>> Announcer: LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT, HOME OF
WDIV AND CLICKONDETROIT.COM
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT NOON STARTS
NOW.
NOW. >>> VOTING DAY YESTERDAY
WE’RE LOOKING AT SOME KEY
RACES AND RESULTS AND WHAT
COMMUNITIES DO AND DO NOT
WANT MARIJUANA IN THEIR
AREAS.
AREAS. >>> BUT FIRST, WHAT
COMMUNITY DOESN’T WANT SNOW
IN THEIR AREA?
RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ARE
HEAD RIGHT FOR THE METRO
DETROIT COMMUNITIES,
DETROIT COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES TO THE
NORTH.
NORTH. HOW MUCH WE CAN EXPECT.
>>> BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO
GET TO OUR BREAKING NEWS
JUST INTO OUR NEWSROOM.
RETIRED AUTO WORKERS G.M.
VICE PRESIDENT JOE ASHTON IS
CHARGED IN CONNECTION TO A
BRIBERY AND KICKBACK SCANDAL
BECOMING THE 13th AND
HIGHEST RANKING PERSON
CHARGED IN A YEAR’S LONG
CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION.
CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION. LET’S GET STRAIGHT OUT TO
BUSINESS EDITOR ROD MELONI
WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING ALL
THE TWISTS AND TURNS WITH
THIS.
THIS. BRIPG US UP TO SPEED ON THE
VERY LATEST.
VERY LATEST. >> Reporter: WELL, I’LL TELL
YOU WHAT RHONDA.
JOE ASHTON IS NOT A KNOWN
NAME IN THE CITY OF DETROIT
BUT HE HAS BEEN A VERY
POWERFUL GUY.
POWERFUL GUY. HE WAS THE U.A.W. G.M. VICE
PRESIDENT LIKE YOU SAID
WHICH PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF
THIS THE CENTER FOR HUMAN
RESOURCES HERE ON THE
DETROIT RIVER.
DETROIT RIVER. BUT HE ALSO WAS ON THE VIB
AXE BOARD THE HEALTHCARE
TRUST THAT WAS CREATED
DURING THE BANKRUPTCY VERY
IMPORTANT LOTS OF MONEY
INVOLVED IN THAT.
THAT GAVE HIM A SEAT ON THE
GENERAL MOTORS BOARD OF
DIRECTORS AS THE UNION
REPRESENTATIVE.
REPRESENTATIVE. BUT HE RESIGNED BACK IN 2017
FROM THE BOARD, AND THERE’S
A REASON WHY WE FOUND OUT
TODAY.
TODAY. IT WAS THIS INDICTMENT AND
ALSO HE KNEW THIS DAY WAS
COMING.
COMING. JOE ASHTON SERVED AS VICE
PRESIDENT U.A.W. FROM 2010
TO 2014 HE LEFT THE G.M.
BOARD IN 2017.
HE’S CHARGED IN A SCHEME
WITH HIS TWO CLOSEST
ASSOCIATES JEFFREY WHO
SERVED AS CO-DIRECTOR OF THE
C.H.R. WITH ASHTON AND THEN
MICHAEL GRIMES ASHTON’S
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. HERE’S HOW THE FEDS SAY THE
SCAM WORKED.
SCAM WORKED. ASHTON’S CHIROPRACTORS TER
HAD A BUSINESS WHOM THE FEDS
ARE CALLING VENDOR B.
ASHTON ASKED VENDOR B TO
GIVE A QUARTER OF A MILLION
LOAN TO A CONSTRUCTION
COMPANY VENDOR B GAVE THE
LOAN AND ASHTON SUGGESTED AS
A WAY TO GET VENDOR B PAID
DOING A CUSTOM U.A.W. WATCH
CONTRACT.
CONTRACT. PROFITS WOULD PAY OFF THAT
LOAN AND THE CONTRACT WAS
FOR JUST UNDER $3 MILLION.
