The Michigan Secretary of State has given Warren Mayor Jim Fouts until February 9th to respond to 13 questions about how he turned his State of the City speech into a political fundraiser last year.
The state also proposed a fine of $500 for one of the Mayor's top aides, Gust Ghanam.
An attorney for Ghanam tells 7 Investigator that Ghanam will pay the $500, but they are also filing a complaint against Leon Drolet who filed what he called a frivolous complaint.
Drolet says this is not about who filed what, but about the Mayor using city resources and staff illegally.
More fines and a finding of a misdemeanor crime are possible outcomes.
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson introduced Mayor Fouts at this State of the State speech in 2011. This was right after she was elected to that statewide office.
So does this create a conflict of interest for her?
She responds those investigations are handled by staff professionals without her input and she rarely sees any of these cases.
State law says if there is a conflict the case would go to the Michigan Attorney General.
The letter from the state to the Mayor is attached.
New Drolet v Ghanam Letter to Fouts and Sabaugh by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
