Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to step down .. possibly see jail time

[DeToxRox]

Finally, the misery ends, per all the local news outlets.

It was to happen at 5:15 but it's been pushed back to 9:30 am tomorrow as the plea is finalized.

Rumor is 120 days in jail amongst other things.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

It's about time.

There are many here who laugh it up regarding Detroit, but I am unwavering in my support and love for the city.

Detroit deserves so much better than Kilpatrick.

Finally we can be rid of the shameful behavior of this corrupt fool.

[Crapshoot]

Good for the city of Detroit.

[Wolfpack]

Having lived so close to Detroit for so long, it was kind of sad to see things happen as they have in the city. Archer did a lot to turn the mess around that had befallen the place during the 70s and 80s, but the last election between Kilpatrick and Hendrix seemed to show there were still a lot of old wounds that haven't healed between Detroit and the suburbs. When the highlight of his tenure basically was the fact that Detroit didn't burn when the power blacked out back in 2003, that's not exactly a sterling endorsement of life in the city (regardless of the casinos and hosting Super Bowl XL and Comerica Park, which really didn't benefit the city proper except in a few blocks around the venues).

[Honolulu_Blue]

This is good news. Hopefully we can start moving forward around here. It's not going to be easy.

[EagleFan]

Detroit just doesn't seem to have the same dedication to criminals that DC does. In DC he would get re-elected.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I've got fifty cents that says (barring some state law the prohibits it after his plea) that he not only eventually runs for some public office again but wins.

[Senator]

Jon, the odds on that are even money.

[Honolulu_Blue]

A quick update on the Kwame Kilpatrick saga.

So, for those not keeping up things, Kwame did end up going to jail. He then gets out of jail. As part of his sentence, he has to pay restitution to the City of Detroit for the money he essentially "stole" by having the city pay his settlement to the cops who brought the whistleblower case against him and the city, in which he comitted perjury time and time again. The restitution, I believe, is $1 million.

Kwame gets a job in Dallas working for Covisint, a subsidiary of Compuware. It's a pretty good paying job and he gets it as a favor from Peter Karmanos, the owner of Compuware. He moves his family down to Dallas. They move into a large house in a very wealthy suburb. He buys his wife plastic surgery, jewlery, he essentially lives the life of Riley.

He then files papers with the court saying that he has to reduce his monthly restitution payments from some thousand+ per month to $6. Yes, $6. He claims he can't afford to pay more than that per month.

This leads to another court proceeding where the city is forced to carefully go through his financial records. As it turns out, he received a bunch of money from all sorts of people that he never reported or made anywhere of. He essentially lied about his financial situation throughout the process. As a result, the judge rightfull threw his ass in jail for 4-5 months for lying to the court and violating his probation. That was about a month ago. (Note: none of this would have happened, if he had only just kept paying his original restitution fee. His request to pay only $6 per month was what brought on the entire investigation.)

And now, on top of all of that, our ex-mayor has been indicted on 19 federal counts ranging from mail fraud to wire fraud to tax evasion. These are entirely new and separate charges dating back to his time as mayor of Detroit.

We have already seen one Detroit City council member go down for this type of stuff. This investigation has been going on for a while now and people are talking. He's scewed.

[fantom1979]

If convicted of the charges, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick indicted by feds on 19 mail fraud, tax counts | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

[bryce]

The Dallas paper did a puff piece on this clown not too long ago that was quite obviously slanted in a way to get readers to feel sorry for him. It was utterly ridiculous, and the more I read about this guy, the more that article infuriates me.

edit to add linky to dmn article:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...on2.ac1cb.html

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by bryce

The Dallas paper did a puff piece on this clown not too long ago that was quite obviously slanted in a way to get readers to feel sorry for him. It was utterly ridiculous, and the more I read about this guy, the more that article infuriates me.

I only heard about that piece, but never read it. He's a very charismatic guy and a great liar, so I am not surprised by that. He also tried to do a mini-PR campaign a few months ago during the whole restitution ordeal. Another reason behind that piece was that Kilpatrick was trying to get his restitution hearing moved to Dallas, since he claimed that he couldn't get a fair hearing in Detroit and that, since he lived in Dallas, that's the appropriate place for the hearing. The puff piece was in anticipation of that possible move.

