Robert A. Ficano | |
---|---|
![]() Ficano in 2011 | |
Wayne County Executive | |
In office January 1, 2003 –January 1, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Edward H. McNamara |
Succeeded by | Warren Evans |
Wayne County Sheriff | |
In office 1983 –January 1,2003 | |
Preceded by | William Lucas |
Succeeded by | Warren Evans |
Personal details | |
Born | Detroit,Michigan | July 19,1952
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Rosemarie B. Jarocha (1979-div. 2004) |
Children | 2 |
Residence | Dearborn Heights,Michigan |
Alma mater | Michigan State University University of Detroit Mercy |
Profession | Politician |
Robert Anthony "Bob" Ficano (born July 19,1952) is an American politician,and the former County Executive and former Sheriff of Wayne County,Michigan. [1]
Ficano was born in Detroit,Michigan. He received his BA in 1974 from Michigan State University,and his JD in 1977 from University of Detroit. He worked as an attorney,and was assistant city attorney for the city of Westland,Michigan. He was nominated as the Democratic candidate for Michigan House of Representatives from the 36th District in 1980.
After years as an attorney in private practice in Westland,Michigan,Ficano was appointed to deputy County Clerk under then County Clerk James Kileen. When William Lucas left the office of Wayne County Sheriff in 1983 to run for Wayne County Executive,Ficano was appointed Wayne County Sheriff in 1983,and elected in 1984,1988,1992,1996,and 2000. In the history of electoral politics in Wayne County,no one has ever been elected sheriff without being appointed to the job prior to an election.[ citation needed ] In 2002,Ficano was elected county executive,and took office in 2003. [2]
As county executive,he generated controversy in 2004 with his veto of a proposed ordinance to ban smoking in most workplaces. [3] [4]
He is of Italian descent and lives in Livonia. Ficano has long held ties to the organized labor and the UAW in particular. [5] His father was a custodian (and union member) in Livonia Public schools and his grandfather worked in the Ford Rouge factory.
Wayne County,which includes the city of Detroit and its western and southern suburbs,is one of the nation's largest population counties,with 1.8 million people.
In October 2011,Ficano was served with subpoenas by the FBI for records related to "pay to play" allegations,where constituents felt forced to contribute to designated "charities",which employed friends of his,and also his office's authorization of a $200,000 severance payment to Turkia Awada Mullin,an employee who resigned. After local media reported it to the public,Mullin agreed to return the money.
During a special meeting on October 31,2011,the Wayne County Airport Authority announced the termination of Turkia Mullin as CEO of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Shortly after Mullin's termination,Thomas Naughton was selected by the Airport Board as Interim CEO until a permanent replacement is announced. Naughton's history with the Wayne County Airport Authority extends back to 2002,where he's served as both Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. [6]
In May 2012,Laura Cox,a Republican on the County Commission,called for the immediate resignation of Ficano due to corruption charges against his former aide,David Edwards. [7]
Edwards,who resigned in August 2012 from the department of technology,was charged on 8 May 2012 with one count of bribery. He allegedly misappropriated $13,000 from a county contractor. [7]
On August 5,2014,Ficano lost his bid for a fourth term as County Executive as he finished fourth in the Democratic primary,which was won by former Wayne County Sheriff and Detroit Chief of Police Warren Evans,taking just 6% of the vote. [8]
Wayne County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2020,the United States Census placed its population at 1,793,561,making it the 19th-most populous county in the United States. The county seat is Detroit. The county was founded in 1796 and organized in 1815. Wayne County is included in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn,MI Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of several U.S. counties named after Revolutionary War-era general Anthony Wayne.
Westland is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit,Westland is located about 18 miles (29 km) west of downtown Detroit. As of 2022,the city had a population of 84,037.
Livonia is a city in Wayne County,Michigan,United States. A western suburb of Detroit,Livonia is located roughly 20 miles (32.2 km) northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census,the city had a population of 95,535. Originally organized as Livonia Township in 1835,it incorporated as a city in 1950.
