Lawsuit claims Detroit EFM appointment violates Michigan's Open Meetings Act

Activist Robert Davis says Kevyn Orr met with governor, treasurer secretly before being appointed Detroit emergency financial manager

DETROIT – Activist Robert Davis is no stranger to the fight against Michigan's emergency manager law.

On the same day Gov. Rick Snyder announced the appointment of Kevyn Orr as Detroit's emergency financial manager, Davis filed lawsuit against the Local Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board, the board that appointed Orr.

Davis' suit claims the interview process for the EFM position was done behind closed doors, violating the Michigan Open Meeting Act.

"It's very important, that the law is there for a reason and we all must follow it and adhere to it," Davis said.

Davis says Orr, Snyder and State Treasurer Andy Dillon have been subpoenaed to appear in court next week and provide documents of all written communication during the hiring process for the emergency financial manager position.

"The governor has to answer some questions here. The treasurer has to answer some very vital questions here, and Mr. Orr should be forthcoming to say, 'Yes, I met with them in secret,'" Davis said.

Davis said if any laws were broken, Orr cannot legally be Detroit's EFM.

"The goal is to see this appointment of Mr. Orr vacated, and we're very confident that the law's on our side," Davis said.