New City Hall drama: Sex, lies - and extortion?

[buildingsofdetroit]

http://www.freep.com/article/2011061...text|FRONTPAGE

[Gistok]

Just when you thought she had disappeared.... Sharon McPhail returns.....

[Hypestyles]

Just when you thought she had disappeared.... Sharon McPhail returns.....

oh, no... well, we'll see what craziness develops now..

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Not getting the title, where's the sex part?

[maxx]

Not getting the title, where's the sex part?

It's suggested by the word "salacious".

[SWMAP]

Sharon McPhail?
I am really concerned now. Has she been sitting quietly in Law Department for these last few years? I thought she left for private work? Please tell me they didn't BRING BACK this loser. She would be the biggest "re-tread" of all, and a sign that Bing is just KK in disguise.
Does anyone know if she stayed with the City?

[kraig]

Sharon McPhail?
I am really concerned now. Has she been sitting quietly in Law Department for these last few years? I thought she left for private work? Please tell me they didn't BRING BACK this loser. She would be the biggest "re-tread" of all, and a sign that Bing is just KK in disguise.
Does anyone know if she stayed with the City?

I think McPhail was brought back on contract. The City has a policy of retaining lawyers without going through a bid process [[I imagine that the lawyer with the lowest bid may not be the lawyer that's needed). This makes it easier to award contracts to members of the friends and family plan.

However, City Council will still have to approve the contract. The interesting thing will be how Gary Brown votes or will he have to abstain since the lawyer for the plaintiff, Debra Pospiech, was up until a few months ago, a lawyer on his staff. It will also be interesting to see what kind of report is issued by City Council's Division staff, if required, since she worked there as well.

[English]

Sigh. Is there a single politician in this city with clean hands? This is so frustrating...

[bartock]

It's suggested by the word "salacious".

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...-schools--city

Funny thing is, the City's attorney used that word. Unless there is something missing, I'm guessing that he misspoke. According to this article by the News, there may be allegations that could be described as scandalous, but this is not salacious.

...and I'd be interested to know if McPhail has been retained to represent Dumas, the City, or both. If it is Dumas, whatever. But if it is the City, I mean c'mon talk about a bad penny.

[bailey]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...-schools--city


...and I'd be interested to know if McPhail has been retained to represent Dumas, the City, or both. If it is Dumas, whatever. But if it is the City, I mean c'mon talk about a bad penny.

I like how her name is just slid in that article with no further comment.... Attorney Sharon McPhail...as if she comes with NO baggage whatsoever. nice job Freep. Henderson still read this board? how about some comment about how this bat shit crazy failure of a human is still allowed anywhere near CAYMAC for any reason? Nah, that would be just silly to mention.

[Carey]

I don't see the big problem with failing to detail McPhail's loony background in a breaking news story about another issue. But her involvement certainly rachets up the possibility that crazy things wil be happening. This is another sad indication that Bing's administration is falling apart, slowly, before our eyes.

The News has another story today that further underscores the chaos at city hall...his one signtaure project, the shrinking of Detroit, is going nowhere fast.
.http://detnews.com/article/20110615/...etroit-delayed

[Hypestyles]

The News has another story today that further underscores the chaos at city hall...his one signtaure project, the shrinking of Detroit, is going nowhere fast.
.http://detnews.com/article/20110615/...etroit-delayed

noooooooooooooooooo............ I thought it was taking a while for the next stage meetings/hearings to take place.. sigh..

[bailey]

I don't see the big problem with failing to detail McPhail's loony background in a breaking news story about another issue. But her involvement certainly rachets up the possibility that crazy things wil be happening. This is another sad indication that Bing's administration is falling apart, slowly, before our eyes.
http://detnews.com/article/20110615/...etroit-delayed

Just because it's breaking is no excuse for it being sloppy. Det News calls McPhail Dumas' attorney and notes her as former council woman [[at least).

So freep which is it? Was she retained privately by Dumas or is she on the city payroll?

[drjeff]

The most unfortunate thing about this is that Bing didn't go ahead with the plan to get rid of the council and school board.

[trotwood]

Just when you thought she had disappeared.... Sharon McPhail returns.....

