A Political Coward
You may recall the minor media kerfuffle over the Jones Day law firm calling Mike Duggan a "political hack" back in February of 2017, due to the mayor's threats to sue the firm "for allegedly misleading him" during the city's infamous bankruptcy. Well, in this post I intend to take it a bit further, and call him a coward as well.
In a 13-page letter sent to the city, Jones Day's managing partner pointed out that Duggan's comments were meant to distance himself from the bankruptcy, while using the threat of a vendetta lawsuit as intimidation:
Jones Day also observed that "If this case goes forward, we will prove that it does not—and cannot—serve the interest of your real client, the city of Detroit, but instead is designed only to serve the venal interests of a political hack who has placed personal animus and self-interest ahead of the truth"...namely the Mayor, Mike Duggan. Once again Duggan lets his temper over being made to look foolish get the best of him, and forgets that he can't just use the city to sue his personal enemies. So literally, Duggan was going to use the city law department to wage a lawsuit on his behalf...that's about the most Trumpian thing I can think of!
Oh wait, I take that back—this is even more Trumpian:
Duggan, Duggan, Duggan...you are truly the pettiest man I know of. Suing protestors now?
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| "Obey me, or I'll sue!" |
In September of 2020 Mayor Duggan received the "Golden Padlock Award" of the Investigative Reporters and Editors (a national journalism organization with more than 6,500 members), which is given annually to the nation's least-transparent public institution or local government. It was awarded to him because of his several scandals, and his "insistence on protecting self-interest at the expense of the public interest," namely via mass deletion of emails, and thwarting Freedom of Information Act requests from journalists.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!
In mid-November of 2020, Duggan commented to the press that a White House medical adviser who encouraged Michiganders to "rise up" against the Covid restrictions was "behaving like a moron."
Now, this tough talk from Duggan caused another minor media sensation, but when has he ever had the political balls before this to stand up to any of the draconian, fascist, or insulting things that have come out of the Trump administration in the past four years? Why is Duggan puffing his chest out and getting all loud, only now that Trump is in his lame duck period and is basically unable to do anything in retaliation? Where was all Duggan's chutzpa when Trump was threatening to send federal agents to get Detroit "under control"? Officials from plenty other cities spoke out strongly, and Philadelphia even promised to arrest the agents if Trump sent them...where was Duggan's nut-flexing bravado then? And how come Duggan didn't get all swoll up at Trump when he tried to classify Detroit and other Democrat-run cities as "anarchistic jurisdictions," in order to enact oppressive federal measures on them?
He's like that kid on the block who hides behind the bigger kids when there's a fight about to go down, and after the rivals are backing off, then all of a sudden he's the loudest one slinging insults, once he knows it's safe. As much as I dislike Governor Whitmer, even she and Attorney General Dana Nessel have staunchly clapped back on Trump's insults about Detroit or Michigan. How come these women have more testicle than Duggan's soft Wonderbread ass? Go back to Livonia, Duggo, you're useless here. Detroit needs a mayor with a sack, not a meek little boy.
Duggan (and his "pet black guy" Rev. Wendell Anthony) also came out HAM against the Wayne County Board of Canvassers when they tried to exclude Detroit's ballots from of their certification vote...so now all of a sudden when you're getting ready for reelection you got big opinions on social justice issues?
Now you're posturing yourself as "down with the struggle"? This is just another cheap PR grab from inconsequential political battles; if he really cared about social justice for Detroiters, then he would have been acting this way all along, not just when reelection time is coming. When has Duggan EVER had a strong voice in the arena of social justice during the big fights? Where was he when 15,000 households in Detroit were cut off from running water due to poverty? Where was he when the racial injustice of Detroit's facial recognition technology was national news? Where was Duggan on poverty or homelessness in the city? Where was he when poor Detroiters were overtaxed by at least $600 million? Where was Duggan when Detroit police were brutalizing scores of people every week of the past summer, and why is he leveling a lawsuit against the protestors? Where was Duggan when Detroiters in Michigan's 13th district were left without any political representation in Congress for a whole year in the wake of John Conyers' forced resignation, because Governor Rick Snyder made a partisan move to keep that race off the 2018 primary ballot?
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| "Damn, even I forgot about that one..." |
Only now, on this inconsequential political theater move by the Republicans on the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, does he come out of his foxhole to take shots at people. Battle's already over Duggan, just stop it. We all know you were hiding when things were hot and the chips were down. Let the history of the Trump era show that Duggan was not a part of the resistance, but a silent acquiescer. He is a COWARD, who lets others do the fighting for him, and only chops when it is politically safe to do so.
