Mayor jailbird

[Dr Mordrid]

First Detroit's mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, was named by Time Magazine as one of the worst mayors in the US.

Next he got involved in a whistle blower scandal where he lied under oath, among other things, and got indicted for 12 counts of perjury and corruption.

He was released on bond but with travel restrictions; he had to ask permission of the court to go out of state or out of the country.

His next good move was a semi-veiled death threat against the Wayne County Prosecutor, Kym Worthy: “My grandfather always said if you're digging a grave for someone--dig two, so she better be careful”.

Next he assaulted a Sheriff's deputy who was trying to serve papers on someone they thought was in his house. Charges still pending, but imminent. The State Atty. General is expected to file them this week.

Then came the final straw for Judge Ronald Giles;

Mayor Kilpatrick took it upon himself to leave not only Michigan but the country, taking a trip to Canada to discuss the sale of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel to balance the city's budget deficit - something that'll only get it out of hot water for just the current year at the cost of a major city asset.

Today Kilpatrick was summoned to Judge Giles courtroom to explain why he had violated his bond. Mayor Kilpatrick tried to shine the Judge on, but it did no good - Judge Giles was pissed off. Tonight Mayor Kilpatrick will be eating dinner in the Wayne County Jail with the other crooks.

And then comes word that the Feds are investigating at least those around him over a bogus city contract (half of city council too).

If Governor Granholm doesn't remove him now it'll just prove once again how incompetent she is.

Story....

[cjolley]

If Governor Granholm doesn't remove him now it'll just prove once again how incompetent she is.

By what legal authority could Governor remove an elected Mayor?
I don't think our Governor has any powers like that.

[MultimediaMan]

It depends on your State Constitution/ State Law...

[Dr Mordrid]

By what legal authority could Governor remove an elected Mayor?
I don't think our Governor has any powers like that.

In Michigan if the City Council requests removal (they have) the Governor can hold a Removal Hearing - which in this case will happen Sept. 3rd. In this hearing the Governor is Judge, Jury and Executioner.

IF she removes him, and that's a big if given her lack of nerve and smarts, then a special election that has to be held within 180 days. After removal the President of the City Council, Ken Cockrel Jr, would be Acting Mayor and his deputy council member (wife of US House Judiciary Chairman Rep. John Conyers - another winner ) will serve as interim President of the City Council. Problem is that while Mr. Cockrel so far has his hands clean the FBI is investigating his aides over that bogus contract deal - along with half the rest of the City Council.

Right now with Kilpatrick in jail the appointed (meaning a Friend of Kwame) Deputy Mayor (formerly the water dept. chief) is serving as the temporary mayor. This guy took over the Deputy Mayor job just 3 days ago.

If Kilpatrick gets out of jail tomorrow due to the appeal, and there is some doubt of that, then he'll likely just have to turn himself into the police for assaulting the Sheriff's Deputy because the State Atty. General has his news conference on that at 9:00 AM. If so then bail will have to be revisited again, quite possibly with the same result.

IF that election is held the most commonly mentioned name is former Detroit Pistons Hall of Fame basketball player Dave Bing, who has become quite the business leader in these parts; he owns The Bing Group (among other things a large auto steel stamping /assembly company) and he has been a community leader of the first order since he retired. By all accounts a total class act.

Now get this;

Kilpatrick's mother is Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick - US House representative from Detroit, Chairwoman of the US House Black Caucus and a senior member of the US House of Representatives leadership under Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

Yes US kiddies....this family has extended its tentacles into your affairs too. Doesn't it make you all warm and fuzzy?

[Jammrock]

It appears he learned it all from mother dearest ... except the part were yo ucover it up and never get caught.

[MultimediaMan]

I'd really like to see a murder-for-hire charge against him: there is enough circumstantial evidence against him for an inditement, at the least.

[Dr Mordrid]

Personally I prefer the wood chipper solution

[Dr Mordrid]

The Detroit News has published a transcription of what the judge said in his ruling. Speaks volumes for not pissing off a battle-tested judge....

36th District Court Judge Ronald Giles addressed Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on Thursday:

After hearing all of the arguments, hearing the statements from Mayor Kilpatrick, the Court has come to several conclusions. First, there are several issues.

Mr. Mayor, I hear what you are saying. I guess the problem I'm having is, I don't think there is too much of anything you do alone. And even on that day, it's not like you got a telephone call, jumped in your SUV and drove across the bridge or the tunnel.