[molson]

In case anyone's interested in making donations directly to Kwame, he's made that easy to do:

http://www.friendsofkwame.com/

[Router Help]

Still accepting donations!

FriendsOfKwame.com || Official Site of Kwame Kilpatrick and Family

Edit: Beaten!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by bryce

edit to add linky to dmn article:
www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/tarrant/stories/DN-kilpatrick_06met.ART0.State.Edition2.ac1cb.html

Just read that. Yeah, that's pretty pathetic. Typical, Kwame. His kids had nothing to do with his decision. He didn't give up fighting what was blatantly obvious until the Govenor Granholm stepped in and was about to make a ruling that would force him to give up his job as mayor, which was his one bargaining chip. He fought and lied every step of the way until he was at the edge.

He continued to do so even after it was over by claiming he could only pay the $6. If he really wanted the city to "move on", he should have just shut up, nut up and paid his restitution as quickly and quietly as possible.

[molson]

Do you think he guarantees supporters that he'll hide any "donations" from the city of Detroit, or is that just assumed?

[Crapshoot]

Dyspathy - apparently a very Detroit / Michigan politician insider blog - hilarious stuff.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

A statement from Gary Brown:

Today we have all heard the news of the indictment against former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Hopefully, this turn of events is the beginning of the end of corruption in Detroit so we can put this unfortunate chapter in our city’s history behind us. For too long, a “culture of corruption” has existed in Detroit. All eyes are on us – in Washington, DC, around the country and around the world – now that the indictment has come down. The young people in our city are watching how this entire situation unfolds. We must show them that values, integrity and character count; and they are all worth fighting for.

Detroiters have almost become desensitized to wrongful activity by our leaders. We must remember that no matter how powerful one is or how many supporters an elected official has, that person must follow the law and hold himself or herself to the highest level of integrity and accountability.

This is an indictment and a defendant should be deemed innocent until proven guilty. Mr. Kilpatrick will have his day in court and I believe justice will prevail. If charges are proven and guilty pleas or verdicts occur, we will have learned the lesson that any person who stands up for integrity can be the change agent needed to hold public officials accountable. We need more people to stand up and tell the truth. Too many City employees, and business and non-profit leaders, stood by who knew what was occurring which caused a severe impact to our citizens and our image that will never be quantified.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “A time comes when silence is betrayal!” in a speech at New York’s Riverside Church on April 4, 1967, entitled “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” that many believe led to his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee. Detroiters have been betrayed for far too long.

We now have a new Mayor and new City Council and we are working together to move Detroit forward. This new leadership cannot fully move forward until we get past these abuses of public trust. I, for one, am encouraged that this day has finally come so we can move forward, once and for all, and put an end to the culture of corruption in Detroit.

Together, we possess the power to become the best of Detroit.

Gary A. Brown
President Pro Tem
Detroit City Council

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Detroit just doesn't seem to have the same dedication to criminals that DC does. In DC he would get re-elected.

I'm figuring he'd run for Illinois governor next.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

I'm figuring he'd run for Illinois governor next.

And in related news, I heard on the radio last night that the court in Blagojevich's trial this week got to hear tapes of him talking about how he could get a high-paying, national job until 2016 when he'd run for President.

[flere-imsaho]

Thanks for the writeup, HB. I had heard about the $6 thing, but not the subsequent investigation and additional charges.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

And in related news, I heard on the radio last night that the court in Blagojevich's trial this week got to hear tapes of him talking about how he could get a high-paying, national job until 2016 when he'd run for President.

Yeah, I heard the same thing yesterday. And just sorta blinked. The thought of him running for President (hell, the thought he had any chance at ALL at even running for President) is simply hilarious.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Yeah, I heard the same thing yesterday. And just sorta blinked. The thought of him running for President (hell, the thought he had any chance at ALL at even running for President) is simply hilarious.

We've had Dan Quayle, Bush Jr. and Barack Obama on successful presidential tickets. I wouldn't discount the chances of anyone.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

And now, on top of all of that, our ex-mayor has been indicted on 19 federal counts ranging from mail fraud to wire fraud to tax evasion. These are entirely new and separate charges dating back to his time as mayor of Detroit.

We have already seen one Detroit City council member go down for this type of stuff. This investigation has been going on for a while now and people are talking. He's scewed.

