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Audio recordings allegedly capture Fouts making degrading comments about black people, women

Posted at 12:08 PM, Jan 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-16 23:21:46-05

New audio recordings that allegedly capture Warren Mayor Fouts making degrading comments about black people and women were obtained by Motor City Muckraker, an independent news organization. 

The recordings were published on the organization's website this morning. 

In the audio clips, a voice that sounds like Mayor Fouts makes a number of comments about older women and black people. 

Listen to all of the recordings here. 

"Blacks do look like chimpanzees, I was watching this black woman with her daughter and they looked like two chimps," Fouts seemingly said in one recording.  

About a month ago, audio recordings surfaced supposedly of Fouts making demeaning comments about mentally disabled people. 

He has since denied it was his voice on the recordings. 

Local leaders are saying if Fouts did say the things on the recordings, it may be time for him to resign. 

“I was sickened by it,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “I listened to it. I just can’t believe anybody would say those things.  I think he needs to come out with a definitive answer on this, because, if he said those things, he has to go. No question about it.”

“That type of racism and stereotypes – it’s not acceptable,” said Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence.

Oakland County Sheriff Bouchard posted the following to Facebook:

Fouts was at an MLK Day event today, and denied the most recently released audio clips, saying it is not his voice.

"That is an engineered tape inspired by Mark Hackel," said Fouts. 

He later posted the following statement to Facebook: