Pugh tries to take four week medical leave; Orr says get to work or resign

**thecarl** · June-26-13, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

It's after 5:00. Where's Pugh?

Meeting with lawyers, destroying potential evidence, and running damage control with his innermost circle.

**jerrytimes** · June-26-13, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by TexasT

Gifts alone aren't enough to do him in for me [[although he has some explaining to do). I mentor a girl through Big Bro/Big Sis and I could see getting her a prom dress down the line if she couldn't afford to [[although we aren't technically supposed to do things like that). But we spend a few hours a week together and you get pretty close after a while, so gifts alone aren't suspicious.

Hotel room, again, some explaining to do. Not the best judgment but it was pretty common to get rooms at my prom, especially for 18 year olds. Were there chaperones? Did the mom know [[said she disapproved of the cell phone but didn't say the same about the hotel)?

I think there is something very shady. Mother says no to a cell phone, and he paid for a hotel room? What an odd thing for a man to buy for a high school student.

**Cliffy** · June-26-13, 10:24 PM

Still don't understand Pugh. Had an easy job at a tv station, making big money, and threw it all way to get involved with cess pool politics in Detroit. The only thing I can think of is that he wanted to be mayor. Unfortunately, now he probably ruined his tv career too.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · June-26-13, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by thecarl

Meeting with lawyers, destroying potential evidence, and running damage control with his innermost circle.

Kinda like Aaron Hernandez huh?......

**firstandten** · June-26-13, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Cliffy

Still don't understand Pugh. Had an easy job at a tv station, making big money, and threw it all way to get involved with cess pool politics in Detroit. The only thing I can think of is that he wanted to be mayor. Unfortunately, now he probably ruined his tv career too.

The cynic in me believes that maybe the tv career wasn't going quite as well as it seems, and the cesspool that is Detroit politics offered a soft landing place since at the time the cookie jar was still open for the most part

**Zacha341** · June-27-13, 03:07 AM

Highly inappropriate to be buying a teen these kind of things, mentoring or not. There's more to this story to come out soon... DPS to be sued... great. That's all they need.

Originally Posted by jerrytimes

I think there is something very shady. Mother says no to a cell phone, and he paid for a hotel room? What an odd thing for a man to buy for a high school student.

**SWMAP** · June-27-13, 06:19 AM

Texas hoped that Pugh had good intention of helping one of his students with some things to keep him in the ball game with the other students as far as things and clothes. Still, a grown man has to know that gifts outside the family circle are often perceived as having strings-and those potential strings are now in the public eye.
If you have the purest of intentions toward someone, you would find a way to give anonymously: use a lawyer to send the money, a minister you know, go to the parent direct and ask her to keep you anonymous etc.

**SWMAP** · June-27-13, 06:27 AM

Of course, Mother and her lawyer seeing big dollar signs. But kid was 17 year old male- that would have to influence how far a case could go. Unless kid is handicapped, his near adulthood would be important. And now, as an adult, what if he didn't want to sue? Could her case go forward.
Nevertheless, Pugh has a heap of trouble on his shoulders.

**Honky Tonk** · June-27-13, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Texas hoped that Pugh had good intention of helping one of his students with some things to keep him in the ball game with the other students as far as things and clothes. Still, a grown man has to know that gifts outside the family circle are often perceived as having strings-and those potential strings are now in the public eye.
If you have the purest of intentions toward someone, you would find a way to give anonymously: use a lawyer to send the money, a minister you know, go to the parent direct and ask her to keep you anonymous etc.

Let's say in the best case scenario, no impropriaty occurred. I think Mr. PU is WAY out of line with going around the mother's wishes. The message he's sending is "Forget about what your mother said, here you go kid, just come and see me". Unless she's extremely abusive to the child, and even then, there are avenues to remedy that, anything Mr. PU provided, should have been cleared first, and with the consent of, the primary parent.

**TexasT** · June-27-13, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Let's say in the best case scenario, no impropriaty occurred. I think Mr. PU is WAY out of line with going around the mother's wishes. The message he's sending is "Forget about what your mother said, here you go kid, just come and see me". Unless she's extremely abusive to the child, and even then, there are avenues to remedy that, anything Mr. PU provided, should have been cleared first, and with the consent of, the primary parent.

100% agreed. While the gifts themselves don't creep me out the way they do others, doing it without telling the mom does make my alarm bells go off. I would buy my mentee a prom dress a few years down the road; I wouldn't do it without telling her guardian.

**bailey** · June-27-13, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Of course, Mother and her lawyer seeing big dollar signs. But kid was 17 year old male- that would have to influence how far a case could go. Unless kid is handicapped, his near adulthood would be important. And now, as an adult, what if he didn't want to sue? Could her case go forward.
Nevertheless, Pugh has a heap of trouble on his shoulders.

If Pugh and this kid were getting it on and any of that happened while he was under 18, Pugh could be charged with CSC 4. Teachers, admin, volunteers can't bang students....if under 18 [[if under 16...that is a whole other story) If the kid was 18 [[the news article linked keeps saying he's 18) before anything happened...then Chuck would skate on the CSC. And frankly , not sure what civil things would succeed if the kid was 18. He's an adult. if mommy doesn't like his associations, then she can kick him out of the house.