Aaaaaaaaand Boom goes the dynamite:

Kilpatrick indictment: 'Tens of millions of dollars' misused | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Kilpatrick indictment: ‘Tens of millions of dollars’ misused

ROBERT SNELL AND PAUL EGAN
The Detroit News

Detroit— A federal grand jury has indicted former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, his father Bernard Kilpatrick, former Kilpatrick aide Derrick A. Miller, Kilpatrick pal Bobby Ferguson and former Detroit water chief Victor Mercado, the U.S. Attorney's Office said today.

The 38-count indictment charges them with racketeering conspiracy and accuses them of extortion, bribery and fraud. The indictment alleges Ferguson received "tens of millions of dollars from municipal contracts" after the power of the mayor's office was used to coerce others to steer work his way.

Some of that money was then shared with Kwame Kilpatrick and his father, Bernard, the indictment alleges. Kilpatrick and his dad also are accused of extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, free flights and other benefits from a variety of contractors. Some of the allegations date back to Kilpatrick's days as a state representative before he was elected mayor in 2001.

Ferguson, a construction and demolition contractor who is a close friend of Kilpatrick's, kicked back at least $424,000 in cash and other benefits to the former mayor and Bernard Kilpatrick deposited more than $600,000 in cash into his personal bank accounts while his son was mayor, the indictment alleges.

"If you steal from taxpayers, you are going to be held accountable," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said at a press conference this afternoon at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit. "Getting out of office doesn't get you off the hook."

A successful RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) case carries stiffer prison sentences and forfeiture provisions, said Alan Gershel, former head of criminal prosecutions in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit and now a professor at Thomas Cooley Law School's Auburn Hills campus. A RICO case, traditionally used to combat organized crime, also allows attorneys to prosecute crimes that happened years ago and otherwise might be subject to a statute of limitations.

"It really is the big gun for the federal government," Gershel said.
Kwame Kilpatrick and Ferguson had already been indicted in June and today's charges came in the form of a superseding indictment that adds to the charges they already face.

Kwame Kilpatrick, 40, and his father Bernard Kilpatrick, 69, were the major targets for the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office, which have spent six years investigating City Hall corruption.

Still the investigation continues, said Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the FBI in Detroit.

"It would be nice to say it's done, but this is the real world, and it's not done," Arena said at the news conference. "It's not going to be done until we say it's done."

Another blow for Kilpatrick family

Today's charges are another blow to what was once one of Michigan's most powerful political families. Kwame Kilpatrick was a rising star in the Democratic party, having won the mayor's office after becoming a young leader in the state House. His mother, former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick, was a powerful Detroit congresswoman until she lost a primary this year in the wake of her son's legal difficulties. His father, Bernard Kilpatrick, was a top aide to the late Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara.

Kwame Kilpatrick was mayor of Detroit from 2002 until 2008, when he was sent to jail for 99 days after pleading guilty to giving false testimony in a whistle-blower lawsuit brought by former Detroit police officer. Those charges were brought by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. Also jailed for lying in court was Christine Beatty, a former top aide to Kilpatrick, who, like him, lied in court about a sexual relationship they had and circumstances surrounding the firing of former Detroit Deputy Chief Gary Brown, now a city councilman.

Steamy text messages Kilpatrick and Beatty sent each other on their city-issued pagers revealed their perjuryIn the federal case, 14 people have so far pleaded guilty to felonies and one person has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor as a result of the Detroit investigation and a spinoff probe in the city of Southfield. Those convicted include former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers.

According to the indictment today there were 13 instances of extortion, attempted extortion and contract rigging, including:— Kwame Kilpatrick, Miller and Bernard Kilpatrick held up a $50 million sewer-lining contract until the winning bidder agreed to pay Ferguson. Ferguson received $24.7 million in contract revenue when the contract rose to $138 million.

— The mayor and Mercado canceled a $10 million sewer repair contract because the winning bidder refused Ferguson's demand for a 25 percent share. They awarded the work to another contractor who agreed to Ferguson's demand.

— Kwame Kilpatrick and Miller delayed a $12 million amendment to a sewer lining contract until the contractor agreed to pay Ferguson $350,000 for work Ferguson wanted at a large sewer collapse in Sterling Heights even though Ferguson didn't do any work on the project.

