Here's a cautionary Tale for the normally sane who might be tempted to drink the Trump kool-aid again.
Karen Spranger, the now former Macomb County (Michigan) Clerk/Register of Deeds, was the center of a political storm that started the day she was elected as a Tea Party Republican last November. She had never run for, or held any previous political office, and some attributed her unlikely election to the prevailing mood of Macomb County voters who bought into the Trump movement - she was new to politics, so that had to be good.
The drama finally ended last Tuesday when a judge ordered Spranger removed from office for lying about her county residency.
Like Trump, this political novice thought that she had complete authority over her office, and could do whatever she wanted. That included interfering with the normal functioning of her office in numerous ways, like firing anybody she wanted without going through human resources. The result was an office in disarray with a backlog of work that required a judge to intervene and order a swift resolution. (Which didn't happen - the backlog remains for others to fix)
During Spranger's fifteen months in office, there were 43 occurrances that contributed to an atmosphere of chaos within the office, and convinced many in county government that she lacked the requisite competence for the job.
A taste of her brief but dramatic tenure:
Had her computer access cut off for a time after she allowed non-county workers to use it, resulting in a fine for ethics violations.
Fired the two top deputies who had helped her get elected, and who are now suing her.
Asked the county to fund an independent council so she could displace, reassign or demote unionized workers. The request was rejected.
Totaled her county car when she rear-ended another vehicle.
Sued by the county for obstructing a plan to move 2 of her offices to a new building.
She sued the county to lift a ban on weapons in her office.
She sued the county to have the court to declare her as "The Boss" in her office.
Caused the aforementioned work backlog which dismayed residents and confounded local businesses.
Running parallel to all of this was the charge that Spranger lied about her county residency. When an investigation was finally undertaken, it found that the house in which she claimed to be living had five feet of garbadge piled up throughout, making it impossible enter. A bulldozed had to punch an opening in the exterior to gain entry.
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