Just a day after Macomb County Clerk Karen Spranger was removed from office Tuesday following a court order, Deputy Clerk Jackie Ryan was placed on administrative leave.
Ryan initially refused to leave office, but finally left the office around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Ryan spoke to the media before leaving the county office and defended Spranger, saying she lived in county despite what court documents say.
Chief Deputy County Executive Mark Deldin said once a judge appoints a temporary clerk, he expects the temporary clerk to dismiss Ryan from her position.
Deldin said he contacted Ryan about 10 p.m. last night after determining to cut off her technology access, and that she will continue to get paid while on leave. According to Deldin, they felt it was best to cut off her access partially due to her erratic and irrational behavior at times.
He also called the clerk's office "pitiful back there" in the way that things were being handled over the last 15 months.
According to court documents, Spranger was removed from office because she was not a resident of Macomb County which would make her ineligible to run for or hold the position of Macomb County.
Spranger's attorney has issued the following statement:
Ms. Spranger has not had an opportunity to review the opinion and order. Once received she will review her options on appeal.
- Macomb County Clerk Spranger faces new trouble, accused of kicking worker
- Macomb County Clerk Karen Spranger removed from office
Spranger is also facing criminal investigations in connection to two separate incidents.
In the latest case, Spranger is accused of kicking a clerk Monday morning. The worker, a clerk in Spranger's office, reportedly says it happened after she was feeling harassed by Spranger and went to talk to her supervisor about it.
On the way out of the supervisor's office is when the clerk says Spranger tried to barge in by kicking her foot out to block the door and Spranger allegedly kicked her in the process.
The worker called 911, says Mark Deldin, Macomb County Chief Deputy Executive. "The last 15 months have not been good for the county in terms of having to deal with the newly elected clerk."
Sheriff deputies responded and began an investigation into the allegations of assault.
Spranger is also facing allegations that she improperly used taxpayer dollars.
She was accused of registering her deputy clerk's son to attend a conference in Washington D.C. using a county-issued credit card.
An investigation into the allegations is underway. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said it is a criminal offense and a felony.
Hackel confirmed a receipt that shows the costs of registration for three people at a D.C. conference earlier this month - all allegedly paid for by Spranger.
The case has been turned over to the sheriff's department with criminal charges possible.
"It was without a question something that's inappropriate," Hackel said. "That's fraudulent activity."
Spranger's attorney, however, says the accusations are untrue.
"The barrage of false accusations are a smokescreen to obscure the enormous wasted taxpayer funds," her attorney said.