— Kwame Kilpatrick, Ferguson, Miller and Mercado schemed to steer subcontracts and emergency task orders to Ferguson in connection with a $19.8 million downtown water main replacement. The scheme involved giving Ferguson work downtown that was originally awarded to the lowest bidder. Ferguson ended up receiving more than $4 million in revenue.

— Kilpatrick and Mercado rigged a water-main contract for the city's East side so Ferguson's joint-venture would win the contract. Ferguson extorted contract revenue of more than $12.9 million from the other team members.

— In two instances, Ferguson extorted contractors for $10.4 million in work on a sewer repair contracts for the east and west sides of Detroit.

— Ferguson, aided by Mercado and Miller, extorted a company for $5 million in work on a combined sewer overflow facility and a recreational facility.

— Kwame Kilpatrick and Mercado, helped by Miller, rigged a $21 million security contract to ensure Ferguson's team would win. Ferguson received $1.2 million. Mercado hid the scheme by funneling work into an unrelated contract and misleading an inquiry authorized by U.S. District Judge John Feikens.

Ferguson, Kwame Kilpatrick and Mercado tried to extort a company to give Ferguson a large chunk of a $140 million pump station contract.

Federal probe spans six years

The 17-member grand jury — which included four black jurors — were in the courtroom when the indictment was announced. Grand juries are shrouded in secrecy and the rare public presence of the grand jurors illustrated the moment's significance after a prolonged investigation.
The investigation by the FBI began in November 2004, prosecutors have said in court filings. The criminal division of the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development also are involved in the probe.

Miller's name surfaced earlier in the investigation when he was named in a federal search warrant and he was linked to an illegal payment in connection with a city sludge-hauling contract.

Federal charges would be a relief, of sorts, Bernard Kilpatrick's court-appointed lawyer, John A. Shea, said Tuesday.

"He's had the sword of Damocles hanging over his head for a long time," Shea said. "I'm not saying he's looking forward to any of this, if he's charged. But at least there would be a sense of relief."

Kilpatrick is in federal prison for violating probation. The 40-year-old former mayor was indicted June 23 on 19 fraud and tax counts and accused of turning the Kilpatrick Civic Fund charity into a personal slush fund for cash, travel, yoga, summer camp and even anti-bugging equipment when he was in office.

Bernard Kilpatrick established a Detroit consulting firm, Maestro Associates LLC, around the time his son was elected. His phone was tapped by the FBI as part of the corruption investigation.

The Detroit News reported Tuesday that documents subpoenaed from Detroit Water and Sewerage contractors with close ties to the Kilpatricks and Ferguson would play a role in the next round of City Hall corruption indictments.

Ferguson already is facing eight federal counts after being indicted in September on charges related to a $12 million bid-rigging scheme. He awaits trial.

[molson]

Damn, Kilpatrick is going to need some money for his defense fund. Is he still runing that website that takes donations?

Edit: Still open for business! Look how he and his wife match their clothes! (That shows he's a family man who's being railroaded).

http://www.friendsofkwame.com/index.asp

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by molson

Damn, Kilpatrick is going to need some money for his defense fund. Is he still runing that website that takes donations?

Edit: Still open for business! Look how he and his wife match their clothes! (That shows he's a family man who's being railroaded).

FriendsOfKwame.com || Official Site of Kwame Kilpatrick and Family

Well, I for one, am waiting with baited breath on what upcoming projects and announcements they will be sharing with us.

Edit: His Facebook page is even better.

[lighthousekeeper]

bloink

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick gets 28 years in prison - CNN.com

[fantom1979]

I know this is what the prosecutor was hoping for, but I am shocked he actually got it. Really thought he would get in the 10 year range.

[finketr]

detroit mayors..illinois governors..

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Originally Posted by fantom1979

I know this is what the prosecutor was hoping for, but I am shocked he actually got it. Really thought he would get in the 10 year range.

He earned every day of it.

[fantom1979]

Originally Posted by finketr

detroit mayors..illinois governors..

It Detroit's defense, they have had some pretty good mayors (Archer for example). Unfortunately, their two of their last 4 mayors have been horrible (Kilpatrick 2002-2008, Young 1974-1994). Detroit's city council has been in the news for the last decade or so for corruption as well. So even when you get a "good" mayor, there isn't a ton he can do to fix it.

Detroit runs one democrat after another in the mayor's office, while Illinois manages to elect horrible governors from both parties. Not sure which is worse.