Whistleblower Suit Tossed in Latest Round in Township Feud

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI – A lawsuit filed in a long-running feud between Bloomfield Township Treasurer Dan Devine and township Supervisor Leo Savoie has been tossed out of court after a judge ruled that Devine, as an elected official, isn’t covered by the Whistleblower’s Protection Act.

Devine had asked for damages in excess of $25,000 in his lawsuit. He had claimed that township officials worked together to retaliate against him after he reported alleged violations of township ordinances relating to sewer construction, and Savoie’s alleged violation of Michigan campaign finance disclosure laws and bribe-taking.

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However, in a 16-page order, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Leo Bowman dismissed the lawsuit, arguing that Devine “is not an employee – as defined by the WPA (and) … is not entitled to seek the protection provided by the WPA.”

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The township still must must pay for attorney fees and court costs, which amount to about $50,0000. The township had asked that Devine pay those costs, but the judge denied that request.

Savoie told Hometownlife.com that he’s “glad this frivolous lawsuit is over.”

“It has cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars and maybe now that this distraction is behind us, we can continue to do the job the voters expect of us,” Savoie said.

Devine, who was first elected township treasurer in 1999, is up for re-election in November. Savoie is also up for re-election in 2016.

Devine and Savoie have a long history of animosity toward one another. It dates back to 2011, when Savoie was appointed supervisor over Devine, but also included a bizarre incident last summer when Devine accused Savoie of kidnapping his adult daughter.

The township board voted to censure Devine for “official misconduct” after the allegation, which was quickly disproven when the daughter, a classroom teacher, said she had simply turned off her phone and was never missing.

In another twist in the case, the Michigan Secretary of State’s office ordered Devine in November to return $7,000 he had transferred from his campaign account to the Dan Devine Legal Defense Fund. Candidates can’t use campaign funds for legal costs associated with criminal or civil actions, the Secretary of State’s Office said.