LANSING, Mich. — Lansing City Councilman Brandon Betz has resigned.
Council president Adam Hussain said he received Betz’s letter of resignation on Friday.
“I think he intended to finish his term, but I think he had doubt that he was not able to bring the ward together like it should be brought together,” Husain said.
Community activist Michael Lynn Jr. said what he'd like to say to Betz is “How’s having less power in the city than you did a month ago going."
Those were the same words that Betz texted to Lynn along with other mocking statements last year and now Lynn says it’s appropriate for him to say them back.
Screenshots of the text conversation between Betz and Lynn were leaked on social media. In February, Betz was censured by Council and stripped of his committee assignments.
But, after 10 months being on council with limited responsibilities, Betz was set to regain his committee assignments next week.
“Obviously, we succeeded in getting Brandon Betz out of representing Ward 1 so we feel really good about that,” said attorney Elizabeth Abdnour.
Abdnour has been working with Ward 1 resident Undra Brown on a recall petition against Betz since October.
They submitted two versions of the petitions to the Ingham County Election Commission and both versions were rejected, but, on Friday, an Ingham County judge cleared the way to a recall petition against Betz to go forward.
“The fact that we were able to force his hand and make him do the right thing and the right thing for the people, that excites me,” Brown said. “I love accountability, and I love holding elected officials accountable.”
Betz’s term was supposed to end in 2023, and the Council has 30 days to appoint someone to replace him.
“Council will actually allow for an application period, we will interview and then we will actually select someone to fill that position until the next general election,” Hussain said.
Betz did not respond to requests for comment.
