KC official retiring amid FBI investigation into him and his wife, the Mayor pro tem
A Kansas City official is retiring from his position in local government amid a federal criminal investigation.
City officials confirmed Michael Shaw, the city’s public works director, is retiring on May 29 after a nearly three-decade career with the city.
Earlier this year, Shaw and his wife Mayor pro tem Ryana Parks-Shaw were subjects of a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe focusing on whether the couple used their authority for financial and professional gain.
Sherae Honeycutt, a spokesperson for the city, declined to answer The Star’s questions on whether Shaw’s decision to leave city government was related to the FBI probe.
“This is a time to congratulate and thank Director Michael Shaw (for) his 28 years of service to the City,” Honeycutt said in an email to The Star. “His retirement is well earned.”
It’s unclear where the federal probe stands. The FBI typically conducts its investigations in secret and the federal agency has previously declined to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. There have been no arrests or charges as of Wednesday.
Honeycutt declined to provide any further comment.
City employees interviewed by the FBI
In March, The Star spoke with three former city employees who were interviewed by the FBI. Those employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution, described being asked a wide range of questions about government contracts and campaign donations.
One focus of the questions centered on Shaw and Parks-Shaw. But the sources who spoke with The Star also detailed a host of other questions from the FBI, a sign that the exact target of the investigation is unclear.
The federal probe also thrust into the spotlight a local nonprofit leader who worked with the city to combat homelessness. Anton Washington, the head of Creative Innovative, was named in a subpoena sent to City Hall last year, The Star previously revealed.
Washington has several ties to Parks-Shaw, including court filings that describe him as a “champion” for her mayoral campaign and $203 in campaign donations. Shaw, the public works director, also approved a majority of the city’s contracts with Washington’s organization.