ASHTON HAD JEFFREY RIG THE
BID IN THE CONTRACT FOR A
MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN IT
WAS WORTH.
WAS WORTH. AND THEN WENT TO VENDOR B
AND DEMANDED KICKBACKS ON
THE WATCH CONTRACT.
THE FEDS NOW SAY HE
COLLECTED A QUARTER OF A
MILLION DOLLARS PAID OVER
SEVERAL YEARS FROM VENDOR B
WHEN VENDOR B DRIVING TO
ASHTON’S HOME TO MAKE THOSE
PAYOFFS.
PAYOFFS. ASHTON MADE CERTAIN VENDOR B
CUT GRIMES IN ON THE DEAL
THEY BOTH HAVE PLEAD GUILTY
AND ARE AWAITING SENTENCING.
FLEECE DATE YET SET FOR
ASHTON’S ARRAIGNMENT AND
EXPECTED GUILTY PLEA.
NOW THE UNITED AUTO WORKERS
PUT OUT A STATEMENT ARE
SAYING THAT JOE ASHTON’S
ACTIONS AS SET FORTH IN THE
GOVERNMENT’S FILINGS ARE
COMPLETELY INSQUEEZEABLE AND
VIOLATE THE U.A.W.’S LONG
STANDING STANDARDS OF
CONDUCT PUT INTO PLACE.
GENERAL MOTORS ALSO WEIGHED
IN SAYING G.M. PUT OUT A
STATEMENT THAT G.M. IS
DEEPLY DISTURBED BY JOE
ASHTON’S ALLEGED CRIMINAL
CONDUCT.
CONDUCT. G.M. WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY UNTIL
IT RECENTLY REVEALED BY THE
GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.
GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION. NOW WE’RE EXPECTING TO SIT
DOWN WITH NEW U.A.W.
PRESIDENT RORY GAMBLE AND
HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.
WE’LL BE TALKING TO HIM THIS
AFTERNOON.
AFTERNOON. WE’LL HEAR HIS WORDS COMING
UP ON LOCAL 4 NEWS AT 5:00.
REPORTING LIVE IN DETROIT,
ROD MELONI, LOCAL 4.
>> ROD, THANK YOU.
ALSO BREAKING NEWS THIS NOON
HOUSE DEMOCRATS SCHEDULE THE
FIRST PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY FOR THE
NEXT WEEK.
NEXT WEEK. BOTH WILLIAM TAYLOR, ACTING
AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE AND
GEORGE KENT, THE DEPUTY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE
RESPONSIBLE FOR UKRAINE WILL
BE BE TESTIFYING ON NOVEMBER
13th.
13th. FORMER AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE
WILL TESTIFY ON NOVEMBER
15th .
15th . CLOSER TO HOME VAN BUREN
TOWNSHIP POLICE ARREST A
COUPLE IN CONNECTION TO TWO
ROBBERIES.
ROBBERIES. IT STARTED AT A HUNGRY
HOWIE’S.
HOWIE’S. THAT ROBBERY WAS CAUGHT ON
TAPE WITH THE SUSPECT
POINTING A GUN RIGHT AT TWO
WORKERS.
WORKERS. WE’RE TOLD THAT THE
COURTROOM THEN ROBBED A
WAL-MART STORE.
WAL-MART STORE. TAMARA ELAM AND MICHAEL ARE
CHARGED WITH ARMED ROBBERY.
POLICE WANTED $50,000 BOND
FOR BOTH OF THEM.
A JUDGE DECIDED AGAINST THAT
GIVING THEM PERSONAL BOND
AND THEY MUST WEAR A TETHER.
>>> TURNING OUR ATTENTION
NOW TO THE WEATHER AND WE
NEED TO BRACE OURSELVES TO
SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT
WHITE BLOB YOU HAVE COMING
OUR WAY NOT.
>> THE FIRST FLAKES OF THE
SEASON BUT REALLY ORGANIZED
SYSTEM WE HAVE SEEN
LIKE THIS COMING IN THROUGH
LIVINGSTON COUNTY IS.
