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Complaint targets Detroit City Council member’s mailer

August 13, 2025

Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway is facing potential consequences after her taxpayer-funded newsletter included campaign solicitations from Police Commissioner Linda Bernard, who is seeking re-election as a write-in candidate. Reverend Lucious Conway, a competing candidate, has filed multiple complaints and a lawsuit alleging improper use of public resources for campaign purposes. The Michigan Bureau of Elections determined Whitfield-Calloway violated rules by using the government communication platform GovDelivery to distribute campaign messages, though she claims it was an unintentional oversight.

Who is affected

  • Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway
  • Police Commissioner Linda Bernard
  • Reverend Lucious Conway (District 2 police commission candidate)
  • District 2 residents/voters
  • Roy McCalister Jr. and Helena Scott (Whitfield-Calloway's primary opponents)
  • Detroit City Council
  • Board of Ethics

What action is being taken

  • The Michigan Bureau of Elections is conducting an ongoing investigation into the violation
  • The Bureau is using "informal methods" to correct or prevent further violations
  • Conway's complaint against Whitfield-Calloway and Bernard is scheduled to be heard by the Board of Ethics at their August 20 meeting
  • The investigation continues despite Third Circuit Court Chief Judge Patricia Fresard denying Conway's request to ban Whitfield-Calloway and Bernard from using city communication platforms

Why it matters

  • Michigan law prohibits public officials from using government resources for political campaigns
  • The use of the city's GovDelivery platform potentially gave Whitfield-Calloway and Bernard an unfair advantage over other candidates
  • The incident raises questions about proper use of taxpayer-funded resources and ethical conduct by elected officials
  • The outcome could set precedent for how similar violations are handled in the future
  • The situation impacts the integrity of the electoral process in Detroit's District 2

What's next

  • The Board of Ethics will hear Conway's complaint at their August 20 meeting
  • The Michigan Bureau of Elections will continue its investigation and determine appropriate actions
  • Whitfield-Calloway will face Roy McCalister Jr. in the November general election

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com