Turkia Mullin fired by Wayne County Airport Authority

**ColonelMack** · October-28-11, 03:41 PM

Just released this statement:

"Turkia Mullin is very talented and resourceful, but unfortunately the situation she finds herself in has become an obvious distraction that will continue into the foreseeable future. I am disheartened that the promise the board saw in her has diminished.

My vision for Aerotropolis has always been to have a strong leader at the helm. I believe under the current situation this has been compromised. When the Board meets next week they should proceed with what is best for the continued success of the airport and this region."

Airport board just announced they will meet Monday for special session.

**animatedmartian** · October-28-11, 04:00 PM

LOL, why does it sound like they're trying to make people feel bad? Like oh my god, did someone just derail the Aerotropolis plan? That plan has been around for at least a decade now, I don't think a corruption scandal has anything to do with its delay.

Even if she gets fired, she still gets paid. She'd have to resign of her own will. They're just putting on a theatrical show at this point.

**Detwa** · October-28-11, 04:17 PM

Hopefully they can fire her for misrepresentation of her background/accomplishments. She's been too close to criminal activity too often for it to be good on her resume. They should get a lawyer to investigate her and find a reason to claim breach of contract on HER side, and get out of paying her.

Where will she slink off to next? And Ficano is awfully quick to throw people under the bus - he'll be the first one to take a plea bargain when it all comes down next year, lol.

**surenowinlife** · October-28-11, 04:33 PM

She hasn't even paid back the 200k yet!

**MikeM** · October-28-11, 04:59 PM

Yes she has.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · October-28-11, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

Yes she has.

Says who? I heard she was gathering it up, hadn't quite got all of it as of 10-27-11

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-28-11, 05:51 PM

This kind of municipal corruption is rampant in Wayne County. The difference between McNamara and Ficano is that McNamara could manage it effectively. Mullin will be gone be before Thanksgiving, maybe as early as next week. Ficano will be gone by St. Patrick's Day. In order to run a corrupt empire in the long run, you need a ring of fall guys and plausible deniability surrounding you. Neither Mullin nor Ficano was smart enough to get that.

A question: is there a public official in Wayne County who could clear up the corruption and institute real integrity in staffing & contracts, and bring actual transparency to Wayne County government? I am not proposing anyone. I truly don't know.

**Gistok** · October-28-11, 06:01 PM

The one person in Wayne County government that for sure doesn't have the "stink" of the MacNamara machine, and is pretty much respected by all [[outside of the Kilpatrick friends & family)... would be Kym Worthy, the Wayne County Prosecutor who brought down the Kilpatrick machine. She excused herself from investigating the FIcano debacle, and likely for good reason... she's part of county government.

I would think that she is the one person in Wayne County government that is very much regarded as being "clean".

Now that begs the question of her qualifications outside of the legal/criminal arena, but she has garnered a lot of respect here in Michigan.

**MikeM** · October-28-11, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Says who? I heard she was gathering it up, hadn't quite got all of it as of 10-27-11

Says Ficano:

http://detnews.com/article/20111027/...verance-payout

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-28-11, 06:18 PM

I don't know too much about Kim Worthy, but someone not politcally connected to all the entrenched people is imperative to clean up the government.

I wouldn't be too concerned about her [[or anyone's) bureaucratic experience. If she's smart and decisive she could handle it. I'll have to read up on her; maybe she can be the one to fix things. It just seems like there is such a web of friends and relatives getting plum gigs, regardless of competence. And that is to say nothing of thinking of being an honest public servant, trying to get maximum services at a minimal cost to taxpayers. Whoever is the next county exec needs to be ready to kick ass and remember that they aren't there to either make friends or make money. Here's to hoping...

**SWMAP** · October-28-11, 07:06 PM

Once again, Robert Ficano had no connection to Ed McNamara. They don't have the same people. Those McNamara appointees that didn't leave right away were all forced out. See Lester Robinson for example. Robinson was forced out at the airport and lo and behold, Mullin arrives. Ficano ran for Sheriff without McNamara's support.
I am always so puzzled. What was the "stink" around McNamara? I think of him as a Daley: things worked. The airport got built. He had some people around him who picked some pockets. Maybe that's not avoidable. I do know that he had to take some people, like Bernard Kilpatrick, because the constituancy insisted.