Oy vey!! Why?? Hasn't she proved to everyone with sense that she's got a few screws loose??

[Detroitej72]

I can't believe this woman's lawyer thought the city would just pay her half a million and not say a word to the press. Have these idiots have no sense of decency?

[drjeff]

I can't believe this woman's lawyer thought the city would just pay her half a million and not say a word to the press. Have these idiots have no sense of decency?

I think it's been demonstrated numerous times that they do not. The city is there for them to plunder as they wish.

[Detroitnerd]

Oh, how I would enjoy peering through even a tinted lens at the goings-on behind our figurehead mayor.

[Buy American]

I can't believe this woman's lawyer thought the city would just pay her half a million and not say a word to the press. Have these idiots have no sense of decency?

The raping and pillaging of the City of Detroit goes on and on and on and...........

[SWMAP]

Why do say "plunder as they wish?"
The plaintiff's lawyers put in a list of demands at the request of the City. The city promised acounter-demand. That's how things normally work. The first round is pie-in-the-sky. Everyone knows that.
Obviously, the City took the plaintiff by surprise by doing something low and dirty, calling in the press, calling the initial demand "extortion" in public [[like crying fire in a crowded room here) instead of negotiating as they had promised. So the plaintiff took her story and accusations to the press in return.
The pliantiff may never get a cent but she reveals absolute chaos on the 11th floor [[ and there's all thoseresignations & firings to corroborate her story) and, with the reappearance of McPhail, we learn that the Mayor is a powerless old man and Dumas with mcPhail is now calling the shots. At least that's how it appears here.

[bailey]

Why do say "plunder as they wish?"
The plaintiff's lawyers put in a list of demands at the request of the City. The city promised acounter-demand. That's how things normally work. The first round is pie-in-the-sky. Everyone knows that.
Obviously, the City took the plaintiff by surprise by doing something low and dirty, calling in the press, calling the initial demand "extortion" in public [[like crying fire in a crowded room here) instead of negotiating as they had promised. So the plaintiff took her story and accusations to the press in return.
The pliantiff may never get a cent but she reveals absolute chaos on the 11th floor [[ and there's all thoseresignations & firings to corroborate her story) and, with the reappearance of McPhail, we learn that the Mayor is a powerless old man and Dumas with mcPhail is now calling the shots. At least that's how it appears here.

would someone please explain why an EFM would be any worse?

[Richard]

The 33 page PDF of the allegations is here .

http://www.freep.com/assets/freep/pdf/C4175636615.PDF

I made it through 15 pages of it, perfect example of what one would call a "three ring circus" it is no wonder little is being accomplished.I am not sure on the EFM aspect but one thing is clear at this point something dramatic needs to happen in order to move forward.

http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/...n_Meetings_Act

The law states that meetings are any gathering of a quorum of a public body with the intention of deliberating or deciding on public matters.

On the whole shrinking city thing,3 or 4 months back when I was doing research I ran across a plan that was paid for by taxpayer dollars 4 years ago that looked like not much would have changed and it probably still could have been utilized ,I seem to have lost the link somewhere though.

[Zulu Warrior]

Unfortunately, The Bing administration is in serious straits now. This law suit puts the burden of proof on the table to demonstrate facts. Are their witnesses to be subpoenaed? Depositions to be taken? Video footage, emails, and log books to be reviewed? the answer to all of these is yes...which will now allow the public to take the deep look behind the veil, and see the inadquacies of his management team. Either the city will settle this, and spend up to about a million in tax payer funds...or they will proceed to trial, and the out come the gory details. As they are already sufferring from a credibility problem, this master stroke will only accelerate the fall of confidence in the Office of the Mayor of Detroit.

As I finish this entry, I am reminded of Theoden, King of Rohan [[in the Lord of the Rings)...."How did it ever come to this?"

Sonqoba Simunye...

[brizee]

Lovely.

So Bing is one of two very bad things.

A) An indecisive incompetent lump.

B) A conniving deceitful snake.

Either way I am more convinced than ever that he will be one term mayor.

His choice or not.

[begingri]

Bing's control is looking shakier

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...ooking-shakier