Resident urges independent probe of alleged voting irregularities, says FBI and governor's office contacted

A Hamtramck resident urged the city to pursue an independent investigation into alleged voting irregularities and said he had contacted civil-rights groups, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Michigan governor’s office.

During public comment at the Sept. 9 meeting, resident Shakir Sadek said the “vote fraud thing has become a joke,” and that citizens had told him they are afraid to speak or vote because investigators or police have gone to doors and failed to advise people of their rights. “People have been misguided,” Sadek said, and he asked the city clerk, city attorney and other officials to take steps so residents are not frightened when law-enforcement investigators contact them.

Sadek also alleged that investigative activity over the prior week had been directed at Councilman Hassan and said he was a witness to actions “done by the city of Hamtramck officials.” He urged officials to take steps so that residents, including recent immigrants, are not intimidated by visits from investigators. “They don’t even say people that you don’t have to speak to the police unless you want to,” Sadek said.

The transcript records Sadek’s public remarks and his request that the city consider actions to protect residents’ rights; it does not record any formal response from the council, the city attorney, the city clerk or law enforcement during the meeting. Sadek said external bodies had already been contacted but did not provide documentation to the council during his remarks.

The council’s minutes and any official response to Sadek’s call for an independent probe were not included in the supplied transcript.