DETROIT — The Wayne County Election Commission voted unanimously Thursday to reject the language of three recall petitions filed against state Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who represents southwest Detroit.

A crowd of supporters of state Rep. Rashida Tlaib cram into a small hearing room Thursday at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit. PHOTO: Khalil AlHajal/TAAN

A crowd of about 100 supporters of Tlaib from within and beyond her district crammed into a small hearing room in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center and cheered repeatedly when commission members voted to reject each of the petitions for lack of clarity.
Wayne County Probate Chief Judge Milton Mack, who chairs the commission, said the petitions did not sufficiently address any specific conduct by Tlaib. He said two of the petitions stated what Tlaib allegedly believes, rather than how she’s acted, and that the third petition was overly vague.

The petitions cited Tlaib’s opposition to plans for construction of a second, adjacent span to the Ambassador Bridge, and her support for forming a regional authority to run Detroit’s Cobo Center.

Milton said it was the first time in 12 years he’d seen a crowd show up at a hearing to support an elected official facing a recall petition.

“I’ve never seen it before,” he said. “I’ve never seen a cheering section for an elected official before. It’s nice to see an elected official enjoy such support.”

Tlaib, a Democrat, is of Palestinian descent and became the first ever Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature last November.

Matty Maroun

The hearing and the presence of an emotional crowd marked an early victory for Tlaib in her battle with another powerful Arab American, Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Maroun, who wants to build the second span.
Tlaib accuses Maroun’s company of illegally occupying a public park in preparation for construction of the second bridge, and demands an environmental impact study before it is built. She favors the building of a publicly owned bridge, called the Detroit River International Crossing, about a mile downriver.

“The attempt to recall me was not truly driven by the will of the people in my district,” Tlaib said, “but by those that represent an organization that has been disregarding the health concerns of the people of southwest Detroit for years.”

Tlaib told a crowd at a rally in Corktown last week “It could be because I’m Palestinian, but I have a problem with people occupying land.”

Election Commission members Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett, front left, chief Probate Judge Milton Mack and county Treasurer Raymond Wojtowicz preside over a standing-room-only hearing Thursday. PHOTO: Khalil AlHajal

Among her supporters who testified on record at the Thursday hearing were a business owner who said her bait shop has been left stranded and crippled by the effect of the bridge company’s construction projects, a Viet Nam veteran who said Tlaib has been extraordinarily accessible to constituents and a priest who said he had to discourage more supporters from attending because of space limitations.
“The size of this group is a small testament to what Rashida has done,” said Rev. Steven Archer of Trinity-St. Mark’s Church.

Adolph Mongo, the political consultant who started the petitions, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Mongo has previously said he backed the recall effort on his own accord and not on behalf of the bridge company, but acknowledges that he works as a consultant for Maroun.

Milton said the petitioners have 10 days to appeal the decision and that there’s no limit to the number of recall petitions they can file.

Tlaib supporters said they anticipate an ongoing battle and continued attempts by the bridge company to pressure the legislator.

“It may be baptism by fire for her, but we’re glad that she’s still in it,” said Theresa Landrum.

Another of Tlaib’s constituents said supporters would only rally harder if the fight continues.

“They’re going to see just how much energy we really got,” said Crissy Matthews.