HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – The controversy surrounding candidates in the Highland Park mayor’s race is escalating after a judge ordered one candidate removed from the August primary ballot, a decision the candidate is now challenging.
J. Douglas Hollie, a former NFL player and philanthropist, is appealing a ruling stemming from a lawsuit filed by local political activist Robert Davis.
Davis asked the court to strike three names: Hollie, incumbent Glenda McDonald, and Elen Robinson, alleging inaccurate statements were made on official Affidavits of Identity submitted to election clerks.
After a hearing last week, Wayne County Circuit Judge Kathleen McCarthy granted the motion to strike Hollie but allowed McDonald and Robinson to remain on the ballot.
Hollie said he believes the decision is unfair and claims he wasn’t properly notified about the court hearing.
“For them to take me off the ballot, it’s not fair,” Hollie said.
Hollie was one of six candidates running for mayor, a field that includes Joshua LaMere, McDonald, Attie Pollard (who dropped out last week), Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris, Robinson, and Hollie.
Davis argues that the paperwork issues should disqualify candidates.
“They did not give their legal name, and proof of this falsity are public court records,” Davis said.
Court records indicate the judge struck Hollie because the only filed copy of his Affidavit of Identity produced in the case listed the jurisdiction as mayor of “Wayne” instead of “Highland Park.”
Hollie and his campaign manager acknowledged that the jurisdiction error appeared on the initial filing.
They said a corrected affidavit was submitted within days.
In a statement explaining her decision, Judge McCarthy said Hollie was not a named party in the case, noting that it is routine in election matters.
She also said Hollie filed an Answer with documentation attached, which she said is not allowed under Michigan court rules unless a candidate properly intervenes in the case.
McCarthy said Hollie did not file a timely motion to intervene, meaning his answer was struck and the court could not consider the attached documentation.
She added that Hollie was removed from the ballot because no filed, accepted, or corrected affidavit was in the court record.
Hollie said his campaign is moving forward with an appeal.
“We put the appeal in. So, we are just waiting for the results,” Hollie said.
Davis said he is also appealing, seeking to have McDonald and Robinson removed from the ballot.
Both campaigns said they and their attorneys are monitoring the case closely.