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Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s deputy was approved Tuesday to serve as the city’s top attorney.
Months after a contentious debate about supporting Duggan’s nomination of Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett as corporation counsel, Detroit City Council brought back and approved his appointment. Council member Angela Whitfield-Calloway was the sole vote against the move, citing Mallett’s connection to the mayor.
“I want to do a good job. I want to be sure that I meet the expectations as it relates to City Council, the people of the city of Detroit and the mayor,” Mallett told the Free Press. “There have been some extraordinary, outstanding men and women who’ve come before me and set extremely high standards. This is not uncomplicated work.”
In January when council members expressed reservations about Mallett due to his position in the Duggan administration, the mayor withdrew his nomination and sought other candidates.
More:Mayor Mike Duggan withdraws nomination of Conrad Mallett for city’s top attorney
Council President Mary Sheffield and Council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero said Tuesday city officials who work with the council also conducted a search to no avail.
“There was questions asked to other attorneys, whether or not they would take on this role, and there wasn’t any interest,” Santiago-Romero said.
Whitfield-Calloway praised Mallett’s resume and history as chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, emphasizing that her decision is “nothing personal” and that she has a cordial relationship with the deputy mayor. The council member sponsored a resolution in February to conduct a national search for an attorney licensed to practice law in Michigan.
“The public will always wonder whether or not Conrad Mallett Jr. gave clear and independent legal counsel or whether he simply gave Mayor Duggan the legal opinion that was requested by the executive branch of municipal government to the detriment of the Detroit City Council or an individual City Council member,” Whitfield-Calloway said.
Duggan nominated Mallett on Jan. 4 to fill the position to replace former Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia, who left last year to join a private practice. Deputy Corporation Counsel Chuck Raimi has been running the law department as acting corporation counsel.
“Council’s confirmation of Conrad Mallett is great news for Detroit. The City’s Law Department plays a vital role in government, and Justice Mallett’s leadership will keep the office strong,” Garcia said in a text message to the Free Press.
Duggan could not be immediately reached for comment.
Councilmember Coleman Young II asked Mallett how he plans to address wrongful convictions in the city, and whether the department will ensure there are more African American lawyers at the table. Mallett said he intends to involve African American attorneys on city-related cases.
Settling wrongful conviction lawsuits against the city could require financial assistance from the state and entities beyond, Mallett said. The city has spent about $20 million on settling wrongful conviction lawsuits and could end up spending more than $600 million, the Detroit News reported.
“I am very interested, clearly, in making sure that we have a solution that is both fair to the persons who suffered the unfortunate, unfair and illegal convictions and the city’s ability to pay,” Mallett said at the meeting. “We are, I think at some point, going to need to rely on state of Michigan support to fund these settlements. The issues in front of us are profound. What we cannot do is bankrupt the city. But at the same time, persons who have been wrongfully convicted need to be compensated.”
Along with serving in the Michigan Supreme Court, Mallett has been deputy mayor since May 2020 and helped lead Detroit’s COVID-19 response, according to the city. He also helped form the Community Health Corps, which provides support to struggling families by connecting them to food security, utility payment assistance, home assistance programs and other services.
Duggan worked with Mallett when Duggan was president of the Detroit Medical Center. Mallett later became chairman of his first campaign for mayor.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact Dana: dafana@freepress.com or 313-635-3491. Follow her on Twitter: @DanaAfana.
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