"Judge raises questions whether citizen can file lawsuit against Turkia Mullin, Airport Authority"

Friday, January 6, 2012

Judge raises questions whether citizen can file lawsuit against Turkia
Mullin, Airport Authority
By Michael Rosenfield
WXYZ-TV Ch 7 (ABC), Detroit (MI)

 
DETROIT - The tangle of lawsuits involving union activist Robert Davis,
former Airport CEO Turkia Mullin and the Wayne County Airport Authority
landed once again before a judge today, with the judge raising questions as
to whether or not Davis even has the legal standing to sue Mullin and the
Airport.

"I characterize this as a citizen trying to inject himself into a lawsuit
involving a former government employee and a government body," Judge Robert
Colombo, Jr. said. "And generally that's not allowed, but we'll see how this
plays out."

Mullin, who was fired as CEO of the airport last year, will be going after
what was left on her contract, more than $700,000, claiming she was fired
illegally and did nothing wrong to merit dismissal.

Her attorney, Ray Sterling, says he subpoenaed and received her employment
file to help her case.

"There's nothing in there whatsoever indicating any cause for termination,"
Sterling said Friday. "There's not one bad word about her in that file."

But Robert Davis, a Wayne County employee, says because the judge already
ruled the Airport Board violated Michigan law when it hired Mullin, her
contract should be deemed invalid, and Mullin shouldn't collect any money.

"Standing is a legitimate issue, I believe that Mr. Davis does have
standing," says Andrew Paterson, the attorney representing Davis. "It's a
very difficult legal issue."

Mullin's attorney will file a motion to throw out Davis' lawsuit, and
today's comments from the judge on whether or not Davis even has standing
may be a boost to Mullin's argument.

In the next month, arbitration will likely begin over whether or not Turkia
Mullin is entitled to what was left on her airport contract when she was
fired.

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