MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – Former Macomb County Clerk Karen Spranger might have been removed from office by court order, but neither she nor her deputy clerk are going quietly.
Jackie Ryan, Spranger's appointee and No. 2 in the clerk's office, was fired Wednesday and escorted from the building by sheriff's deputies. She then spent the next 10 hours sitting in the office parking lot.
Local 4 went searching for Spranger to ask her about whether she plans to appeal her removal, and sources said we could find her behind a gas station in Fraser. While we waited, Spranger pulled up in the Volt she has been driving, took one look at our crew and took off, but not before letting a man out of the car.
Then, we went to check on the Ryan situation at the county clerk's office. Ryan was an at-will employee, and Spranger's political appointee in the office. She was put on administrative leave first thing in the morning Wednesday.
"The employees that work in the clerk's office have felt increasingly concerned in recent days about the irrational and erratic behavior of the former county clerk and her deputy, Ms. Ryan," Deputy Macomb County Executive Mark Deldin said.
The first order of business for interim County Clerk Kathy Brower was to fire Ryan, who continued to sit in the parking lot, insisting that by order of President Donald Trump, the U.S. Marshals would be intervening to keep Spranger in office.
"The U.S. Marshals are here, and they're on their way to Lansing right now," Ryan said.
It never happened, and Ryan left around 7:30 p.m. after 10 hours of waiting. Will she return? She said it's up to Spranger, who she still considers the clerk.
Ryan said Spranger will appeal her removal, which is what Macomb GOP sources told Local 4, as well.