CERTAINLY LEAVING A LITTLE
TRACE HERE ON GRASSY
SURFACES AND ON TREES.
THE GROUND A LITTLE TOO WARM
FOR ANY ICE OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT.
THAT. BUT LIVINGSTON COUNTY FROM
HEARTLAND TOWARD COMMERCE
TOWNSHIP WEST BLOOMFIELD,
OVER INTO BIRMINGHAM.
YOU SEE MORE SNOW HEADING
THAT WAY.
THAT WAY. BUT THE GENERAL TREND IS FOR
AREAS TO THE NORTH AND IT
LOOKS LIKE BETWEEN M-59 AND
I-69, THAT’S WHERE WE ALSO
HAVE THE MIX POSSIBILITY.
IT’S MAINLY JUST SNOW
TRENDING INTO THE AREAS
NORTH OF I-69.
WE’RE SEEING TEMPERATURES
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE 30s
RIGHT NOW, AND OUR BETTER
CHANCES FOR A LITTLE OF THAT
WINTRY MIX AND SNOW DOWN
HERE, RHONDA, WILL LATER
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. SO IT’S MAINLY OUR NORTH
ZONE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS
MAY GET SOME ACCUMULATION.
>> BUT NONE OF RUSS IN THE
CLEAR.
CLEAR. ALL RIGHT, BRANDON, THANK
YOU.
YOU. >>> IT WAS A MUCH LATER
ELECTION NIGHT THAN EXPECTED
IN MANY METRO DETROIT
COMMUNITIES.
COMMUNITIES. IN FACT, SOME RACES WERE NOT
OFFICIALLY DECIDED UNTIL
AROUND MIDNIGHT.
AROUND MIDNIGHT. NICK MONACELLI HAS THE
RESULTS AND REACTION.
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON.
OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF KEY
RACES IN A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES ACROSS METRO
DETROIT.
DETROIT. BUT WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT
WARREN BE, FLINT AND LIVONIA
AND ALSO LOOK AT THE
COMMUNITIES WHERE MARIJUANA
WAS ON THE BALLOT.
SOME WERE SURPRISED BY THE
ELECTION RESULTS SOME WERE
NOT.
NOT. >> IS THAT YOU ON THAT
TICKET?
TICKET? >> NO, IT’S MORE OF THE
TAME.
TAME. >> Reporter: WE’LL BEGIN IN
WARREN WHERE MAYOR JIM FOUTS
HAS BEEN ELECTED DESPITE
CONTROVERSY OF ALLEGED
RACIAL COMMENTARY CAUGHT ON
TAPE.
TAPE. FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, FOUTS
HAS BEEN SAYING THE TAPES
ARE FAKE MADE TO DISPARAGE
HIM DURING THE ELECTION
SEASON.
SEASON. FOUTS WON WITH 57% OF THE
VOTE.
VOTE. IN FLINT A NEW MAYOR HAS
BEEN ELECTED OUSTING KAREN
WEAVER WHO HAS BEEN AT THE
HELM DURING THE WATER
CRISIS.
CRISIS. SHELDON A. NEELI WON A 49%
TO 50% ELECTION HE SAYS HIS
PRIORITIES ARE ALREADY
LINING UP.
LINING UP. >> ADDING QUALITY OF LIFE TO
FLINT FAMILIES AND WE ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
SURE THE PEOPLE FOCUS ON THE
PORT THINGS IN THE CITY.
>> Reporter: THE CITY OF
LIVONIA HAS ELECTED ITS
FIRST FEMALE MAYOR ALTHOUGH
BOTH CANDIDATES ARE FEMALES.
A LONG TIME LIVONIA RESIDENT
IN A STATEMENT SHE SAYS OUR
CAMPAIGN HAS LAID THE
GROUNDWORK FOR A CLEAR
AGENDA FOR LIVONIA’S FUTURE
AND I’M HONORED TO BE CHOSEN
TO LEAD THE CITY AS WE ENACT
THAT MISSION.
