Aug. 2: Wayne County economic development chief Turkia Awada Mullin is named Detroit Metro Airport CEO, which raises her salary from $200,000 to $250,000.
Sept. 19: Acting on a tip, the Free Press files a public records request asking the county to provide details on any severance Mullin received upon leaving the county.
Sept. 27: County officials confirm to WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) that Mullin received a $200,000 severance when she left the county for the airport. County Executive Robert Ficano calls the payment standard practice for top appointees and says the county must pay it under Mullin's contract. Mullin tells the Free Press: "I'm paid what I'm worth."
Sept. 29: Mullin acknowledges she also received $75,000 from Edge Opportunities, a nonprofit funded by area businesses that is affiliated with the Wayne County Business Development Corp. Some of those businesses received contracts from Wayne County. County commissioners say they were never told of the payments and did not approve them.
Sept. 30: Mullin produces an undated, 123-word letter signed by Ficano that says she is to receive one year's severance upon leaving. Hours after producing the mysterious letter, Mullin and Ficano issue a statement saying Mullin will return the $200,000, calling it a distraction. Ficano applauds the move, saying, "It's never been about money with Turkia."
Oct. 4: The County Commission can't get answers from Ficano's office at a hearing on who authorized the severance check to Mullin. Ficano accepts responsibility, but takes no questions before leaving. His aide promises an internal review.
Oct. 11: Commissioners learn Mullin also received thousands of dollars in unused sick and leave time from the county. The payments were authorized by the county's former director of human resources, Timothy Taylor.
Oct. 14: Ficano announces that for their role in the scandal, his deputy, Azzam Elder, and the county's top lawyer, Marianne Talon, are suspended for 30 days without pay. Taylor, who was working part-time, is fired. Ficano apologizes and calls the severance a "mistake."
Oct. 18: The FBI tells state officials it will investigate the county.
Oct. 19: The FBI serves subpoenas on county offices, targeting three county employees and records associated with 14 companies doing business with the county. Ficano hires a criminal defense lawyer.
Oct. 20: A recall petition is filed against Ficano over the severance payment. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.
Oct. 23: A Free Press investigation reveals that Mullin's claim of bringing $5.5 billion worth of investment into Wayne County is inflated. Confronted with the findings, Mullin estimates that her office was directly involved in more than $3 billion worth of development. The county later compiled a new list of investments totaling more than $5 billion that it said Mullin was involved in, but did not give the newspaper a copy of the list to review.
Oct. 27: Mullin and her assistant repay the severance money they got from the county -- about $150,000, which represents the severance for the two minus taxes taken out. Ficano places a third county employee -- assistant county executive Michael Grundy -- on paid administrative leave after he's linked to the FBI investigation.
Oct. 28: Airport Authority members and Ficano say Mullin has become a distraction and should leave her job at the airport.
Oct. 31: The Airport Authority votes 5-2 to fire Mullin, but declines to provide a reason for the termination.
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