Update: Thursday, 3:55 p.m. -- Emergency manager Kevyn Orr has officially stripped City Council President Charles Pugh of a paycheck and any authority, the Detroit News reports. The order goes into a effect on July 7, the end of the current pay period. Mayor Dave Biing says it's a black eye for the city.
Update: Thursday, 1:50 p.m. -- The Detroit City Council this morning asked the law department to study the legal implications of replacing Charles Pugh, the Detroit Free Press reported. The paper reported that the council wasn't quite ready to replace the AWOL president of the council.
By Allan Lengel
As the city government crumbles, Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh is playing his little version of "Where's Waldo?"
He's missing. Still.
It might be amusing if it weren't so insane, so immature of a person in that position, to simply go into hiding as he faces public humiliation and serious allegations that he seduced a teenager he was mentoring and showered him with gifts.
Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr must not be amused by the Waldo thing, or Pugh for that matter. He gave him until 5 p.m. Wednesday to show up for work or else? Pugh chose "or else."
Media outlets including the Detroit Free Press reported that Orr on Wednesday directed his legal staff to draw up papers to strip Pugh of his salary, benefits and responsibilities. The move may give people more confidence in Orr, but certainly less in its elected officials.
The Detroit News reports that Ramona Prater, his chief of staff, claimed she hadn’t heard from Pugh on Wednesday and didn’t know where he was.
“I don’t know anything,” she said.
Attorneys for a mother are alleging Pugh had inappropriate contact with her teenage son Pugh was mentoring through a program at the Frederick Douglass Academy.
WXYZ reports that attorneys are saying that Pugh gave the 18-year-old more than $200 in cash , including money to pay for a prom night hotel, money for clothes. He also bought him a cell phone, something the mother reportedly did not want him to have.
One attorney, Skip Mongo, says Pugh exchanged text messages with the teen that would put the Kwame Kilpatrick text message to shame. He said the boy's mother expects to file a lawsuit against Pugh and the school district, perhaps by Monday.
At this point, there's only one thing for Pugh to do: Come out of hiding.
It's not only the right thing to do personally, but for the city.
Seriously. Does the city of Detroit need this distraction? Do voters deserve such ridiculous leadership?
