Top Detroit lawyer refuses request to resign; Bing will take case to City Council

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has asked the city’s top lawyer, Krystal Crittendon, to resign—and she’s refused.

Now, Bing says he’ll make a case for removing her to the Detroit City Council.

Crittendon recently went against Bing’s wishes by pressing a legal challenge to the city’s consent agreement with the state.

Crittendon said she was obligated to do that because she believed the consent agreement violated the city charter. And she insisted the charter allowed her to act independently of Bing.

But a Circuit Court judge threw the case out, saying Crittendon had no authority to bring it.

Bing says the whole incident negatively impacted the city, including its bond rating.  He presented a letter to Crittendon Monday, asking for her resignation. She declined.

So Bing says he’ll take his case to the Detroit City Council this week—where six of the nine members would have to agree to force Crittendon out.

Bing had tried to win Council support to stop Crittendon’s lawsuit before it went to court. But a majority of Council members supported her actions.