Karen Weaver, the mayor of Flint was accused in a lawsuit to divert donation to handle water crisis to her political action committee. Former city administrator Natasha Henderson filed a federal lawsuit on Monday. She claimed she was fired after reporting Mayor Weaver action.
Miss Henderson filed a lawsuit in Detroit US District Court on Monday May 9. Michigan Live reported that she claimed that she was fired from her position after she asked the office of city attorney to investigate the donation. She said mayor Weaver had told city staff and volunteers to send potential water crisis donors to her own personal account.
Following the lawsuit, Flint city spokeswoman Kristin Moore declined to comment and only said a short statement, "The mayor and city staff do not comment on pending litigation."
She advised further questions to be directed to city's attorney Kendall Williams, who will handle the case. However, Michigan Live could not reach Williams for comment. While miss Henderson's attorney Katherine Smith Kennedy said the her client was an excellent city administrator.
"In a community where the current water crisis repeatedly exposed how people failed to do the right thing, Ms. Henderson did the right thing and was fired for it," Kennedy said as quoted by The Detroit News. "Her goal was to ensure the integrity of the city at a time when its reputation has taken many blows. Instead, she was penalized for bringing forward these concerns."
In the lawsuit, ms. Henderson claimed that mayor Weaver's executive assistant Maxine Murray told her on Feb. 9 that she feared about going to jail. Miss Murray said mayor Weaver told her to inform donors and potential donors to send their donation to the Karenabout Flint fund, a political action committee which personally managed by mayor Weaver herself. Murray was specifically told by Mayor Weaver to redirect the fund which was originally managed by Community Foundation for Greater Flint.
Katherine Smith Kennedy told Detroit Free Press that as a city administrator, Natasha Henderson did the right thing by reporting the mayor misconduct and asking city attorney to investigate the matter. She also said that her client had helped the city to secure $6-million payment to help switching back water supply to Detroit's water system.
"A red flag went off when it was an unrecognizable fund," ms. Kennedy said "She did the right thing. She reported the matter to the city attorney. And for doing the right thing, she was punished. She was fired."
Mayor of Flint Karen Weaver was accused of diverting donation to help Flint's water crisis. Former city administrator Natasha Henderson filed a lawsuit on Monday claim the mayor redirected the fund to her own personal account.
