Can Duke Franklin Still Represent District 5?

A day after Federal agents arrest City Councilman Duke Franklin, what happens next?

The city council's next official meeting is Tuesday. Franklin is out on bond and now the question is will he show up to represent his district?

Councilman Duke Franklin didn't say anything to his constituents after he made bond yesterday. But now that the District 5 representative faces three federal charges - including money laundering, will he continue upholding his city council commitments?

"I would advise him to do that if he knows he's innocent," City Councilman Jack Benson says.

For the time being fellow councilman Jack Benson says the council's hands are tied.

"Without grounds unless he has committed a felony and been adjudicated guilty and once he's adjudicated guilty of a felony, he's no longer a member on this council," Benson says.

Benson says he doesn't think that any of the council members have talked to Franklin since his arrest yesterday, he also says he has no idea if Franklin will show up to next week's council meeting and sit in his chair.

Franklin chairs the city's Finance Committee. Benson says they shouldn't meet anytime soon, but he says Franklin doesn't have an extended free pass.

"Theres some other options, if he's absent three months in a row, the council then has the authority to remove him from office," Benson says.

It's an office Benson's held for eight years, and in that time, he says he's never dealt with an arrest like Franklin's while on council.

"No, but I don't think the county went through this with William Cotton and they have to give time for the legal process to play out because he could very well be innocent as he could be guilty," Benson says.

The city attorney will present the council's legal and legislative committee with a number of options regarding Duke Franklin at next Tuesday's meeting.