Warren Mayor Outed in Hidden Camera Video

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Cheney profits off of dead kids being blown up in the name of freedom and people turn a blind eye. Everyone marches to the beat of the corporate war machine but god forbid he goes out to dinner in Chicago with a secretary and then the world is going to end.

Great response, Cliffy. My head is reeling from that intellectual analysis of both war policy and municipal ethics. Touche, my friend, touche.

[Jason]

The difference between Detroit and suburban politics is that there's almost zero media coverage about politics in the suburbs. No one has any idea who their city council people are and even the mayoral races are very undercovered.

If you think the political media coverage in Detroit is bad [[no one bothering to report about Cushingberry until the stories landed on their laps with the police pull-over) the suburbs are even worse.


imo that's part of the problem of having so many tiny municipalities. If metro Detroit was one municipality there would be fewer, more competitive, and much much better covered politicians. The electorate would actually have enough information that they'd be able to make decisions, and their politicians would be accountable because the electorate would actually have a clue what they're doing in office.

A huge chunk of suburban politicians are so bad that they don't even have e-mail addresses, let alone websites. That's how underqualified and out of place most of those people are.

The only saving grace is that most of these cities are so tiny and insignificant that the council members rarely have to make important decisions. And out of the important decisions, the city manager takes care of them or they're on ballots anyway. The city councils are part time jobs to boost egos and give the appearance of a functional democracy.

[aj3647]

They're not married. The issue here isn't the age difference.

It's not an issue in terms of whether or not he should keep his job or apologize, but a 25-year old and a 71-year old? That's f*cking gross. He's old enough to be her grandfather. And I doubt she's attracted to his looks and winning personality either, more like his wallet and the favors he can do for her as a result of his position. I doubt they were going halfsies on that executive suite in Chicago.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Jason, I agree completely about the lack of coverage of small municipalities and their politics and government. But I don't think that merging into one larger government would improve either ethics or efficiency. Now, regionalization of certain aspects of government [[transportation being very obvious, but also better integrated emergency services) can be beneficial. But a metro-wide government would still have lots of corruption, and would be very unresponsive to local concerns. Also, the residents of most municipalities would not want to join a pan-Southeastern Michigan Government. And I believe a little bit too much in democracy to impose it on towns that don't want to join up.

Even in a city, like Detroit, that gets much more coverage of local affairs than small cities and townships in the area, I bet most people don't know the property tax rate, policies on government ethics, zoning, garbage collection, etc. The public is generally aware of only publicized corruption and problems that affect them [[lack of street lights, slow emergency response times). A TV station that dilligently covered policy and politics would have no viewers; a similar newspaper would have no readers [[not that our newspapers have many readers anyway).

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

And I doubt she's attracted to his looks and winning personality either

I am pretty sure he doesn't think she loves him. It's probably nice to have a young woman around him. I mean, I guess. Not that I'd know.

[illwill]

I'd be pissed off too if I worked in the same office and got passed over on a raise when she didn't.

The other story is whether any of the vacation expenses were billed to the City of Warren?

Aside from that, if those issues pan out in the Mayors favor, I'd say...PLAYA-PLAYA Mayor in the house!

[aj3647]

The relevant issue is if it's against the city's HR policy. This relationship is a lawsuit waiting to happen. As soon as the relationship goes south, she can sue the city.

[Cliffy]

Great response, Cliffy. My head is reeling from that intellectual analysis of both war policy and municipal ethics. Touche, my friend, touche.

You can't have it both ways. Children died in Iraq and people are going apeshit over a mayor and a secretary. Trillions down the fucking toilet and you people are worried about the mayor of Warren giving the secretary raises which if she's an appointee can get. People need to buy a clue on how municipal and government works. There are classified and unclassified employees. Unclassified employees get special perks. Just like your dipshit governor in Michigan does by paying people 250k. Unfuckingreal.

[Scottathew]

Cliffy, can you please give me a list of things we're allowed to discuss? I want to make sure that any topics I create are important enough for you to read. I wish there was a way that people could not read topics they did not want to be a part of.

Sorry, I thought this forum was for local politics. If I had realized it was a platform for only talking about the most important of national issues I wouldn't have posted this.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I'm starting a fund to get Cliffy into counseling. Dick Cheney is even willing to chip. Of course, he's paying in oil, not cash.

