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Mary Sheffield (Screenshot from campaign video)
Detroit Free Press investigative reporter M.L. Elrick, host of the weekly podcast ML Soul of Detroit, along with his co-host Marc Fellhauer, talk about why the media felt compelled to dig up and report on the secretive marriage last weekend of Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield.
The co-hosts argue that the public has a right to know who she is marrying and whether that person has business with the city. Last Sunday at the Godfrey Hotel in Corktown, Sheffield married Rickey Jackson Jr., who works for the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan as the program manager of Project Play.
"If they had put out an announcement and just a statement saying this is gonna happen, we wouldn't have had anybody there," Elrick explained. The Free Press had a reporter at the Corktown hotel last Sunday to report on the wedding.
When the reporting came out, the public learned that she was marrying Jackson. Some had wondered if she was marrying someone else, possibly a contractor she had previously dated. Others said she had every right to keep the wedding a secret.
"I mean we do have this story that Charlie LeDuff broke that said that she was dating a contractor and while they were dating she was voting for contracts for him," Elrick said.
Elrick was referring to demolition contractor Brian McKinney, who had millions of dollars in contracts approved by city council members, including Sheffield.
"So, to your point Marc, who is she marrying? Are they a contractor? Is there that is very much a question?
Fellhauer adds:
"Especially when you're this secretive about it, it's like OK, who's this guy? What relationship have you had with him in the past, to get married after the election...You're begging for people to ask these questions and when you keep this secret, it's like OK, what else you keeping secret? You're keeping the happiest day of your life this quiet and this much of a surprise. Why? What is going on?"
Detroit Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield tried to keep her wedding secret — and didn’t reveal her fiancé’s identity until AFTER the ceremony. Watch this clip to see why @marcfell and I believe that’s newsworthy. Our Patreon supporters The Soulmates can watch the entire episode. Please… pic.twitter.com/1CMOmCcPTZ
— m.l. elrick (@elrick) December 11, 2025
