Detroit Mayor's Office Apologizes For Facebook Post Criticizing Reporter Charlie LeDuff

DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is dealing with perhaps his first social media flap since taking office.

On Thursday morning, a Facebook comment disparaging locally-based journalist Charlie LeDuff was posted by the mayor's official Facebook account. It was made in response to a post by Facebook user Arthur Childs.

"If Duggan is so perfect as mayor, why is Charlie La'duff (sic) asking questions about blight and people are fingerprinting and ducking him? If he was doing so great of a job, 'perfect job as you say,' he wouldn't be treated like Kilpatrick rite (sic) now," Childs wrote.

"The mayor" responded by saying: "You know anything about LeDuff? There might be some things that's worth looking into, but the dude is not exactly a reputable journalist: 'LeDuff's borrowing went beyond accepted journalistic practices.'" The post also included a link to a story about the outspoken journalist.

The comment quickly caught the attention of LeDuff himself, who addressed the situation on his own social media accounts.

"Detroit @MayorMikeDuggan moonlighting as an internet troll? Sir, your grammar is atrocious. And don't call me dude. Just do a better job," LeDuff wrote on Facebook.

Shortly thereafter, the mayor's office deleted the comment and his chief of staff, Alexis Wiley, issued a statement blaming the off-color commentary on another employee.

"A previous comment posted under Mayor Duggan's Facebook profile regarding Charlie LeDuff was not authorized," said Wiley. "An employee posted the comment to the Mayor's Facebook page believing he was posting on his own account. We apologize for the mistake. We have removed the comment and will take further action to make sure this does not happen again."

No word if LeDuff accepts the apology.

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