[Hermod]

Cheney profits off of dead kids being blown up in the name of freedom and people turn a blind eye. Everyone marches to the beat of the corporate war machine but god forbid he goes out to dinner in Chicago with a secretary and then the world is going to end.

You do understand the difference between national, state, county, and municipal don't you? If a dog gets run over in the street, I am not going to write to my US senator to get the carcass hauled away. Just because the US gummint is swimming in debt is no reason that my town council can't watch their spending.

[Hermod]

The difference between Detroit and suburban politics is that there's almost zero media coverage about politics in the suburbs. No one has any idea who their city council people are and even the mayoral races are very undercovered.

If you think the political media coverage in Detroit is bad [[no one bothering to report about Cushingberry until the stories landed on their laps with the police pull-over) the suburbs are even worse.


imo that's part of the problem of having so many tiny municipalities. If metro Detroit was one municipality there would be fewer, more competitive, and much much better covered politicians. The electorate would actually have enough information that they'd be able to make decisions, and their politicians would be accountable because the electorate would actually have a clue what they're doing in office.

A huge chunk of suburban politicians are so bad that they don't even have e-mail addresses, let alone websites. That's how underqualified and out of place most of those people are.

The only saving grace is that most of these cities are so tiny and insignificant that the council members rarely have to make important decisions. And out of the important decisions, the city manager takes care of them or they're on ballots anyway. The city councils are part time jobs to boost egos and give the appearance of a functional democracy.

SE Florida has a maze of municipalities just like SE Michigan. I live in a city of about 12,000. If I have a problem with the DPW and I call, the phone gets answered by a real person. If I really want to discuss something with them, I just drop by and the director will see me if someone else is not in his office. If I want to show him something, he will meet me at my house. I can walk to the police station and they will listen to any concerns I have. I know where the mayor lives [[we don't have a city manager) and I can knock on his door. The city commissioners [[we don't call them council) regularly are available and I can attend and speak at city commission meetings. I know who all the commissioners are.

[softailrider]

If this wasn't common knowledge I'm pretty shocked. I've seen Fouts and and a younger woman at the Hill in GP more than once. Fouts with his Cosmo Kramer hair and cheap suits is pretty hard to miss.

How much is a person supposed to spend on a suit to meet with your approval? $300.00 at Joseph Bank? $450.00 at Brooks Brothers? $1200.00 at Nordstrum? Where do you draw the line??

[Hermod]

How much is a person supposed to spend on a suit to meet with your approval? $300.00 at Joseph Bank? $450.00 at Brooks Brothers? $1200.00 at Nordstrum? Where do you draw the line??

Clothing values go up, up, up
Clothing prices go down, down, down
Robert Hall, this season
Will show you the reason
Low overhead, low overhead.

[Zacha341]

Yes, too often things bow that way in the end... especially subordinate to superior in-office relationships.

The relevant issue is if it's against the city's HR policy. This relationship is a lawsuit waiting to happen. As soon as the relationship goes south, she can sue the city.

[noise]

How much is a person supposed to spend on a suit to meet with your approval? $300.00 at Joseph Bank? $450.00 at Brooks Brothers? $1200.00 at Nordstrum? Where do you draw the line??

Hey, a nice Brooks Brothers suit is closer to $1,000!

[JBMcB]

Hey, a nice Brooks Brothers suit is closer to $1,000!

BB suits are mostly made in China now, and, for the money, are garbage.

You can get a well made Hickey Freeman for around $800 on clearance, or a Hart Schaffner Marx for $500 [[they are made by the same company)

If you're spending much less than that you might as well buy a suit from Target for $100. It's not going to be any worse than a Boss or Polo or whatever from Macys - they're mostly made by the same company, too.

Back on-topic: I could care less on a personal level what Fouts does in his free time. However, sleeping around when he's ostensibly on the city's dime show a distinct lack of character and good judgement.

He's done a decent job for two terms. Time for someone else.

[Cliffy]

You do understand the difference between national, state, county, and municipal don't you? If a dog gets run over in the street, I am not going to write to my US senator to get the carcass hauled away. Just because the US gummint is swimming in debt is no reason that my town council can't watch their spending.

You and the rest of the "fake" outrage Republicans on this thread have no clue on how city and state employment works. You have appointees. You have classified employees that get hired and our under the protection of civil service. Appointees get whatever the governor or mayor wants to give them. Classified employees get whatever the union negotiates and they have a pay scale. An executive assistant for the mayor is an unclassified job and thus she is not in the union and has no protection. When the mayor is gone, she can be let go.

