief Timothy Johnson have also been on the show.

More than 39 percent of Weaver’s contributions on or before Oct. 24, 2018 came from businesses, some of which are contracted to perform work in the wake of the water crisis. Weaver’s largest single contribution this election cycle was $10,000 from the American Federation of State and Municipal Employees on Oct. 17, 2018.

Mauger previously stated that it’s not unusual for an incumbent to raise more money during their second campaign or from interest groups and businesses that have matters before elected officials to donate large sums of money.