Hamtramck councilmen charges continue rough year of political legal drama
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (FOX 2) - The hits keep coming for Hamtramck city government as two members of its city council face election fraud charges, This just a week after the August primary.
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More drama inside Hamtramck City Hall on Tuesday night as two of their elected leaders now face a fresh round of criminal charges.
Hamtramck residents were not holding back at the first City Council meeting since two of its members were arraigned on charges relating to election fraud.
One of those officials, Muhtasin Sadman, took his seat on the panel hours after the arraignment. The other, Mohammed Hassan, was a no show. Just the latest in a long line of problems facing city government.
Hassan was arraigned on three charges of election fraud and forgery. Sadman was arraigned on five counts involving election fraud and forgery. Neither said anything as they left court, but people were talking in the meeting. And throughout the city all day.
The charges against the council members came out of Monroe County District Court. Prosecutors accused Sadman of helping an unqualified elector to vote and making a false statement on an absentee ballot application.
Hassan was accused of forging a signature on an absentee ballot application, knowingly committing forgery, and making a false statement on an application for an absentee ballot.
The charges are the latest black eye for a city in turmoil.
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Two council members are accused of not living in the city they represent. City Manager Max Garbarino sued the mayor and the entire City Council, alleging massive corruption after the officials placed him on leave for placing the police chief on leave over allegations of misconduct. The FBI has been involved in at least one investigation and the State Police took over a Hamtramck Police probe into issues with city officials.
The two councilmen were given a personal bond but had to surrender their passports. Because these are felony charges, they will be back in court for the specifics of the criminal allegations in the future.
The Source: Information for this report came from court and from interviews with those who live and work in Hamtramck.
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