[nfbmi-talk] note same lawyer against nfb mi

[joe harcz Comcast]

Note in the midst of the attached scandal John Cashen who tried to intimidate NFB MI in the New Horizons/MCB/Gwen McNeal resolution is again apparently representing some alledgedly shady interests....

Joe

Turkia Awada Mullin not owed a penny, lawsuit alleges | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Turkia Awada Mullin

 

By

John Wisely

and

Jim Schaefer

 

Detroit Free Press Staff Writers

 

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• Filed Under

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List of 4 items

• Local News

• Wayne County

• Turkia Awada Mullin

• Metro Airport

list end

 

Related Links

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• PDF: Read the lawsuit brought by Robert Davis

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More

 

Turkia Awada Mullin doesn't deserve anything after being fired as CEO of Metro Airport because her employment contract was illegal, according to a lawsuit

filed Tuesday.

 

Labor activist Robert Davis filed the suit in Wayne County Circuit Court, asking a judge to invalidate not only Mullin's contract, but the airport's contract

with Trustinus, the Southfield-based search firm that interviewed candidates last summer before the board selected Mullin for the $250,000-a-year job.

 

In arguing that the airport authority violated the state Open Meetings Act -- a claim similar to one Davis made in a separate suit he won last week -- Davis'

new suit is aimed at ensuring that Mullin never collects on more than $700,000 she says she is owed on the three-year deal.

 

Mullin was hired Aug. 2 and fired Oct. 31 amid controversy over a severance payment from her previous post in Wayne County government.

 

Her airport contract called for her to receive the balance of three years' salary -- more than $700,000 -- in severance if she was fired without good cause.

Board members said they had cause to fire Mullin but have refused to say what it was. Davis' suit Tuesday aims to prevent any payout by asking a judge

to declare the contract illegal.

 

A circuit judge in a separate suit by Davis ruled last week that the authority violated the state Open Meetings Act, but that judge did not address the

issue of whether Mullin can recoup what she says she is owed.

 

Ray Sterling, Mullin's attorney, issued a statement saying, "There are numerous legal defenses that will be addressed in court." He has said previously

that he believes his client's contract was valid, she was fired without cause and she is owed the remaining money.

 

John Cashen, an outside lawyer hired by the airport to deal with the issue, did not return a call.

 

Davis also claims that airport board members wanted Mullin all along and took steps to ensure her selection.

 

In May, Renee Axt, then-chairwoman of the airport board, appointed an ad-hoc committee of three board members to lead the search. The three -- Suzanne Hall,

Samuel Nouhan and Charlie Williams -- "held at least 11 private and secret meetings, culled candidates for the CEO position and privately interviewed six

finalist candidates," the suit claims.

 

The three committee members selected and contracted with Trustinus, drafted qualifications for the position, interviewed six finalists and recommended Mullin.

 

The suit also claims that Trustinus' contract with the airport never was approved by the airport board and that the firm wasn't properly licensed in Michigan,

as required by law.

 

Chris Andreoff, attorney for Trustinus and its chief, Jack Krasula, declined to comment, saying he had not seen the suit.

 

The suit also names Mullin as a defendant, claiming that she and Hall illegally negotiated the severance provision of the contract, which was never approved

by the full board.

 

The authority voted to give Mullin a three-year contract at $250,000 a year, but it delegated to Hall its authority to negotiate the additional terms. The

contract was ultimately signed by Mullin and Axt.

 

The suit claims state law and airport bylaws require the board to approve the "final contractual language" for the CEO.

 

Contact John Wisely: 313-222-6825 or

jwisely at freepress.com

 

Source:

http://www.freep.com/article/20111221/NEWS02/112210360/Turkia-Awada-Mullin-not-owed-penny-lawsuit-alleges?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs