Guest Column: ‘Blood in the Water’
Morris Goodman, a Dearborn attorney, past president of the Dearborn Democratic Club, a longtime political activist and observer and regular reader of Deepsaidwhat.com has jumped into the severance payment scandal swirling around Turkia Awada Mullin, the former assistant Wayne County executive.
Bottom-line: Goodman says Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano should ask her to resign from her new job as CEO of the authority that oversees Metro Airport, a position in which she has zero experience. His column begins below:
Morris Goodman
In Alcoholics Anonymous there is the expression that an alcoholic only makes progress over his addiction when he becomes “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Well, the citizens of Wayne County need to declare they are “sick and tired” of the continuing scandal over the insanity of the Turkia Awada Mullin severance payment scandal. It is simply insane for anyone in the Wayne County or Metro Airport hierarchy to believe that it was OK to pay Ms. Mullin $200,000 in a severance payment when she voluntarily left her position as the county’s development director to take a higher paying job at the airport. Even more insane is that a week later she received another $25,000 for accumulated sick and vacation days when she signed a document that the $200,000 is all she would get.
It is simply incredible that when the story broke both Ms. Mullin and County Executive Bob Ficano initially defended the severance payment as well-earned and then within days both said that the $225,000 in severance and sick/ vacation days would be returned. The severance was either well earned or it was not. If it was not, then returning the money does not hide the irreversible stain of the certainly unconscionable, and arguably illegal, original payment.
As I was driving to work on Monday October 24, I was listening to WJR’s Paul W. Smith interview one of the Free Press reporters involved in the Mullin severance investigation. A recording of what County Executive Bob Ficano said to Smith on his show on September 29 was played. Ficano said the contract with Mullin to pay her a severance was not uncommon. He also said that Mullin had done a great job for the county by bringing $5.5 billion dollars worth of new development to Wayne County. Who had given him this information?
The Free Press reporter had written a story the previous day about how Mullin has overstated the amount of development she or her department aided by over $2 billion – a classic example of frowned upon “Resume’ inflation.” Smith commented that the continuing revelations about the questionable actions and retractions surrounding this story were tantamount to “blood in the water”. The sharks are circling. How much longer can this go on?
There are many questions to be answered in this sordid matter which now the FBI is looking to have answered in a potential criminal probe. How is it possible that someone with absolutely no experience in running an airport, or even of running a large organization for that matter, can have been appointed to be the CEO of one of the nation’s largest airports? Metro has several thousand employees and a huge network of government agencies and private companies to interact with on a daily basis
How is it possible that Ms. Mullin in addition to her $200,000 salary from the county also received $75,000 annually from a private company whose sole purpose seems to be to pay Ms. Mullin and whose board of directors and contributors are made up of people who do business with Wayne County? How is it possible that Ms. Mullin could have taken credit for her development agency aiding certain investments in Wayne County when many investors categorically deny that she or her agency had anything to do with them?
The questions themselves, regardless of the answers, are so beyond the boundary of what is proper conduct for a high appointed official that the mere asking of them should be grounds for Ms. Mullin’s resignation. Every day she continues as Metro Airport’s leader only adds to the appearance of corruption that pervades this whole mess. If she won’t resign then the seven member airport board that appointed her, which contains four appointees of Wayne County Executive Ficano, should ask her to leave. If the airport board does not ask her to leave, then at least the four Wayne County members of the board should be dismissed.
After having suffered the Kwame Kilpatrick scandal for two years, Wayne County cannot afford to have the Mullin situation linger. With the Big Three and the UAW having come to terms, Southeast Michigan is poised for economic growth. The integrity of Wayne County is at stake here. Kilpatrick was elected and had the right to his office. Mullin was appointed and can be un-appointed at any time. Now is that time.
October 28th, 2011 at 11:03 am
The false claims she made on her resume would seem to give the Airport Authority sufficient basis for termination for cause.
But consider what the search committee apparently ignored (chaired by the owner of Pinnacle Racetrack) – her work as a private attorney representing the seller of gas stations with overinflated valuations (sound familiar?) while also representing the buyer (without disclosure). When the new owners of the stations couldn’t make the payments, the whole scheme came to light, and the seller fled the jurisdiction to Qatar, and the mortgage broker got 10 years.
And this is the person entrusted to run the county’s largest asset?
She defines hubris. Those who abetted her must have cringed watching her boldly proclaim her entitlement to the severence, knowing there was no contract providing for the payment.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Morris a very well thought out column for once. Ficano hasn’t got the balls to get rid of her (Turkia), because of the close friendship with Ficano’s girl, but whats right is right, show some balls Morris and don’t let up on this subject.
October 28th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Good job Tdogg you obviously did your homework. This is the kind of shenigans Ficano has been doing for a long time, and got away with it, until now. Ms. Mullin knows she has him by his manhood, afterall this came to light only because they got caught, however, everyone knows she has a lot on him, and will spit it out, if he doesn’t back her to the end. Bye Bye Turkia, and Bobby.
October 28th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Good job Tdogg you obviously did your homework. This is the kind of shenigans Ficano has been doing for a long time, and got away with it, until now. Ms. Mullin knows she has him by his manhood, afterall this came to light only because they got caught, however, everyone knows she has a lot on him, and will spit it out, if he doesn’t back her to the end. Bye Bye Turkia, and Bobby.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Just firing someone is not enough. prosecution and jail time is needed for all involved. Think about it, a party store robber gets 10-15 years, these people steal with impunity and walk.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Just firing someone is not enough. prosecution and jail time is needed for all involved. Think about it, a party store robber gets 10-15 years, these people steal with impunity and walk.
October 29th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Mr. Goodman I agree with both u and Mr. Saab however, there is more to the story at hand, I hope u have the kahunna’s to keep on top of it, as Mr. Saab is like the rest of us but u have newspaper contacts to follow up on this story. Here is a suggestion, how about checking into the mansion that Mr. Elder is building right behind Ford Field, and the secret meetings he has had with Ms.Mullin/Awada. We have to just wait and see, if u are a real newsperson, or just someone trying to throw gas in the fire.
October 29th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Mr. Goodman I agree with both u and Mr. Saab however, there is more to the story at hand, I hope u have the kahunna’s to keep on top of it, as Mr. Saab is like the rest of us but u have newspaper contacts to follow up on this story. Here is a suggestion, how about checking into the mansion that Mr. Elder is building right behind Ford Field, and the secret meetings he has had with Ms.Mullin/Awada. We have to just wait and see, if u are a real newsperson, or just someone trying to throw gas in the fire.
October 29th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Maybe Mr. Goodman can come up with something that hasn’t already been reported in the News or Free Press??
November 3rd, 2011 at 10:46 am
Abe and Tdogg, I am startled at these claims. Not surprised at their nature, but startled that the Free Press and other reporters wouldn’t have jumped on this story. Please send any details to the news media. If the gas-station sale went as described it is a blatant crime. Remember our Judge who acted on both sides of a deal and lost his judgeship because of it? And the relationship between Elder (apparently the major deal-maker in the whole mess), Mullin and Ficano’s girlfriend should be put under scrutiny as well.
November 4th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Abe little Bobby finally got rid of the scums he had on his staff, first and foremost Azzam that was a shock, but Azzam learned something when u are going down bring the underlings down first. Good job Commissioners, but don’t forget there are still rats in the County.
November 5th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Morris Goodman is one of the most obnoxious and insensitive people I’ve ever met. His writing is also an embarrassment to language itself.