THAT MISSION. FOUR MARIJUANA MEASURES WERE
ON LOCAL BALLOTS.
EVERY CITY HAD SOME TYPE OF
MEASURE THAT WOULD HAVE
ALLOWED OR INCREASED THE
NUMBER OF MARIJUANA
BUSINESSES.
BUSINESSES. IT ONLY PASSED IN LINCOLN
PARK THE MEASURES FAILED IN
ALLEN PARK, AND WALLED LAKE.
THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
MARIJUANA IS NOT OVER.
CITY LEADERS SAY THEY STILL
HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO
DWHEARM CAN AND CANNOT BE
DONE BECAUSE OF STATE RULES
AND REGULATIONS AND THE
ORDINANCES AND HOW IT ALL
PLAYS TOGETHER.
PLAYS TOGETHER. I’M NICK MONACELLI, LOCAL 4.
>> ALL RIGHT, NICK, THANK
YOU.
YOU. >>> AND A BIG RACE RESULT IN
ANAPHYLACTIC.
ANAPHYLACTIC. WE MINUTE BEAG TO -- IN ANN
ARBOR.
ARBOR. IT’S A BILLION DOLLAR BOND
PROPOSAL FOR THE CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND IT PASSED BY 6%
IT SO WAS CLOSE.
IT WILL ALLOW THE DISTRICT
TO REPLACE EXISTING SCHOOL
INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILD NEW
CLASSROOM SPACE.
CLASSROOM SPACE. AND OVER IN WARREN,
INCUMBENT CITY CLERK SONIA
BUFFET WAS REELECTED
DEFEATING CURRENT CITY
COUNCIL SECRETARY.
COUNCIL SECRETARY. OVER IN MARYSVILLE
INCUMBENTS KATHLEEN HEYMAN
AND PAUL RUSSELL RETAIN
THEIR COUNCIL SEATS.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE FINALIZED
RESULTS FOR YOU ON MOST OF
THE RACES.
THE RACES. YOU CAN FIND THEM ON THE
HOME PAGE OF
CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
CLICKONDETROIT.COM. >> Announcer: NEW AT NOON:
>> COMING UP WE’RE GOING
LIVE NOW TO SKY 4 WHICH IS
OVER DOWNTOWN DETROIT.
WILL YOU TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT.
THAT. THAT IS WHERE THE CITY’S
CHRISTMAS TREE HAS ARRIVED
AND ABOUT TO BE SET UP IN
CAMPUS MARTIUS PARK.
IF YOU’RE WONDERING THE
TREE CUT DOWN UP IN THE
UPPER PENINSULA RECENTLY AND
DRIVEN ALL THE WAY DOWN
STATE.
STATE. AND IT IS A 60 FOOT NORWAY
SPRUCE.
SPRUCE. THE TREE LIGHTING WILL BE
TAKING PLACE IN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS.
WEEKS. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. NOW I’M GETTING EXCITED FOR
THE HOLIDAYS.
THE HOLIDAYS. ALWAYS LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL
DOWNTOWN ALL LIT UP.
STILL TO COME, THINGS ARE
DEFINITELY HEATING UP
REGARDING THE IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY.
INQUIRY. WHO WAS TESTIFYING BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS RIGHT NOW AND
WHAT KEY WITNESS REVISED HIS
TESTIMONY CONFIRMING A QUID
PRO QUO WITH UKRAINE.
>>> LATER ON FIRST AT 4:00,
THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART
PROMISED IT WOULD NOT ASK
TAXPAYERS FOR MORE MONEY
AFTER A 2012 MILLAGE.
NOW, IT’S DOING JUST THAT.
OUR PAULA TURTMAN TAKES A
LOOK AT WHAT’S CHANGED, HOW
MUCH IT WILL COST AND WHAT
PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE
SURPRISING FLIP-FLOP.