Flint Mayor Karen Weaver on Wednesday denied an accusation that she directed donations meant for the Michigan city’s lead water crisis to a personal political action committee.
Weaver, a Democrat, was accused Tuesday of steering donations meant for the Safe Water/Safe Homes fund to her own PAC. The Safe Water fund is supposed to go to families affected by the lead-contaminated water that keeps the 100,000 people who live in the eastern Michigan city from drinking their water.
In a statement to the Detroit News Wednesday, Weaver categorically denied the accusations made in a federal lawsuit by former City Administrator Natasha Henderson, calling them “outrageously false.”
“It saddens me that someone would attempt to taint me as mayor of a city that is dealing with a major public health crisis, which has affected every man, woman and child in Flint,” she said in the statement to the News.
“I will continue to work hard to serve the people of Flint, seek support for our residents and secure the necessary resources from generous donors from around our great nation to help the city and citizens I have been elected to serve.”
Henderson stated in the lawsuit that she was told by a city employee that Weaver was directing the employee to put donations into her PAC instead of the fund. Michigan has no PAC registered by the name of Karenabout Flint, identified by Henderson as the PAC that was taking the donations.
The lawsuit says Henderson on Feb. 9 asked the city’s attorney, Anthony Chubb, to begin an investigation into the employee’s claims. Three days later, after not hearing anything from Chubb, Weaver fired Henderson.
When Henderson asked why she was being fired, “Mayor Weaver responded that she had met with authorities at the state of Michigan who indicated that the state of Michigan could no longer fund Ms. Henderson’s salary.” Henderson says the city of Flint paid her salary, not Michigan.
On March 14, the Flint City Council approved Weaver’s decision to fire Henderson. The lawsuit says Henderson was “disparaged and defamed” during the meeting.
Henderson says her First Amendment rights were violated because she was a whistleblower who was fired. She is also charging wrongful termination, wrongful discharge in violation of public policy and breach of contract.
