Democratic congressional candidate Gary Peters refused to answer questions on why he asked his bosses at Central Michigan University to give him hefty contributions for his campaign against Congressman Joe Knollenberg.

Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal Peters sent multiple solicitations by e-mail to CMU Trustee Sam Kottamasu and Toby Roth, the school's Washington lobbyist.

On January 22 at 8:51 a.m., Peters wrote Roth to "make [him] aware of several terrific" fund-raisers costing more than $500. "We would love to see you at any one of these wonderful upcoming events," the e-mail said. "However, if you will not be able to join us, but would still like to support our campaign for change from Oakland County to Washington, please visit Gary's contribution page at ActBlue or call us to organize your own event."

Roth received three other partisan political e-mails from Peters, including an invitation to a fund-raiser with members of Michigan's Democratic congressional delegation. All of the e-mails were sent when Peters was getting paid to be a professor. One of those e-mails, sent at 9:01 a.m. on December 11, said, "If you aren't able to attend either of these events but would still like to support Gary, please click here to contribute online."

Kottamasu, who was appointed to the CMU Board of Trustees by Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm and has given money to Peters in every campaign since 1998, received the same January 22 e-mail as Roth with suggested contributions of more than $500.

The e-mail solicitations could be evidence of campaign finance law violations, including a Michigan statute prohibiting CMU and other governmental bodies from using "funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationery, postage, vehicles, equipment, supplies, or other public resources" for partisan political purposes.

Additionally, Kottamasu's longstanding relationship was never disclosed during the process that hired Peters despite the obvious conflict of interest. And to top things off, family members of Kottamasu have even given money to Peters during past campaigns, according to reporting records on file with the Michigan Secretary of State.

OutsideLansing.com and the Detroit Free Press have reported on FOIA-obtained documents indicating CMU administrators and senior faculty were afraid of isolating Granholm if the governor's then-lottery commissioner wasn't hired.

Peters is under contract as a full-time professor through the 2009/10 academic year, which makes one wonder how he will teach and campaign full-time when the election comes around this fall.