Stacy Erwin Oakes

Stacy Erwin Oakes Mlive File Photo

(Neil Barris)

FLINT, MI -- Former City Attorney Stacy Erwin Oakes claims she was fired after she spoke out about illegal activities committed by the City of Flint and Mayor Karen Weaver.

Erwin Oakes, a Saginaw County resident, made the claims in a lawsuit filed Monday, April 3, in Detroit U.S. District Court. It alleges violations of the state's whistleblower protections act, allegations of retaliation for exercising her First Amendment Rights and violations of state public policy.

Weaver and the city are named as defendants.

Officials in Weaver's office could not be immediately reached for comment on the allegations. She and the city have not yet filed a response to the claims.

The lawsuit claims Erwin Oakes "became aware and spoke out against perceived illegal and actual illegal acts" committed by Weaver and the city.

Erwin Oakes claims she provided information to city and state officials, as well as the state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board.

She was fired after she communicated concerns about "decisions being made using political consideration and fraudulent activities to impose financial obligations on the City," according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, although scant on details, claims Erwin Oakes reported multiple suspected and actual violations of law, including:

Erwin Oakes' refusal to sign "fraudulent legal documents."

Objections from Erwin Oakes to approve a retroactive contract for the director of the Flint Action and Sustainability Team, which city press releases claim coordinates pipe replacement "activities between the City of Flint, state and federal departments and agencies, and other stakeholders," in violation of Internal Revenue Service rulings.

And the objection to the "illegal access" of an unnamed advisor of Weaver.

Kathleen Bogas, attorney for Erwin Oakes, could not be reached for comment on the case.

However, Bogas confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that the unnamed advisor in the lawsuit is Aonie Gilcreast.

Gilcreast started as a volunteer, but the mayor has since sought a $120,000 contract for him.

His presence and influence at city hall have drawn questions as he has sat in on job interviews with prospective city employees and performance reviews of current employees.

Weaver previously said Gilcreast has not violated any city policies and declined to answer questions about him.

Erwin Oakes was appointed as city attorney in March 2016 and served in that role until January.

The city has offered little information as to why Erwin Oakes was fired, but a termination letter obtained by MLive-The Flint Journal through the Freedom of Information Act showed Weaver questioned Erwin Oakes' ability to lead city staff.

"The effectiveness of your management and oversight of the City of Flint's Legal Department is questionable and I lack confidence in your leadership," says the Jan. 3 termination notice signed by Weaver.

However, Erwin Oakes claims in her lawsuit that Weaver "has established a policy, custom and practice of retaliating against employees."

The city attorney's position has been a source of controversy during Weaver's short tenure as mayor.

City records show Flint officials agreed to pay $56,000 to keep the interim city attorney who was running the office prior to Erwin Oakes' appointment from going public with claims of racial discrimination against Weaver.

Documents obtained in July by MLive-The Flint Journal through the Freedom of Information Act show the city agreed to pay former Interim City Attorney Anthony Chubb in exchange for his promise not to sue the city or publicly disclose the terms of the agreement.

Chubb served as the interim city attorney following former City Attorney Pete Bade's resignation at the beginning of 2016. He served in the interim capacity until Mayor Karen Weaver appointed Stacy Erwin Oakes as the new city attorney.

He was made deputy chief legal officer when Erwin Oakes started her appointment March 28.

However, a day before Erwin Oakes started with the city, records obtained from the city show Chubb emailed Weaver, then-Chief Financial Officer Jody Lundquist, Erwin Oakes and an attorney contracted by the city and threatened to file a lawsuit against the city over his demotion.

"As I set forth in our previous conversation, it is clear that I am more qualified to serve as the Chief Legal Officer than your appointment," Chubb wrote to Weaver. "Whether your determination is a result of my allegation that you are violating City ordinances, or the simple fact that I am not consistent with the racial composition of your new leadership team, this is unjust and illegal."

The email does not outline specifically what ordinances Chubb claims Weaver was violating.

Chubb and Erwin Oakes aren't the only former city employees to allege violations of the law by Weaver.

Former City Administrator Natasha Henderson filed a federal lawsuit May 9 in Detroit U.S. District Court alleging she was fired from her position after she claimed she asked the city attorney's office to investigate claims Weaver may have been telling city staff and volunteers to send potential water crisis donations to her own personal account, rather than the fund managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

In June 2016, attorney Brendon Basiga, who was hired by the city to conduct an investigation into Henderson's allegations, said his investigation could not corroborate Henderson's claims against the mayor.

Weaver has denied any wrongdoing.

Henderson's case is still pending in federal court.