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City Manager Max Garbarino, sitting with legs, crossed before being ejected.
The political drama in Hamtramck continued Tuesday night at a city council meeting when Mayor Amer Ghalib ejected suspended City Manager Max Garbarino, who was in attendance as a member of the audience.
"Before we start the meeting, I just want to point out that it is improper for Max to be here today because the police chief wants to come now, and there would be an issue," Ghalib said, adding, "You are not supposed to be here; that would affect the outcomes of the investigation."
The mayor then ordered Deputy Police Chief Andrew Mileski to escort Garbarino out of the meeting. As he was exiting, Garbarino muttered the word "lawsuit"—a likely reference to the suit he filed against the city after being placed on administrative leave, alleging racial bias and corruption.
Garbarino was placed on paid administrative leave last month shortly after he suspended Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri pending an investigation into a host of alleged wrongdoings by the chief. The mayor has expressed anger over Garbarino's decision to suspend Altaheri, the city's first Yemeni-American chief, without giving him an opportunity to defend himself. The chief has denied any wrongdoing.
Several minutes into the meeting, the mayor asked the deputy police chief to remove Garbarino from another part of the building, saying he was lingering to intimidate him and the council and to cause trouble.
"I really don't feel safe now," the mayor said.
Police Officer David Adamcyzk, who made the allegations to the Michigan State Police, has also been placed on leave.
(The first ejection starts at 11:14 on the video. The second ejection from the building is around 22:10)
Here's the allegations as reported last month in the Arab American News:
The Arab American News has obtained a copy of a memo submitted by a Hamtramck police officer (David Adamczyk) to Lt. Ed Price of the Michigan State Police. The memo accuses Chief Altaheri of “potential violations of city policy, administrative and legal misconduct and behavior that undermines public trust and the professional oath of law enforcement officers in Michigan.”
The memo outlines a series of serious allegations casting doubt on Altaheri’s integrity and fitness to serve, including repeated incidents of domestic violence involving his “partner, Mariam.” Officers reportedly responded to multiple calls from Altaheri’s residence, but he allegedly instructed them not to file official reports. In one incident, Mariam claimed he assaulted her during a cruise, leaving her stranded at a port after discovering he was involved with a local schoolteacher. The officer’s wife reportedly recorded audio capturing references to punches to the head and abdomen.
The memo also accuses Altaheri of conspiring to solicit a presidential pardon for a convicted businessman in exchange for between $1 million and $5 million to be routed through President Trump via an intermediary identified as (restaurateur) Mark Zarkin. Altaheri allegedly stood to receive a 10 percent cut. The memo claims the officer was present at related meetings held in local restaurants, alongside individuals named Ibrahim Aljahim and Ralph.
In another instance, Altaheri allegedly issued a fraudulent police ID card identifying Zarkin as “general manager” despite the fact that Zarkin held no official position within the department — a serious breach of legal and ethical standards.
Altaheri has denied the allegations and did not responded to a previous request by Deadline Detroit for comment. Restaurateur Mark Zarkin has not responded to repeated attempts in the past by Deadline Detroit for comment.
