DEARBORN — City Council President Thomas Tafelski, who is up for re-election this November, announced plans on Wednesday, October 9, to file an ethics complaint against City Attorney Debra Walling, alleging that she played a role in preparing election-related materials for Councilwoman Nancy Hubbard at Tuesday’s city council meeting. 

During that meeting, Hubbard announced that an independent group, known as “Let’s Reclaim Dearborn,” had distributed an inaccurate list of the candidates she was endorsing for the November 5 election.

Tafelski.

The group had sent out an email, claiming that Hubbard was endorsing Tafelski and candidates Tarek Baydoun, Kristyn Taylor, Collette Richards, Susan Dabaja and Brian O’Donnell. Hubbard was trying to relay a message that she never endorsed Baydoun, or Taylor. 

But before Hubbard could list who she was endorsing at the meeting, she was abruptly cut off by Tafelski, who argued that election endorsements, during a council meeting, were against rules established by the Ethics Commission.

When asked for her input, Walling said she had spoken with Hubbard prior to the meeting and did not find any rules that would prohibit Hubbard from talking about the election, because she’s not a candidate.  Hubbard announced her retirement from the council earlier this year, after serving as a councilwoman since 1989. 

Following Tuesday’s meeting, Tafelski told the media that he believes Walling authored the statement Hubbard was going to read, as witnesses have confirmed that Walling was spotted putting a letter on her seat, prior to the meeting. 

Since then, Walling denies that she had any involvement in the letter and claims she only spoke to Hubbard on Tuesday, after receiving the email from “Let’s Reclaim Dearborn,” in order to get clarification over her endorsements.

Tafelski says that he’s not convinced and wants to pursue an investigation with the City’s Ethics Commission. The City’s charter states: “While on duty, no political activity shall occur during working hours by public officers or employees.”

As council president, Tafelski has routinely bumped heads with Mayor Jack O’Reilly and several other council members in the past, over various issues. 

A recent mailer sent to Dearborn residents, distributed by a group called “The Small Government Alliance,” out of Allen Park, pokes fun at the divide in Dearborn’s City Council, depicting the Mayor as a puppet master, holding the strings of several city council members and candidates.