Detroit State Rep. asks AG Schuette to probe Wayne County appointee Mullin’s $200k severance

LANSING (WXYZ) – A Detroit State Representative is asking Attorney General Bill Schuette to investigate a controversial severance package given to a top Wayne County appointee.

Last Tuesday, the Action News Investigators broke the story that Robert Ficano’s former economic development chief Turkia Mullin took a $200,000 severance payout from the taxpayers. In August, Mullin voluntarily quit to become the new CEO of Detroit Metro Airport, earning $250,000 a year.

Rep. John Olumba of Detroit made the request today, saying he felt bound to request a probe into Mullin’s severance on behalf of his constituents.

“We should be sure that while everyday citizens are sharing in the sacrifice of this seemingly relentless dogmatic economy, officials and other agents of the government are not misappropriating tax dollars,” he wrote.

Amidst growing scrutiny last week, Mullin vowed to return the money to the county.  Still, questions about the payment have persisted, in part because of the county’s bungled attempts to quell the controversy.

After claiming for days that Mullin’s severance was promised to her in her contract, county officials later admitted she had no contract.  The only document officials could produce promising Mullin severance was an undated letter bearing Ficano’s signature.

Pressed Thursday by Channel 7′s Heather Catallo, Ficano would not answer whether or not he wrote or signed the letter.