Story Archive

Nine Lives

Flint, Mich., police launched an investigation after a Councilman reported that the pawn shop near city hall had a city-owned laptop on the shelf. It was issued to First Ward Councilman Eric Mays, who called the charge a “political allegation,” but the investigation resulted in misdemeanor criminal charges after, police say, Mays had pawned the laptop not once, but nine times, and buying it back eight times. Mays would neither confirm nor deny the charges. “I will say, where is [the laptop] safer?” Mays told a reporter. “There or City Hall? City Hall has had break-ins. Other than that, I have no further comment.” He did continue to comment, however: “I don’t think it’s criminal,” Mays said. “It just shows I’m poor.” (MS/Flint Journal) ...It also shows he’s shady.