Political flyers in Hamtramck want to 'get the Muslim out'

HAMTRAMCK - The campaign for city council turns ugly in Hamtramck.

We're told someone is handing out racially charged flyers and making false accusations against several candidates. It's a lot like the smear campaigns in other local cities.

"This is ridiculous and it is insulting to my family and work that I've done,” said Susan Dunn, a Hamtramck city council candidate.

Susan calls a copy of one of the flyers "disgusting” and said she is stunned. The flyer reads "Let's get the Muslim out of Hamtramck in November 3rd. Let's take back our city."

“It's not properly written anyway let alone the message is terrible and nasty,” said Dunn.

Along with Dunn, the flyer shows photos of two other white candidates which include council member Robert Zwolak and former member Cathie Gordon. Cathie says she learned about the flyers Sunday.

"I was deluged with calls Sunday from the community about the flyer that was circulated,” said Cathie Gordon, a Hamtramck city council candidate.

"My neighbor Saad Alsmari was very upset to find this in his door, so he sent this to the mayor and I asking if we knew anything about it,” said Dunn.

The city clerk says the city has not received an original copy of the flyer yet, but says when they do it will be handed over to police for further investigation.

You may recall similar flyers being circulated in Southfield two months ago. One reading "Let's get the blacks out of Southfield in November" with photos of white city officials on it and the bottom also reading "Let's take back our city", like these in Hamtramck.

“This could've just been given to one candidate and he shared it with us or it could have gotten out to all my Muslim neighbors and I would have no idea,” said Dunn.

"I know they're being circulated in the community,” said Gordon.

Candidate Robert Zwolak tells Fox 2 Tuesday that he's extremely disappointed, but has more faith in the community than the person creating and sharing these flyers.

"Shame on them, you have the audacity to live here and do this when this does not represent the people of this town,” said Gordon.