Detroit Mayor Dave Bing: Top aides Karen Dumas, Shannon Holmes have resigned

Standing alone, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing held a less than two-minute press conference this afternoon to announce the resignations of two top aides, chief of staff Shannon Holmes and embattled communications chief Karen Dumas.

Bing, who took no questions after the announcement at City Hall, said he asked for Dumas? resignation, but Holmes voluntarily submitted her resignation.

?I requested and received the immediate resignation of Karen Dumas,? he said. "The controversy of the last few days cannot and will not be a distraction to me or this administration.

"I also accepted the resignation of Shannon Holmes," Bing continued. "I didn't ask her to leave nor did I solicit that she leave."

Dumas has been at the center of a City Hall controversy stemming from a whistle-blower lawsuit filed this week by another former aide, Rochelle Collins. The lawsuit suggests Dumas essentially ran the city for Bing, used her power to silence fellow staffers and blew off a meeting with Sen. Carl Levin to shop at Burberry -- allegations which she has denied.

Bing said Holmes will "pursue other career opportunities and will remain with the administration for the next two weeks to transition."

Kirk Lewis, who served as Bing's liaison to state lawmakers in Lansing and President Obama's administration, will return to serve as his chief of staff.

"I'm returning the focus to where it belongs, on what I've done and what I will continue to do to address the challenges facing our city,? Bing said. ?I will remain focused on the task at hand and go forward -- first and foremost on reaching a budget compromise. That's what our residents expect and deserve.?

Bing said his office will begin to search for a new communications chief immediately ?and will make that announcement at the appropriate time.?

Deputy Mayor Saul Green announced his retirement last month, and more than 30 high-level appointees have left the administration since Bing took office in 2009.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/michigan-news/~3/JSYupLcvr9E/detroit_mayor_dave_bing_top_ai.html

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