Warren Mayor James Fouts
Update: Thursday, 7:20 a.m. -- WXYZ incorrectly reported that the Warren City Council adopted a resolution asking that Mayor James Fouts take a voice analysis and lie detector test to determine if it is in fact his voice on an audio recording. The Macomb Daily reports that the council decided to delay that vote on Tuesday night.
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Warren Mayor James Fouts, who is in big political trouble these days, has denied that a voice on an audio tape is his. He says the tape has been doctored so that it sounds like he's saying harsh things about the mentally challenged.
On Tuesday night, the Warren City Council, which heard citizens voice harsh criticism of Fouts, adopted a resolution asking Fouts to submit to a voice analysis and lie detector test, reports WXYZ's Jonathan Carlson. Some citizens called for him to resign. Fouts was not in attendance.
A group of religious leaders met with Fouts on Tuesday afternoon, including Pastor Maurice Hardwick. He said Fouts might survive the political fallout if he admits that the voice is his. If not, he said, Fouts isn't likely to survive.
Special education teacher Lanette Olejniczak spoke at Tuesday night's council meeting.
“People with disabilities are not weird. They are not freaks. They should not be put in cages,” she said, according to The Detroit News. “They are human beings.”
“Have a heart and leave. Mr. Mayor, these people vote for you and maybe not anymore.”
The controversial tape was given to Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who released it publicly in midst of a political spat he's having with Fouts.
A voice on the recording that sounds like Fouts says:
“Now on Friday night instead of like in the past, I would be going to meet some women, tonight I am going to meet a group of retards. Tonight is retard night.”
“You see these people, I don’t know, what good are they? They are dysfunctional human beings. They aren’t even human beings. I don’t want any part of this. this is one of the worst parts of being mayor. This is bottom of the barrel. I don’t want to be around them. I wish them well in a cage."
