Report: Fort Wayne City Clerk To Resign Following Undercover Video Disclosing Shakedown Of City Employees

Fort Wayne City Clerk Sandy Kennedy

Fort Wayne's long-time City Clerk Sandy Kennedy (D) will resign her office later this week according to a Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette report following a damning expose' reported by the News-Sentinel over the weekend showing Kennedy caught on video shaking down city employees for campaign support of her chief deputy or risk losing their jobs. That undercover video was taken by the former supervisor of parking enforcement, Colin Keeney, who lambasted Kennedy in a resignation letter to Mayor Tom Henry last month in which he accused Kennedy of coercing city employees to engage in political activities.

The Journal-Gazette says it learned of Kennedy's plan to resign from her attorney, Mark GiaQuinta. The newspaper says Kennedy will resign due to medical reasons, not because of the accusations Keeney leveled against her and her chief deputy, Angela Davis, who is seeking to succeed her in this November's election. GiaQuinta told the Journal-Gazette that Kennedy is currently under the care of a physician, but he declined to comment on the nature of her condition or where she is receiving care.

This news comes hours after the News-Sentinel reported that Allen Co. GOP Chairman Steve Shine issued a call for Kennedy's immediate resignation and for Davis to drop her bid to succeed Kennedy. Shine also slammed Mayor Henry for failing to make an effort to remediate the situation once he learned of it.

Keeney’s letter to Henry does not specifically mention that threat, and the mayor has no direct authority over the clerk. But Shine said that, “as the titular head of the local Democrat Party, (Henry) should have done his due diligence and spoken to (Kennedy). He may not have legal authority over her, but he had the political authority to admonish her.” .  .  . 

Although the video does not show Davis threatening co-workers who fail to support her campaign against Republican Lana Keesling, Shine noted that “(Davis) can be seen and heard on these videos. Never, in a single word or act, does she attempt to dissuade Mrs. Kennedy from taking these steps on her behalf. In her silence, Davis gives her permission for what we all know to be the wrong ... If she doesn’t already know that this is wrong, she should have the decency to step aside now ... (and) pledge to not take office if she is elected .  .  . 

“(Kennedy’s) actions, as captured in these damning videos, undermine citizen confidence in city government in a way not seen since the days of Charles Westerman,” Shine added. “When you have reached the point that political survival has surpassed any concern for public confidence in what you do, it’s time to go.”

So it looks like Kennedy will rely on the reliable Uncle Leo defense. Remember that "Seinfeld" episode?