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is an American politician,convicted fraudster and racketeer,who previously served as the 72nd mayor of Detroit –from 2002 to 2008. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously represented the 9th district in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1997 to 2002. Kilpatrick resigned as mayor in September 2008 after being convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to four months in jail and was released on probation after serving 99 days.
Nankin Township is a former township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was bordered on the north by Joy Road,the east by Inkster Road,the south by Van Born Road,and the west by Hannan Road.
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Edward Howard McNamara (1926–2006) served as Wayne County,Michigan County Executive from 1987–2002,and also served as mayor of Livonia,Michigan,from 1970–1986,and as a member of Livonia City Council from 1962 to 1970. He is probably best known for overseeing the $1.6 billion expansion of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The expansion included two new runways and the new Edward H. McNamara Terminal,which was named in his honor.
Kym Loren Worthy is an American lawyer and politician serving as the prosecutor of Wayne County,Michigan since 2004. A member of the Democratic Party,she is the first African-American woman to serve as a county prosecutor in Michigan. She is most noted for prosecuting then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the beginning of March 2008.
Pinnacle Race Course was a thoroughbred horse racing track in Huron Township,Michigan,southwest of Detroit off of Interstate 275. The track was just south of the Detroit Metro Airport,in Wayne County. The track was built on land owned by Wayne County,and the county lost $36 million when it failed. In 2021,it was announced that an Amazon fulfillment center will be constructed on the site of the former track.
The Detroit Region Aerotropolis is a four-community,two-county public-private economic development partnership focused on driving corporate expansion and new investments around Wayne County Airport Authority's airports:Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Willow Run Airport. The Detroit Region Aerotropolis promotes greenfield expansion in Southeast Michigan,offering development-ready land centered in an expansive network of transportation infrastructure including two airports,three major interstates,five Class-A rail lines,and the American Center for Mobility.
John J. Walsh is an American attorney,businessman and former politician from Michigan. Walsh is the President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association.
John Olumba is an American attorney,politician and Democrat who served two terms as a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives. He represented the 3rd house district located in Wayne County,which comprises the north central and eastern portions of Detroit. After serving on the House Judiciary,Commerce,Economic Development and Trade,Insurance,and Criminal Justice committees,Olumba served on the House Appropriations Committee as the chairman of Fiscal Oversight,and as a member on Community Health,and Corrections.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan was held on Tuesday,November 6,2012,to elect the 14 U.S. representatives from the state of Michigan,a decrease of one following the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held on August 7,2012. The filing deadline for candidates to file to run in the primary was May 15. Except for two seats,all the incumbents sought re-election. The open seats were the 5th and 11th congressional districts. Due to the loss of one seat from the 2010 census,two congressmen ran against each other.
The 2013 Detroit mayoral election was held on November 5,2013,to elect the Mayor of Detroit,Michigan. Incumbent Mayor Dave Bing chose to retire rather than seek re-election.
The 2014 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Michigan were held on Tuesday,November 4,2014,to elect the 14 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Michigan,one from each of the state's 14 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including the election of Michigan's governor,as well as the Class 2 U.S. Senate Seat.
Benny Nelson Napoleon was an American attorney,law enforcement officer,and politician who served as the Sheriff of Wayne County,Michigan. He was also a 2013 candidate for the office of Mayor of Detroit.
Warren Cleage Evans is an American law enforcement official,lawyer,and politician serving as the county executive of Wayne County,Michigan since 2015. Evans is a member of the Democratic Party. Evans served as Wayne County Sheriff from 2003 to 2009 and the chief of the Detroit Police Department from 2009 to 2010. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2009 Detroit mayoral special election.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan were held on November 6,2018,to elect the 14 U.S. representatives from the state of Michigan,one from each of the state's 14 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices,including a gubernatorial election,other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate,and various state and local elections. The filing deadline for candidates filing for the August 7 primary was April 24,2018. Unless otherwise indicated,the Cook Political Report rated the congressional races as safe for the party of the incumbent.
A special election for Michigan's 13th congressional district was held on November 6,2018,following the resignation of Democratic U.S. Representative John Conyers.