Mary Sheffield

Campaign spokeswoman Antonice Strickland acknowledged the error, stating that Sheffield had "been backed by a corporate PAC for sure" while claiming the misleading statement was "not intentionally" false.

FBI Investigation into Council President Vote

In April 2014, Sheffield became the subject of an FBI investigation into allegations of vote-buying related to the Detroit City Council presidential election. The allegations emerged following the January 2014 council president election, where Sheffield was among five members who voted for Brenda Jones in a 5-4 victory over incumbent President Saunteel Jenkins. The same coalition also elected George Cushingberry Jr. as president pro tem. The investigation centered on claims that construction contractor Thomas Hardiman Sr. had allegedly offered to pay off Sheffield's campaign debt in exchange for her vote in the council president race.

The allegations surfaced through a February 2014 conversation at Cutter's Bar and Grill in Eastern Market between Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Rev. Horace Sheffield III (Mary Sheffield's father), and political consultant Adolph Mongo. According to reports, Horace Sheffield disclosed during this conversation that someone had approached his daughter about paying off her campaign debt in exchange for directing her vote for council president.

Three sources confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that Thomas Hardiman Sr., president and CEO of A&H Contractors, was the individual allegedly involved in the scheme. Hardiman had previously served as a government witness in the Kilpatrick corruption probe while working at Lakeshore Engineering Services.

Associations with Individuals Implicated in Public Corruption

Mary Sheffield

In December 2015, FOX 2 Detroit reported that Chris Jackson, a Detroit developer who had previously admitted under oath to attempting to bribe a city councilwoman, was serving as one of the hosts for Sheffield's second annual "Tis the Season" fundraiser. Jackson, who also held an official position as treasurer of the Detroit Building Authority Commission, had testified in federal court that he paid $25,000 to political consultant Sam Riddle to secure then-councilwoman Monica Conyers' vote. When directly questioned by reporter ML Elrick about this association, Sheffield displayed a dismissive attitude toward Jackson's admitted corruption:

Elrick: "He's also someone who had admitted under oath in a federal trial that he tried to buy a councilwoman's vote. Does that concern you at all?"

Sheffield: "No."

Elrick: "How come?"

Sheffield: "He's one of several hosts on my committee. And again he has served as a host for several elected officials in the city and state for the last 18 years. Again, he has served the citizens of the city since I've been elected. He's done an outstanding job. I'm honored to have him as a host."

The investigation also revealed that Sheffield had previously been photographed with Rayford Jackson (no relation to Chris Jackson), another individual who had been implicated in attempts to bribe former councilwoman Monica Conyers.

Sam Riddle, a former political consultant who himself served three years in federal prison after pleading guilty in a public corruption case, warned about Sheffield's associations: "As one who wallowed in the cesspool of corruption, I can tell you this, and that is that Mary Sheffield has to be very careful who she surrounds herself with... These guys are very slick, they're slicksters."

Jackson's spokesman claimed that Jackson had hosted fundraisers for many elected officials, including former Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones and councilman Scott Benson, suggesting that Sheffield was not alone in maintaining these controversial political relationships.

During Sheffield's 2025 mayoral campaign, Jackson assumed an even more prominent role as executive director of Detroit Next PAC, a political action committee specifically created to support Sheffield's candidacy. The PAC funded billboard campaigns and campaign literature promoting Sheffield throughout Detroit. This arrangement became especially controversial when Sheffield sent a fundraising email claiming she was "not backed by billionaires or corporate PACs" - a statement her own campaign later admitted was misleading.

On May 7, 2025, Detroit City Council, with Sheffield as its president, voted to reappoint Jackson to the Detroit Building Authority for a new term running through January 31, 2029. This reappointment occurred while Jackson was actively serving as executive director of the PAC supporting Sheffield's mayoral campaign.

Progressive Messaging vs. Corporate Funding

During her 2025 Detroit mayoral campaign, Sheffield positioned herself as a progressive grassroots candidate opposing corporate influence in politics. In a June 16, 2025 fundraising email sent after a televised mayoral debate, Sheffield's campaign claimed she was "not backed by billionaires or corporate PACs" and was instead "powered by people like you who believe in a Detroit that is united, thriving and just."

Campaign finance documents contradicted Sheffield's populist messaging, revealing substantial backing from corporate interests. Records showed Sheffield had received:

• Maximum individual contributions of $8,325 each from Matthew and Lindsay Moroun in 2023, members of one of metro Detroit's most infamous families
• Nearly $24,000 in total contributions from the Moroun family over multiple years
• $13,000 from billionaire Dan Gilbert's Rock Holdings State PAC in 2023
• $3,714 in in-kind contributions from Rock's corporate PAC in 2022, which covered costs for Sheffield's annual birthday fundraiser at a Gilbert-owned venue
• Large donations from various local executives and CEOs, including leaders from Strategic Staffing Solutions, Belfor, and Sachse Construction

When confronted with the factual inaccuracies by the Detroit Free Press, Sheffield declined to discuss the email. Campaign spokeswoman Antonice Strickland acknowledged the error, stating that Sheffield had "been backed by a corporate PAC for sure" while claiming the misleading statement was "not intentionally" false. Strickland attributed the discrepancy to "an overly enthusiastic staff member using standard campaign language from previous fundraising campaigns."

The controversy highlighted the gap between Sheffield's rhetoric and her reliance on funding from the same wealthy interests opposed to progressive policies, raising questions about the authenticity of her public claims.

Taxpayer-Funded Mailings

Sheffield has faced scrutiny for her extensive use of taxpayer funds to send greeting cards and promotional materials to Detroit residents. According to records obtained by the Detroit Free Press, Sheffield spent over $100,000 in city council funds on mailings since announcing her mayoral ambitions, with an additional estimated $20,000 on Mother's Day and Father's Day cards.

The controversy intensified when it was revealed that Sheffield had sent a birthday card using taxpayer money to Eren Stephens, a woman who had died six years earlier. The card was addressed to a District 4 residence, outside Sheffield's District 5 constituency. Sheffield's office attributed such errors to "imperfections" in mailing lists but defended the practice as legitimate constituent outreach.

Records showed Sheffield's mailings specifically targeted registered voters rather than general constituents, with procurement documents indicating addresses were drawn from "state or city of Detroit" voter files. The timing of increased spending coincided with her mayoral campaign activities—Sheffield formed her mayoral committee in August 2023, with a significant $19,887 mailing to her district occurring in June 2023.

Sheffield's most expensive single mailing occurred in January 2025, when she spent over $43,000 to send 88,300 birthday cards to Detroit residents aged 60 and older—a demographic with high voter turnout rates. In June 2024, she conducted her first citywide mailing, spending over $28,000 to send 120,000 postcards to 95,000 households across all Detroit districts, despite representing only District 5.

Sheffield defended the mailings through her chief of staff, claiming they were legitimate constituent communications approved by the city's procurement office. She argued that as council president, she had "citywide implications and responsibilities" justifying mailings beyond her district. When pressed about the propriety of the expenditures, Sheffield accused critics of racism, stating the issue was "only being made" because she was "a candidate for Mayor and a Black woman."