Macomb County Clerk lied on paperwork about address, lawsuit claims
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (WJBK) - Macomb County Clerk Karen Spranger is accused of lying on paperwork about her address and could be removed from her position as the county executive takes her to court.
Spranger has been a controversial figure in Macomb County for a few months now. First, she was accused of creating a hostile work environment, now these allegations that could wind up with her removal.
There have been issues for sometime as to whether or not Macomb County's Clerk Karen Spranger lived at a house in Warren when she filed her paperwork on April 6th, 2016. If she's lying- she can't be the clerk. And now the County executive is taking her to court.
"Is this something we're moving forward on because the question needs to be answered," Hackel said.
Spranger claimed she lived in a home near 9 Mile and Van Dyke but it doesn't look lived in. Records show it hasn't had water turned on at the home since 2013 and notices on the door from the city say the house is vacant.
Her attorney says despite all of that, she lives there.
"Are they going to prove that they have someone with 24 hour surveillance on that home? She lives there, her mail is there, she's registered to vote there," attorney Frank Cusumano said.
John Schapka, Macomb County Corporation Counsel, said it's not proving she lived.
"We don't have to prove where she lived, we have to establish where she did not live,"
Hackel insists that this isn't personal between him and Spranger.
"We have tried to work with a lady. I have no problem working with Karen Spranger - our office has attempted many times. It's not personal. Anybody can say that [it is personal ] and of course they're going to. How do refute that other than to say no, not personal," Hackel said.
Ironically, it was Karen Spranger who actually filed the first lawsuit against Mark Hackel and the county.
As a side note, all county department heads filed their budget by the due date of June 23 except one - Karen Spranger. But that shouldn't play a role whether this lawsuit goes forward.
"I did think that something was going to be a flame up. It seems that it can't be more than a week or two weeks go by where there's not an attack,"
Normally, these cases are brought by the Attorney General. But not this time - he turned the case down. But that's not stopping
"They cleared the way for us to take the action," Cusumano said.
Hackel says the prosecutor is debating going forward with possible criminal charges- but nothing so far.