LANSING, MI -- A spokesperson for Attorney General and governor candidate Bill Schuette on Wednesday hit back against accusations he was doing political work at a state office by claiming he spoke at the 2016 Republican National Committee Convention in an official capacity. But Schuette's opponents aren't buying that explanation.

"Stop lying and take responsibility. As chief law enforcement officer of Michigan he should know that the coverup is sometimes as bad as the crime," tweeted Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who is competing in the Republican primary with Schuette, Patrick Colbeck and Jim Hines.

The meeting itself came to light through subpoenas issued by Progress Michigan in a court case that accuses Schuette of mixing state and political business. The Court of Claims has since blocked the subpoenas until a judge rules on Schuette's motion for summary disposition.

Progress Michigan and its attorney Mark Brewer released email communications and documents from individuals affiliated with Schuette. In those documents, a schedule for July 23, 2015 contains a "Cleveland Convention Meeting" at the Attorney General's Detroit office. It is illegal to conduct political business using state resources, including office buildings.

But Andrea Bitely, a spokesperson for Schuette in his capacity as Attorney General, said the meeting was official business because he went to the political convention in an official capacity.

"Upon discussing the content of the meeting with those involved, the meeting was to determine the information that would be contained in the remarks that the Attorney General delivered in his official capacity at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland," Bitely said.

That official explanation strikes many of Schuette's detractors as unlikely. Here are three reasons why:

1) The timeline.

The meeting to discuss the convention took place on July 23, 2015. That was shortly after the convention had been announced, and a year before then-Schuette Director of Public Affairs John Sellek sent an email announcing Schuette would speak at the convention.

"I don't understand how they would expect us to believe that a full year before they even announced he was speaking there they were working on his speech," said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan, the group suing Schuette.

Calley was also critical of the timing's plausibility.

It is the height of dishonesty for him to claim that the meeting on state property was to discuss a convention speech that was not going to take place for OVER A YEAR. — Brian Calley (@briancalley) August 1, 2018

2) This isn't common among other Michigan officials.

MLive contacted four public officials who have spoken at state and national party conventions. Two answered, and each categorized it as a political event.

Gov. Rick Snyder is in a unique position as the state's top official because he doesn't get to be off the clock, said spokesman Ari Adler. But when he's spoken at state conventions, his office has treated it as a political event.

"For example, we don't send the governor's communication staff to those with him. Because we do try to draw that distinction," Adler said.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan spoke at the Democratic National Committee Convention in 2016.

Spokesperson John Roach said it was not official business.

"Mayor Duggan wrote his own speech and delivered it at the convention on vacation time," Roach said.

Bitely said "The Attorney General was invited to speak as the Attorney General of the State of Michigan."

3) His speech mentions RAGA.

Schuette is a part of the Republican Attorneys General Association, a political organization. He served as its leader in 2015-16. The bulk of Schuette's speech focused on bringing justice for the Flint water crisis and honoring officers who have died.

Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Sam Newton pointed out that he references his capacity as RAGA Chairman in his speech.

"Apparently Bill Schuette's entering the cover-up phase of this full-blown scandal," Newton said.

Colbeck, also running for the Republican nomination for governor, tweeted as news of the meeting came out that Schuette would be a liability for Republicans.

The primary election takes place on Aug. 7. Candidates on the Republican side are Schuette, Calley, Colbeck and Hines. Candidates on the Democratic side are Abdul El-Sayed, Gretchen Whitmer and Shri Thanedar. The general election takes place Nov. 6.

The allegation of a political meeting taking place at a state office is one of a series that have been levied against Schuette. It comes on top of emails showing a political conference call involving Schuette staffers arranged during work hours. Schuette the subject of a complaint that's been referred to the FBI, an open request for a grand jury investigation and a lawsuit, all based in part on the alleged mixing of political and official business and staff.