Jim Fouts will get to stay mayor of Warren longer than some residents might like.
The Macomb County Election Commission has rejected all six recall petitions against Mayor Fouts, despite ongoing controversy.
Fouts has been surrounded by controversy for alleged audio recordings of him saying disparaging and mocking things about mentally ill children, women and black people, and for potentially breaking campaign finance laws.
Joseph Hunt is the Warren resident who submitted the six petitions to Macomb County that were ultimately rejected.
“I filed these because no one else would. I’m tired of basically listening to Jim Fouts all of a sudden persecute people, that’s what he does best,” Hunt said.
Hunt won’t let these petitions end here, however. He plans to keep insisting Fouts step down or be removed from office.
“All of these petitions had facts and were clear, so I’m going to exercise my right to an appeal,” Hunt said.
Tom Ryan, Fouts’ attorney, believes the petitions weren’t as clear and fact-based as the election commission would’ve needed to approve them.
“I’m glad that we got them rejected today because I think that is appropriate, that they were rejected for the reasons stated,” Ryan said.
Ryan said Fouts just wants to focus on doing his job.
“He just wants to do his job and run the city of Warren to the best of his ability,” Ryan said.
According to Ryan, the alleged audio recordings of Fouts could be fake. Ryan also says the campaign finance issue is still under investigation.
