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County Commissioners Handed Registered Sex Offender, and County Employee on Parole $1.2M ARPA Grant
10/19/22: Updated with a comment from Brian Foley of Supreme Felons, Inc.
Washtenaw County earmarked a total of $8 million in federal ARPA funds to distribute grants to community groups focused on, among other issues, community violence…
Amid Budget Deficit, City Administrator More Than Doubled Spending on Luxury Hotels and Travel for City Staff
by P.D. Lesko
The State of Michigan does not have any laws requiring employers to cover employees' travel expenses. Some states (such as California) have laws requiring employers to cover travel expenses for employees via…
Mayor Violated Michigan Campaign Finance Act; Did He Also Perjure Himself?
by P.D. Lesko
9/8/22: Updated with comments from the Michigan Department of State and Washtenaw County Clerk Larry Kestenbaum.
The Michigan Secretary of State's Elections Bureau received a complaint in March 2021 that alleged Ann…
Mayor Taylor Used City Staff to Secretly “Harvest” Resident Email Addresses, Then Solicited Campaign Donations
by P.D. Lesko
In March 2022, The Ann Arbor Independent filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain all emails sent in 2020 and 2021 to and from City staff to any email address at Hooper Hathaway, the law firm where the Mayor is…
Washtenaw County Reps Who’ve Missed the Most Votes in Lansing
by P.D. Lesko
Michigan's legislators are among the highest paid in the nation. Currently, legislators in our state receive a base pay of $79,650, plus another $12,000 annually for expenses. Leadership positions receive added…
Political Donor to Mayor & His Council Allies Benefits From City Zoning Changes Around Briarwood
by P.D. Lesko
2/11/22: This article has been updated with comments from Council member Kathy Griswold (D-Ward 2).
Council member Kathy Griswold's (D-Ward 2) resolution asked City staff for the answers to a few questions: Who owns the…
Independent Investigation Confirms Allegations of SafeHouse Mismanagement: Executive Director Barbara Niess-May Resigns
Updated 1/24/22 with comments from Nicole Beverly.
by P.D. Lesko
On January 18, 2022, after the results of an independent investigation into allegations of mismanagement were delivered to the SafeHouse Board of Directors, long-time…
In Whistleblower Complaint, Michigan AG Asked to Investigate SafeHouse Board, Executive Director and Staff
by P.D. Lesko
A whistleblower's complaint against SafeHouse Center, the non-profit's Board members, Executive Director and staff, dated October 31, 2021, has been filed with Michigan's Attorney General. The complaint asks AG Dana Nessel…
MDHHS Emails Reveal SafeHouse Executive Director Repeatedly Lied to Michigan Officials
by P.D. Lesko
On July 31, 2021, The Ann Arbor Independent published an article that revealed SafeHouse Center was unsafe, unsanitary and that client-facing staff at the non-profit worked in an atmosphere of what they called "racist…
Social Media Blocks By Local Elected Officials Trample on Residents’ First Amendment Rights
by P.D. Lesko
Note: If you are blocked on social media by any elected official, this may be a violation of your First Amendment rights. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University successfully sued President Donald…
