My Public Questioning of Washtenaw County Government’s Serious Ethical Lapses Led to Threats

by Monica Ross-Williams, MBA; LIA – Organizer for Citizens for Ethical Government in Washtenaw County

Please note: I requested no meeting of any sort with Mr. Billy Cole. His claim that I did in the podcast audio clip linked to here is yet another of his blatant fabrications. November 12, 2022, a third party requested I take a meeting with Cole. I soundly rejected the request.

I am a former elected official, an upstanding citizen in Washtenaw County. I am a small business owner. I am a former Michigan Department of Corrections – Correctional Officer E-9, and a relative of a murder victim in this county–a case which still remains unsolved since 1988. I know a threat when I hear one.

On Feb. 5, 2022, I was publicly threatened by Billy Cole, a murderer on parole who heads Supreme Felons, Inc. By virtue of the federal funding given his non-profit, Cole is now a contractor of Washtenaw County government. I sent a Cease and Desist letter to Dill and the County Commissioners. They have until Feb. 10, 2023 to respond.

County Administrator Greg Dill wanted to talk to me. I sent a Cease and Desist letter on Feb. 5, 2023 to Dill, all of the County Commissioners, and looped in Rep. Debbie Dingell after a County employee whose non-profit is now a county contractor, threatened me. Why didn’t Dill talk to me when I spoke out in public in October 2022? I warned Dill months ago about this County employee/County contractor, about the man’s fabrications. Now, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Dept. employee (“Temporary Law Enforcement”), who is a murderer on parole, threatened me in public.

I did speak briefly with County Administrator Dill. I requested a Michigan State Police investigation into this matter. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Administration is obviously too compromised to conduct any investigation at all.

According to this Washtenaw County employee whose non-profit received $1.2 million in federal funds on Jan 9, 2023, members of the public who have asked questions about the veracity of the non-profit’s past work, its fraudulent grant application and other questions about whether felons can (or should) mentor and tutor young children, “the public is housenigg*rs, buttwarmers.” The public, according to the “managing director” and “president” of Supreme Felons, Inc., during a Feb. 5, 2023 podcast, is being “used to attack” the non-profit. The non-profit “don’t have a beef” with no one. Really? As a former corrections officer, I can tell you that choice of words is straight out of D Block. Convicts have “beefs” with other convicts.

I don’t have a “beef.” I have rights. Each and every citizen who pays taxes has the right to inquire about how government and elected officials spend our money. Since Oct. 2022, I have publicly questioned why the County has not investigated a fraudulent grant proposal submitted by this local non-profit for an allocation of our federal tax dollars. I have questioned the legality and ethics of the County Administrator and County Commissioners’ parts in approving this fraud perpetrated by felons.

In July 2022, on the recommendation of County Administrator Greg Dill, nine County Commissioners allocated $1.2 million in federal ARPA funds to a non-profit “organization” named “Supreme Felons, Inc.” This non-profit was co-incorporated by a murderer on parole and a registered sex offender. According to the contract between the County and Supreme Felons, Inc., executed Jan. 9, 2023, these felons are now required to work with children, to tutor and mentor them. Tutor? With what educational qualifications? Mentor? Murderers, child rapists and bank robbers as role models for kids? Um, no thanks.

These public officials handed $1.2 million to Supreme Felons, Inc. knowing the grant proposal was fraudulent, according to an article published in The Detroit News. These public officials gave federal funds to a non-profit whose co-founders have not filed tax returns since 2019 and whose non-profit owed thousands in fines and penalties to the IRS when they applied for the $1.2 million in April 2022. The County’s contract says recipients of this federal money can’t commit fraud. That train left the station in when Billy Cole submitted a grant application to Washtenaw County that was filled with lies.

This matter began with my questions about how an organization with little to no tangible experience or background in “Community Violence Intervention” received $1.2 Million dollars of Federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding. I will continue to ask these questions on behalf of the community in which was born, raised, educated, worked, volunteered, and was previously elected to public office.

I have heard from many other citizens with similar questions. They are afraid to speak. In light of the threats to me, I understand why, but I will speak for them, as well.

In response to this epic fraud, I recently founded a group called Citizens for Ethical Government in Washtenaw County (MI) (CFEGWC) is to advance the governing principles of “For The People, By The People.” The mission of the group is to hold elected leadership accountable, and to promote the Fourth Estate, a free press designed to share with residents information they need to know.

We are Citizens for Ethical Government in Washtenaw County, (MI). Join us if you believe government must work for you!