**Honky Tonk** · June-27-13, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by TexasT

100% agreed. While the gifts themselves don't creep me out the way they do others, doing it without telling the mom does make my alarm bells go off. I would buy my mentee a prom dress a few years down the road; I wouldn't do it without telling her guardian.

Correcto mundo. I understand if the child is from an low income background, and Mr. PU wanted to do a good deed by providing a memorable, growing up experience. I guess will have to wait and see what kind of "disturbing evidence" Mom and the lawyer have.

**mercyme** · June-27-13, 08:00 AM

I surely hope Orr is following the rules of the Family Medical Leave Act while dealing with Pugh. Otherwise, the city is in for a lawsuit with large [[at least to the normal folk) exposure.

**TexasT** · June-27-13, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by mercyme

I surely hope Orr is following the rules of the Family Medical Leave Act while dealing with Pugh. Otherwise, the city is in for a lawsuit with large [[at least to the normal folk) exposure.

FMLA doesn't require employers to pay employees while they take their medical leave. Pugh still has his job...he just isn't getting paid. In any event, elected officials are excluded from FMLA.

**mam2009** · June-27-13, 08:15 AM

Well, one thing is for sure, his lack of availability to respond to this is not helpful. I'm sure "Olivia Pope" would have recommended he continue business as usual even if he refused to comment about it due to it being a legal matter now.

Going "radio silent" makes it hard for even one's most ardent supporters not to seriously doubt one's innocence in a matter like this. His supporters would have been more likely to lend public support if he denied these allegations or provided a somewhat plausible explanation. But this, this looks bad. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. As judgmental as some of us DetroitYes! posters can be, none of us is perfect and we've all done some things in life we are profoundly ashamed of. But hiding & ducking one's head in the sand is ALWAYS ill-advised. He's got to say something soon or what's left of his reputation is doomed.

**RO_Resident** · June-27-13, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by mercyme

I surely hope Orr is following the rules of the Family Medical Leave Act while dealing with Pugh. Otherwise, the city is in for a lawsuit with large [[at least to the normal folk) exposure.

Elected officials, their personal staff, appointees, and advisers, etc. are not covered under FMLA.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/825.800

**bailey** · June-27-13, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by mam2009

He's got to say something soon or what's left of his reputation is doomed.

The damage is done. He's a gay guy and the insinuation has been made he was behaving inappropriately with a male student in his program at an all male school. He doesn't come back from this.

**Honky Tonk** · June-27-13, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by mam2009

Well, one thing is for sure, his lack of availability to respond to this is not helpful. I'm sure "Olivia Pope" would have recommended he continue business as usual even if he refused to comment about it due to it being a legal matter now.

Going "radio silent" makes it hard for even one's most ardent supporters not to seriously doubt one's innocence in a matter like this. His supporters would have been more likely to lend public support if he denied these allegations or provided a somewhat plausible explanation. But this, this looks bad. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. As judgmental as some of us DetroitYes! posters can be, none of us is perfect and we've all done some things in life we are profoundly ashamed of. But hiding & ducking one's head in the sand is ALWAYS ill-advised. He's got to say something soon or what's left of his reputation is doomed.

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt"

**mam2009** · June-27-13, 09:46 AM

Omg, I really hope this is not one of those tip of the iceberg stories.

**firstandten** · June-27-13, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by mam2009

Omg, I really hope this is not one of those tip of the iceberg stories.

Given Pugh's penchant for drama this is probably the tip of the iceberg

**Det_ard** · June-27-13, 10:15 AM

Given Pugh's track record of terrible judgement I'm going to assume that he was pursuing and perhaps had a sexual relation with that student. Time for him to go on more than a medical leave.

48009 · June-27-13, 11:26 AM

Are most of his staff, interns or proteges gay [[young) black males? If so, this seems like par for the course. Akin to a creepy straight boss making sure his staff are all young pretty girls so he can stare at them all day.

**astongraham** · June-27-13, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by 48009

Are most of his staff, interns or proteges gay [[young) black males? If so, this seems like par for the course. Akin to a creepy straight boss making sure his staff are all young pretty girls so he can stare at them all day.

Yes they are. Whenever he is seen in public, he has one or two young gay men with him as part of his staff. I know that they are gay because I am also gay and I am very familiar with my community, and the local black gay clubs. There is one guy in particular that is always by his side, he introduces the boy [[21 ish) as his cousin. It's very obvious he is screwing his "cousin".

**astongraham** · June-27-13, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

Given Pugh's penchant for drama this is probably the tip of the iceberg

Since i am pretty familiar with Mr. Pugh and some of the very inappropriate statements he has made to young boys during events for youths, this is really a tip of the iceberg moment. There will be more young boys stepping forward

**astongraham** · June-27-13, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Of course, Mother and her lawyer seeing big dollar signs. But kid was 17 year old male- that would have to influence how far a case could go. Unless kid is handicapped, his near adulthood would be important. And now, as an adult, what if he didn't want to sue? Could her case go forward.
Nevertheless, Pugh has a heap of trouble on his shoulders.

Pugh has a long history of inappropriate behavior with young boys, this is known and has been known for many years in the black gay community. I've spoken before last fall about Mr. Pugh making a pass at a young boy i am related to. This is just new to you, this is old news to others.
There will be much more to come of this, trust me