Breaking news … City being sued for pride flag ban

Hamtramck Human Relations Commission members Russ Gordon and Cathy Stackpoole are suing the city for being fired from the commission after raising a pride flag on Jos. Campau in defiance of a ban on displaying the flag on city property.

By Charles Sercombe
Two former mayoral appointees have filed a federal lawsuit against the city, Mayor Amer Ghalib and city council after being fired for raising a pride flag on a city flagpole.
Russ Gordon, former chairman of the Hamtramck Human Relations Commission, and Commission member Catrina Stackpoole say their First Amendment and civil rights were violated, and also allege the mayor and city council’s ban on displaying pride flags on city property was driven by religious belief.
The two are seeking to get their appointments re-instated and financial re-imbursement for their legal fees and other compensatory costs.
The Review will have more to report in the coming days, and in the meantime, you can read the lawsuit, filed in federal court today, here: pride flag lawsuit

Mayor Amer Ghalib’s response:

“This was expected. Another unnecessary distraction by the former power structure that doesn’t like to see the city moving forward. Good things are happening for the first time in decades such as budget surplus and infrastructure repair. This exposes the former egregious leadership failure, therefore they want to constantly create obstacles on our way.

“The neutrality resolution is legal and constitutional. The city doesn’t discriminate, or give any preferential treatment to any group. The taxpayer government buildings or spaces belong to everyone and cannot be used by specific group to promote special interest group’s agenda.

“The city isn’t being selective on which flag it can fly, like it was the case with Shurtleff V. Boston, in which the supreme court ruled against the city’s selective enforcement. This is different, the city decided to keep government properties neutral and no group would be allowed to fly any kind of flags other than what’s specified in the resolution.

“They mentioned on the lawsuit details, that in 2021, the art and culture commission took permission from the city council to fly the flag in front of city hall, but in 2022, after the leadership was changed, one person decided to move on with the decision ignoring the city council and the new Mayor. What was changed for them to change the whole process and not to get that same permission and let the council vote on it like they did in 2021!

“The fact that the dysfunctional human relations commission used to do things the wrong way during the former leadership, doesn’t mean that they could continue to do it without having a quorum or even a meeting! Not under my leadership. By just saying, that is the way they used to do it during the former administration, isn’t a valid argument.

“One person cannot undermine the power of the mayor and council. As commissioners, they broke their oath and they were in defiance of the city’s rules and regulations, therefore they should be held accountable for Two things: first, taking decisions without having meetings or quorum for the human relations commission. Second, for putting the flag up on city flag pole after disallowing that by passing resolution 82 by the city council.”

Posted Nov. 6, 2023