Now all you right wingers can go back to your fake outrage and then turn your eye to the big picture of Rick Snyder and his 250k appointees and killing state workers benefits, or my favorite, the Iraq war and the trillions we spent instead of helping our inner cities and rebuilding our infrastructure. Go ahead. He's 71 and she's 25 and they are in Chicago. Lets fake freak out.

[Cliffy]

It's not an issue in terms of whether or not he should keep his job or apologize, but a 25-year old and a 71-year old? That's f*cking gross. He's old enough to be her grandfather. And I doubt she's attracted to his looks and winning personality either, more like his wallet and the favors he can do for her as a result of his position. I doubt they were going halfsies on that executive suite in Chicago.

Who cares about ages. I wish I can pull in a 25 year old when I'm 71. Don't be jealous. Respect Mayor Fouts game.

[Chinman]

cliffy, you are so right. my wife started with the states attorney general as a secretary under the union contract as a classified employee. she then became director of the detroit office and as such, managers become un-classified. for the last 15 years or so, she has worked under the GRACE of frank kelly, jennifer granholm, mick cox and now bill schuette. at any time she can be dismissed for no reason.

[Dan Wesson]

Viagra, Cialis or Levitra?
Inquiring minds want to know!

[Hermod]

You and the rest of the "fake" outrage Republicans on this thread have no clue on how city and state employment works. You have appointees. You have classified employees that get hired and our under the protection of civil service. Appointees get whatever the governor or mayor wants to give them. Classified employees get whatever the union negotiates and they have a pay scale. An executive assistant for the mayor is an unclassified job and thus she is not in the union and has no protection. When the mayor is gone, she can be let go.

Now all you right wingers can go back to your fake outrage and then turn your eye to the big picture of Rick Snyder and his 250k appointees and killing state workers benefits, or my favorite, the Iraq war and the trillions we spent instead of helping our inner cities and rebuilding our infrastructure. Go ahead. He's 71 and she's 25 and they are in Chicago. Lets fake freak out.

Having been a classified employee of the City of Troy, City of Detroit, and Federal gummint, I have a much better idea of how it works than you. I also understand that in coming up with a local government budget and making the tradeoffs necessary to balance income and outgo, the number of aircraft carriers maintained by the US Navy has zero to do with our calculations.

BTW, whether a classified employee or an appointee, you have to go along with the old Chinese philosopher. Confucious say "secretary not permanent fixture in office until screwed on desk".

[noise]

BB suits are mostly made in China now, and, for the money, are garbage.

I really wasn't commenting on their quality and my post was meant to be light-hearted.

[Honky Tonk]

You and the rest of the "fake" outrage Republicans on this thread have no clue on how city and state employment works. You have appointees. You have classified employees that get hired and our under the protection of civil service. Appointees get whatever the governor or mayor wants to give them. Classified employees get whatever the union negotiates and they have a pay scale. An executive assistant for the mayor is an unclassified job and thus she is not in the union and has no protection. When the mayor is gone, she can be let go.

Now all you right wingers can go back to your fake outrage and then turn your eye to the big picture of Rick Snyder and his 250k appointees and killing state workers benefits, or my favorite, the Iraq war and the trillions we spent instead of helping our inner cities and rebuilding our infrastructure. Go ahead. He's 71 and she's 25 and they are in Chicago. Lets fake freak out.

Sorry dude, but it seems you're the one "freakin' out" with war and age stories that have nothing to do with the original article. Read the fine print He's been caught in multiple lies. I personally don't care if he's banging sheep, as long as it's not on the taxpayers dime, and they're not getting 11% raises plus benefits, while other civil employees are getting "sexed" by Hiz Honor in a totally different manner.

[Richard]

Sorry dude, but it seems you're the one "freakin' out" with war and age stories that have nothing to do with the original article. Read the fine print He's been caught in multiple lies. I personally don't care if he's banging sheep, as long as it' not on the taxpayers dime, and they're not getting 11% raises plus benefits, while other civil employees are getting "sexed" by Hiz Honor in a totally different manner.

That is really the bottom line,adding the part where she has others in the office on pins and needles under the guise.

Detroit has suffered the end result of that game enough to see where this is going to end up.