In what has become a hot-button issue, Ward 2 Councilman Chokwe Lumumba pulled an order on the agenda to authorize a council investigation “with respect to alleged inappropriate use of clerk’s office by council leadership.”
At issue is the allegation that accuses City Council President Frank Bluntson of using two deputy city clerks to work on his daughter-in-law Barbara Ann Bluntson’s failed campaign for Madison County Justice Court judge.
The allegation stems from an email sent to council members and media outlets including The Mississippi Link, Thursday, Nov. 4, questioning two deputy city clerks.
The email reads in part:
“I heard one young lady state that she didn’t come to work on election day because Frank Bluntson told her to go and campaign for his relative along with another young lady that works in the office.”
Lumumba placed the item on the agenda but after realizing Councilman Kenneth Stokes was not going to attend the meeting, halted the procedures. “We need everybody here to discuss this,” Lumumba said. “The question is, ‘Do we run a ship like this?’ In order to answer that question, we all need to be involved and see how different people respond.”
Lumumba said Bluntson must give an account as to what really happened. “At the very least, it appears Frank made an inappropriate action in this case,” Lumumba said. The author of the email agreed with Lumumba. The email continues:
“Is this even ethical? Did he really just use his position as Council President to have these young ladies do that? Did they get paid by the City? I’m quite sure they didn’t just agree to this if they weren’t going to get paid. I was a part of a campaign team and if I would’ve known that I could grab a clerk from city hall I sure would’ve.
The people of this city have enough problems than to have to worry about an unethical council…Something needs to be done Mr. Mayor, council persons.”
Bluntson maintains he’s done nothing wrong and insists Lumumba is trying to remove him because he removed him [Lumumba] from his leadership role with the council.
“I removed Chokwe as chair of the budget committee in part because I believe he hinders progress with his constant questioning about doing business with black people,” Bluntson said last week. “He always presents racially-motivated issues before the council.”
Bluntson maintained the deputy clerks took time off on their on. “People can take off and do what they want to do. You know as well as me (sic) that nobody can make people do what they don’t want to do,” Bluntson said. “I wasn’t even aware of the allegations until reporters started calling and asking me questions.”
The item will likely appear on the next council agenda. There are no rules preventing city clerks from engaging in political activities on their own time. However, if the investigation finds wrong doing, the council could vote to remove Bluntson as its president.
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