**Lowell** · October-28-11, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Once again, Robert Ficano had no connection to Ed McNamara. They don't have the same people. Those McNamara appointees that didn't leave right away were all forced out. See Lester Robinson for example. Robinson was forced out at the airport and lo and behold, Mullin arrives. Ficano ran for Sheriff without McNamara's support.
I am always so puzzled. What was the "stink" around McNamara? I think of him as a Daley: things worked. The airport got built. He had some people around him who picked some pockets. Maybe that's not avoidable. I do know that he had to take some people, like Bernard Kilpatrick, because the constituancy insisted.

Very insightful post!

**animatedmartian** · October-29-11, 02:43 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/20111029/NEWS02/110290438/If-airport-CEO-fired-will-cost-700-000-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Good Lord, can we get some Occupy Metro?

**Gistok** · October-29-11, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Once again, Robert Ficano had no connection to Ed McNamara. They don't have the same people. Those McNamara appointees that didn't leave right away were all forced out. See Lester Robinson for example. Robinson was forced out at the airport and lo and behold, Mullin arrives. Ficano ran for Sheriff without McNamara's support.
I am always so puzzled. What was the "stink" around McNamara? I think of him as a Daley: things worked. The airport got built. He had some people around him who picked some pockets. Maybe that's not avoidable. I do know that he had to take some people, like Bernard Kilpatrick, because the constituancy insisted.

I suppose if you're part of the Ficano "friends and family plan"... the perks just can't get any better....

**Gannon** · October-29-11, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

He had some people around him who picked some pockets. Maybe that's not avoidable. I do know that he had to take some people, like Bernard Kilpatrick, because the constituancy insisted.

Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. There was an excellent Detroit News article around the time of that Execrook's retirement that proved the link and inclusion of the Cheeks/Kilpatrick group was a calculated move on McNabman's part. Not any form of insistence on the constituancy...that is a laugh.

As for having some around 'who picked pockets'...it was the CULTURE they were hired into. My old friend Chip, the dark Rasta, was able to fill me in on a bit of that...his father was another of McNasty's right hand men, working alongside Bernard on behalf of the county gang within the city.

Nah, Ficano might have not been a public part of the regime, but smart politicos make sure they control what appears to be the opposition. That way, they always win...and the public is always stuck looking at these issues wondering how in the world THIS guy thought up the same damn scam route.

I don't believe Ficano has a clean spot on his body besides that smug face he keeps polished for public appearances. He needs a 'strong' manager to make his dream work, huh? What do y'all think THAT is code for?!

LOL

Cheers,
John

**Woodward's Cousin** · October-29-11, 11:11 AM

Echoing Lowell. The protracted investigation of McNamara resulted in one conviction of a high ranking aide who had been persuaded to take a bribe from a sleazy contractor, and one plea to a misdemeanor by a former reporter who worked for McNamara and had illegally used a County computer to prepare a political mailing, thus violating the rule against using government assets on overt electoral politics. Truly a paltry showing for the years of effort and resources put into it be the feds.
McNamara was a skilled politician who won elections and accomplished quite a bit for the County. He also tolerated political favoritism for friends, and some folks were paid far above their value to the public. He hired Bernard Kilpatrick when BK was Chair of the Wayne County Commission, but had no illusions about , shalll we say, BK's weakness in the area of ethical judgment.
Painting McNamara , and anyone he appointed, as corrupt is simply not accurate,just as painting every Kilpatrick appointee as a crook is not accurate . There are good people who worked for Kilpatrick who have been badly damaged by their association with him, and others who , one may presume, are quietly mortified that they will forever be known as a former appointee of Kilpatrick.
Bob Ficano has his own rteam and his own program going. Don't confuse him with McNamara. Accurate analysis requires that one appreciate history, complexity, nuance, and politics and have knowledge of the individuals involved.

**Gannon** · October-29-11, 12:58 PM

Perhaps, but painting him as innocent would be as simple as saying, Coleman Andrew Young was innocent because they couldn't pin anything on HIM either. Same evidence.

Fact that these exit bonuses existed and they defended them is enough for me...the rest of the evidence trail that surfaced including the Catholic church and monies possibly going overseas and land purchased from the county for a $1...surely all peripheral.

