by
Warren Evans (Facebook photo)
When a poltician gives a well-paid job to a friend, relative or lover, people get suspicious -- even when the pol claims the employee is the most qualified for the job. That's why most politicians avoid such optics.
Not Wayne County Executive Warren Evans. The man is either politically tone-deaf, ethically challenged or both. His history speaks for itself.
The latest question arises this week as WXYZ's Ross Jones reports that Evans' daughter, Nikki Studstill collected $100,000 from his campaign as the campaign finance and political director since 2017. Evans ran unopposed on Tuesday in the Democratic race for county executive, and he's expected to easily win in November.
He tells WXYZ:
"I have the utmost respect for what she does and I'm confident in her abilities. She remains the best person for the job based on history and her pay is commensurate with her performance. 2017/2018 Compensation is reflective of the two roles she has been providing my campaign."
We have no doubt Evans deligently scoured the local landscape before determining his daughter was "the best person for the job."
Please. It's not illegal but it looks terrible when you pour donors' money into the pockets of relatives. I can't imagine most donors like that, unless they're looking for a favor. And in that case, they don't care where their money goes.
But that's not all, as infomercials say. Jones also reports:
- While he worked in the prosecutor’s office, Evans made the news when a company he owned with his brother Blair, Evans Solutions, received a county contract. Evans said his shares were in a blind trust and he sold them the following year.
- In 2010, Evans was ousted as Detroit police chief after an internal investigation found that he gave preferential treatment to an officer he was dating.
- In 2017, WXYZ exposed how Evans’ wife was the only person interviewed for a $70,000 a year county job in the Wayne County Treasurer’s office, despite no previous government experience or even a college degree. She was in line for a promotion but, once our story aired, she quickly resigned.
- The same year, a Grand Rapids construction company where Evans other brother Matthew heads their Detroit office was selected to renovate a longtime county building after county officials sold it.
Additionally, Charlie LeDuff writes in Deadline Detroit that Evans' personal attorney Anthony Adams "got a big fat $100,000 no-bid contract from Evans for that new courthouse and jail deal; a deal that makes former executive Bob Ficano look like a genius."
Residents should say enough is enough. Even after these reports surface, hardly a peep is heard from the electorate. Those of us who live in Wayne County deserve honest and transparent government.
None of Evans' transgressions appear to be criminal, but they sure make you wonder what else the guy is up to and whether he can be trusted.
Yes, helping out friends and relatives is an admirable thing, but not when it comes to public funding and campaigns.
Evans should know better. Maybe he does, but he doesn't care.
