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"THE DUGGAN SOME CONVENIENTLY FORGOT ABOUT"
IT’S TIME TO TURN THE PAGE from leadership that misuses the public’s trust and tax dollars to give tens of millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to his friends, and then have those same friends finance his campaign. Someone who tried to cover-up a sexual affair to save his own skin. Someone who used his office to enrich his wife. And someone who the Feds caught in a kickback scheme. But this someone is NOT KWAME KILPATRICK.
IT’S MIKE DUGGAN.
IF KWAME KILPATRICK DESERVED PRISON FOR WHAT HE DID
WHY DOES MIKE DUGGAN DESERVE TO BE MAYOR FOR THE SAME THINGS?
The following provides a historic picture of what Mike Duggan’s 30 years of “service” has produced. A history that has been IGNORED by all media outlets, and those who claim to support “CHANGE.” And while the vast majority of these incidents were taken from Detroit’s two daily newspapers, none of these issues have been revisited during this mayoral campaign.
McNAMARA, DUGGAN ‘CARVED OUT’ WAYNE COUNTY DEALS
It was just January 17th of this year, while the wagons were circling around Kwame Kilpatrick to seal his fate when a secret surveillance recording of Bernard Kilpatrick surfaced. Bernard, talking to the Synegro Exec, spoke about his friend Mike Duggan. Not in malice, but as a matter of fact: He said of former Wayne County Executive Ed McNamara and Duggan, “ We carved out this ... And I know this is … borderline illegal and … the county was a different animal, everybody will tell you that.” And in unprecedented fashion, before court had concluded for the day, the federal prosecutors issued a news release telling the public not to read into the recording, protecting Duggan. But if it was credible enough to convict Bernard Kilpatrick, why not Duggan? – Detroit News January 17, 2013
AIRPORT CONTRACTORS INVEST IN DUGGAN’S WIFE’S BUSINESS
The reason you no longer hear about how Mike Duggan “Turned Around” the Wayne County Airport is because it was a sticky subject for him. Not only did those under his direction get indicted for corruption, but his wife was also close to it. Two contractors who received 10-year contracts in a “questionable bidding process” were later found to have invested in Lori Haher’s business – Kid Kingdom. Loiri happens to be Duggan’s wife. “Mr. Duggan’s conduct in the Metro Cars/Kids Kingdom case appears to have violated this ethical standard. Under Mr. Duggan’s supervisory authority, Metro Cars was awarded not only the original airport limousine contract in a highly irregular manner, but a no-bid extension of that contract, despite the fact that Mr. Duggan’s household at the same time had benefited” – George Ward, former chief assistant prosecutor – Detroit Free Press, July 12, 2001
USING HIS TAX-FUNDED OFFICE FOR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN WORK
In 2003, Duggan was sued by an intern who was fired for whistleblowing a political fundraising operation for Duggan out of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office when it was exposed, followed by a Grand Jury investigation. Duggan threw the intern, and his own deputy under the bus when it was discovered by the media. It turns out, that his deputy was having an affair with the 20-year old. He fired them both, but only after he made his deputy pay nearly $12,000 back to the county, the cost of the time of the intern’s work on county time. He was later sued by another employee for being honest with the FBI over the incident. Judith McNair, a lawyer in the Prosecutor’s Office sued Duggan because she was demoted for telling the truth. – Detroit Free Press January 23, 2003. Also see Laura Berman’s editorial in The Detroit News February 6, 2003.
AS DMC CEO, DUGGAN WAS SUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR KICKBACK SCHEME
Detroit Medical Center Pays U.S. $30 million to Settle False Clams Act Allegations. It goes on to read: WASHINTON – Detroit Medical Center, a non-profit company that owns and operates hospitals and outpatient facilities in Detroit, has agreed to pay the United States $30 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Statute, by engaging in improper financial relationships with referring physicians, the Justice Department announced today. DMC also discovered many instances in which it had billed Medicare and Medicaid from 2007 to 2010 for physician services that were not properly documented. December 30, 2010, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WEBSITE
“If you look at the settlement, the $30 million really stands out, it is quite high,” said Greg Moore, leader of the health care practice group at Clark Hill PLC in Birmingham. Many of the violations appear to be related to efforts by Duggan to bring more physician referrals to the DMC. – Crain’s Detroit Business January 10, 2011.
MIKE DUGGAN DIDN’T SAVE THE DMC – HE SOLD IT AND BECAME A MILLIONAIRE
Duggan has convinced some Detroiters that his turning of a non-profit hospital into a private hospital was good for Detroit. But it wasn’t as good for Detroit as it was for him. He became an instant millionaire, earning $2 million and 82,000 shares of stock worth another $1.2 million. At the same time, the hospital was hemorrhaging jobs, with another 600 layoffs slated for the coming months.
DUGGAN ISSUES NO-BID DPS CONTRACTS TO VENDORS WHO FUNDED HIS CAMPAIGN
In 1999, Mike Duggan was a part of the DPS Takeover Team and a major reason why DPS was returned to Detroiters with a deficit, after it enjoyed a surplus prior to the takeover. Duggan took a leave of absence from the Wayne County Executive’s Office to take on a role to “fix up” DPS schools. Duggan spent $76 million in no-bid contracts to contractors who turned around and funded his Wayne County Prosecutor’s run. “Duggan and his team of district and county employees spent more bond money [[in one summer) … than the former school board did in the first four years.” – Detroit News, October 3, 1999.
MORE NO-BID CONTRACTS – THIS TIME AS WAYNE COUNTY PROSECUTOR
As Wayne County Prosecutor, Mike Duggan paid various vendors more than $830,000 without formal contracts, a competitive bidding process, or approval from the Wayne County Commission, according to audit. The audit indicated that 75 percent of Duggan’s contracts with vendors did not have commission approval, as required by the county. Detroit Free Press December 15, 2004.
Metro Detroit demanded accountability for Kwame Kilpatrick for this type of behavior. Obviously, this type of behavior, and Duggan’s pals are generally acceptable for no-bid contracts.
DUGGAN TRIED TO COVER UP POLICE BRUTALITY IN THE MALICE GREEN CASE – SUED AGAIN BY A WHISTLEBLOWER
In 1993, a Wayne County Medical Examiner, Kalil Jiraki sued Mike Duggan for attempting to intimidate him into saying that Malice Green’s death was related to cocaine use, not the fatal beating given to him by police officers. Jiraki proved to a jury that this incident actually occurred and was awarded $2.5 million after he was fired for not complying. Although named in the complaint and personally fingered for the intimidation, Duggan was not named in the verdict. Detroit News August 11, 2000.