But that is all we had on KWHYME before the text messages, too.

So...I say where there is smoke, someone sparked a fire.

Cheers!

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-29-11, 01:10 PM

The ultimate "corruption" of Wayne County [[and for that matter corrupt people in Detroit or other governments) has less to do with actuall lawbreaking [[although certainly there is a good chunk of that), but rather in a corruption of the assumed responsibility to act in the public interest. I bet scores of people in Wayne County government have their focus on their own pay & pension, the awarding of contracts and business to friends/family/cronies/benefactors, and the creation of public policy to their own benefit. This is corruption, even where not a crime.

**Gistok** · October-29-11, 01:19 PM

Well stated Mikey... sometimes a "crime against the taxpayers"... is not really a technical crime at all.... but more a betrayal of the public trust.

**canuck** · October-29-11, 01:28 PM

Charlie LeDuff did this nice thorough piece on Mullin and her acolytes;

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...st-20111026-ms

**canuck** · October-29-11, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Well stated Mikey... sometimes a "crime against the taxpayers"... is not really a technical crime at all.... but more a betrayal of the public trust.

I second that Gistok, and I think any appearance of conflict of interest has to be avoided by pols and business folks alike.

Like Montreal city comptroller Frank Zampino who spent his holidays with his wife on a major city contractor's yacht in the US Virgin Islands. Tony Accurso, the contractor had gotten a 350 million dollar contract to install electronic water counters for industrial premises in the city. Zampino resigned and guess what; he is now working for the company in question...

Accurso also pead guillty recently to a 4 million dollar tax evasion bit...

**SWMAP** · October-29-11, 03:14 PM

I am pretty sure that the " Catholic Church connection" that a few posters are concerned about is nothing more than an interesting coincidence. They base their conspiratorial theories on the fact that the AoD, a corporation sole then in the person of Cardinal Maida, bought a house that Turkia Mullen was selling in Northville. It looks like Mullen sold it for far below market value to "the Church." this taken from the public records. Mullen was pretty much a nobody then , by the way. But more importantly, like Dan Gilbert, the Ilich family and most other people who are perceived to have deep pockets and have a need to assemble parcels of land on occasion, the AoD does not record the true price paid. A token price goes in the County Clerk's record: $1; $100, $1000 or like that. The Northville property was purchased for Cardinal Schoka to use when he returned home from Rome. By thecwau, Detroit has, unusually, two living Cardinals. The speculation is that they will be the last ones as the AoD is not the powerhouse it was in terms of Catholic population.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-29-11, 03:24 PM

As a proud, believing, and churchgoing Catholic [[Old St. Mary's), I would not be at all surprised if there were shady real estate dealings, especially in the period of 1980-2000, when the church was divesting itself of lots of real estate. That property was in many cases valuable, and never assessed for taxes while a church. It would be easy to bury actual property value on something that had no paper value for decades beforehand. While the church's books aren't [[and shouldn't be) subject to investigation, it would be curious to learn who bought former church property, what was paid for it, and how that money relates to their assesments. Those property transactions would be in county records.

**SWMAP** · October-29-11, 03:50 PM

This is getting way off track from the thread theme, so forgive. When the AoD was selling so many churches in 1980's, they most of them for pennies. Sometimes really $100. the buyers were black churches that hoped to move up. But pretty often the buyer congregations just didn't have enough money and didn't get the bigger congregations they aspired to. The beautiful old churches fell into disrepair and many were just abandoned. Lesson learned . The AoD now asks a reasonable price and often can't sell the property.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-29-11, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

This is getting way off track from the thread theme, so forgive. When the AoD was selling so many churches in 1980's, they most of them for pennies. Sometimes really $100. the buyers were black churches that hoped to move up. But pretty often the buyer congregations just didn't have enough money and didn't get the bigger congregations they aspired to. The beautiful old churches fell into disrepair and many were just abandoned. Lesson learned . The AoD now asks a reasonable price and often can't sell the property.

I hope the true architectural gems can be salvaged as something. I always wanted to turn a church into a restaurant. Of the ones I've toured in Detroit, though, the ones in the location where I'd want to put a restaurant are still active churches.