Eric Mays, a passionate and combative Flint City Councilman and TikTok sensation who became one of the most outspoken supporters of residents during the water crisis, has died, city officials announced late Saturday.
Mays was 65.
His cause of death wasn’t immediately clear.
First elected to the council in 2013, Mays was one of the first public officials to voice concerns about the water crisis that began in 2014. While other state and city officials downplayed the crisis, Mays was an unwavering advocate for residents.
During council meetings, Mays’s passion often manifested as combativeness as he clashed with others on the board. On more than a few occasions, police escorted Mays out of council meetings for clamoring with his colleagues.
In December, Mays was suspended from the council for 90 days for making “constant frivolous motions” and using “racist rhetoric,” according to a council motion. Mays planned to file a federal lawsuit against the council, saying the suspension violated his First Amendment rights and left his constituents unrepresented.
In January 2023, Mays called other Black council members “handkerchief-head Negros,” “Uncle Toms,” and “Sambos.”
Mays often posted his clashes on TikTok, where he garnered more than 220,000 followers who appreciated his unfiltered advocacy for Flint residents.
Sam Riddle, a longtime friend and supporter of the councilman, says Mays was popular among residents because he zealously fought for them.
“Eric Mays raised hell and irritated people, but his behavior moved leadership and mis-leadership up the ladder of consciousness one rung at a time,” Riddle, political director of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization led by the Rev. Al Sharpton, tells Metro Times. “He had a unique ability to make people angry because he was so right analytically, so people would hate on him rather than take on the issues he raised. Like the rest of us, he had personal flaws, but they paled in comparison to his astute political abilities.”
The Lento Law Group, which represented Mays in numerous legal matters, said the councilman stood up for his residents when no one else would.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden, tragic death of our client, Councilman Eric Mays,” Lento Law Group wrote in a statement to Metro Times. “Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and constituents. Councilman Mays was a man devoted to public service. His unrelenting advocacy on behalf of his constituents gave them a voice in a government body that often seemed interested in silencing voices that did not agree with the majority.”
The law firm added, “We will continue to fight for those constituents and the City of Flint in Councilman Mays' name and memory, including against those individuals whose gracious statements concerning his passing stand in stark contrast to the actions they took against him while he was a public servant. Rest in Peace, Councilman Mays.”
Flint Mayor Sheldon Neely, with whom Mays often clashed, spoke warmly of the councilman in a written statement.
“This is a tremendous loss for our community and a shock to all friends and family,” Neeley said. “As our community grieves during this difficult time, on behalf of Councilman Mays’ family, we ask that community members respect their privacy and allow them time and space to mourn. We continue to lift the family in prayer.”
Citing Mays’s “bold and courageous service,” city officials said in a statement that the flag at City Hall would be lowered to half-staff in his honor Monday.
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