ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. — Penn Harris Madison School Board Member Matt Chaffee had a bizarre public meltdown during the Board’s latest public meeting. It turns out, the meltdown all revolved around the Indiana Court of Appeals ruling against him in a years long custody dispute between him and his son’s mother.
Chaffee, who has a long history of paying prostitutes, substance abuse, stalking and gambling problems, took time during the February 10th meeting to make unfounded claims that a local probate judge and his former attorney created a conspiracy to ruin his life. You see, in late 2023, a Magistrate in the St. Joseph County Probate Court gave full custody of Chaffee’s child to the child’s mother. Chaffee immediately filed an appeal. Then, on February 5th of this year (only FIVE days before the last PHM School Board Meeting) the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s ruling that the mother should maintain custody of Chaffee’s child. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Chaffee cried in front of the crowd as he went on an unhinged, incomprehensible tirade, while failing to mention any of the above facts.
PATTERN OF UNHINGED BEHAVIOR
In December of last year, Chaffee threatened to sue the PHM School Corporation and the Board on which he serves. That threat came nearly a year after an RNM investigation into Chaffee showing his proclivity to pay prostitutes for sex. That investigation led to the majority of board members publicly calling for Chaffee’s resignation.
“Please preserve any and all records since December 7, 2023 pertaining to all Chaffee matter(s). This would include but is not limited to: phone call records, text messages, emails, handwritten notes, Facebook Messenger messages, WhatsApp communications.” Chaffee wrote in an email to the school board on November 13th. “The basis for this request is in regard to incoming claim(s) that Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation will be involved in, in some capacity.”
It turns out, Chaffee’s bizarre email could cost him his elected position as a member of the board as it appears to directly violate his oath of office which states in part, “I will not become interested directly or indirectly in any contract with, or claim against, said Corporation.”
Attorneys for PHM responded to Chaffee’s email by requesting he also retain records and communications with more than a dozen people. That retention request is obviously intended to garner more evidence against Chaffee for crimes he has committed in and out of his elected position, including his involvement in prostitution, use of drugs/alcohol and his prior alleged involvement in an illegal gambling operation.
Matt Chaffee’s father, Doug Chaffee, unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the PHM School Board himself. Doug Chaffee was soundly defeated in November following several RNM investigations outlining his own questionable behavior. It turns out, Doug Chaffee had been fired from his position as the Principal of Penn High School for having sex with his secretary. Doug Chaffee had also recently attacked a young woman outside of his son’s home, leading her to get a Protective Order against him.
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