Key Ficano fundraiser abruptly resigns from embattled administration
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 07/14/2012
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By: Ross Jones
DETROIT (WXYZ) - Another member of Robert Ficano's administration, and one of his key fundraisers, resigned abruptly from her county position this week.
JoAnn Abdenour confirmed her resignation to WXYZ this afternoon, but would not say why she left Ficano's embattled administration.
"I just left and now I don't work for the county anymore," she said.
"I really don't think I have to answer any media questions."
A series of 7 Action News reports documented Abdenour's role in Ficano's campaign. She was a coordinator of political events and a key fundraiser, working closely with then Assistant County CEO Nader Fakhouri, who resigned earlier this year.
Abdenour's role in the Ficano campaign was confirmed in e-mails, including one she sent to a county IT appointee.
"Nader has asked that you reach out to a company called 22nd Century Tech and ask them for $2500 and Max Wolfgang at Sarcom and ask them for $5000 for the PAC..." she wrote.
"Nader is confident they will come thru."
7 Action News was first to report that Fakhouri, Abdenour and others worked on campaign and fundraising related activities sometimes on county time, a violation of federal law.
Both Fakhouri and Abdenour denied ever performing campaign or fundraising work on county time.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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