You got on the phone, you made several telephone calls. You had to call security. You had to contact the deputy mayor and your executive assistant. You had to make arrangements. You don't do anything without making arrangements. And one of those arrangements has to be in relationship to this court.

I think it was the first day you were in front of me. I thought I made it very clear. This court comes first on everything. I don't in any way claim to have a good understanding of what your responsibilities are and what you do. And I do understand that you are under, you have to be under an immense amount of pressure and how that could be affecting you.

But, I have to look at how the system is run and perceived by the public. I don't care what the media says about me. I really don't. I never have. I try to do what I think is right and what I think is fair. And, sometimes people agree with me and sometimes they don't. I go on to the next case. That is all that I can do.

In the beginning of this case you were given every privilege that could be given to you with regard to travel. It was totally unrestricted initially. After I got this case, I felt you were abusing that privilege and I modified it. I said no as to personal travel you had to do like everyone else and motion it up, and as for business travel, just give me 48-hours notice.

A week ago we had a violation for another reason and at that time I made it perfectly clear. I said to Mr. Parkman and Mr. Thomas, "don't come back." If I remember right, those were the words I used.

Often times, sitting here and making decisions, just like last time, I wanted to try to understand why -- why would you do this? Why would this happen, which is why I ordered drug screens. You've taken at least four and they have all been negative. There is no issue there. So, at this point, I'm taking that off. I am withdrawing the issue of you having to take drug screens because it doesn't matter.

What matters to me though, is how the court overall is perceived, and how if it was not Kwame Kilpatrick sitting in that seat, if it was John Six-Pack sitting in that seat, what would I do? And that answer is simple. So, I'm going back to my original keep it simple. That's what I have to do.

So, at this point, because you have violated the conditions of bond, the Court is revoking of your bond. The Court is going to order that all travel be suspended and two, that you be remanded to the Wayne County Jail for processing.

Would you stay the order pending appeal?

Am I going to stay the order? No.

You have the right to file an immediate appeal. But, like I said, if that was anybody else sitting in that chair, that is what would happen and that is how I have to proceed.

If there is nothing further.

[Dr Mordrid]

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox today indicted Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with 2 counts of felony assault against 2 police officers and with 2 counts of interference of a service while they were trying to serve another person.

[Dr Mordrid]

Mayor Kilpatrick was released on $52,500.00 bond (50k for the corruption charges (no 10% - full cash) and 2.5k for the assault) with restrictions of NO travel at all and he has to wear a GPS tether. The assault charges will likely go to trial within a few weeks.

BTW: this was in todays Detroit News

[Dr Mordrid]

OMG....he....just....doesn't....learn!

Link.....

Kilpatrick may have violated bond, Cox spokesman says

David Josar / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- A spokesman for Attorney General Michael Cox said Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick may have broken conditions of his bond if he had contact with his sister Saturday morning while visiting his mother's house.

Kilpatrick, along with his executive protection police unit, was at the home of the mayor's mother, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick on Saturday at the same time his sister was seen entering and leaving the home.

On Friday, a magistrate in 36th District Court barred Kilpatrick from having contact with witnesses to an assault the mayor is accused of committing July 24. The mayor's sister, Ayanna Kilpatrick, and members of his executive protection unit, were among the witnesses listed.

At least one of those witnesses, Sgt. Jefferson Travis, was at the congresswoman's house on Saturday, and was part of the team protecting the mayor.

The alleged assault occurred at the home of Ayanna Kilpatrick, which is next door to the home of the mayor's mother where the mayor was visiting Saturday, according to witnesses.

Rusty Hills, a spokesman for Cox, said new bond conditions forbade Kilpatrick from having contact with any witnesses to his alleged crime, all of whom were listed on investigative reports released on Friday. Hills did not indicate whether lawyers for the state would ask to have the mayor's bond modified.
>>

Link 2....

Mayor Kilpatrick discloses travel around U.S., Canada

David Josar, Doug Guthrie, and Leonard N. Fleming / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Two days after Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was jailed for an unauthorized trip to Windsor, he has come clean on a variety of other undisclosed trips, according to a statement his staff released Saturday morning.

Kilpatrick has been driving around the United States and Canada, sometimes with family but often alone because he enjoyed the "solitude," according to the statement.

The revelation came hours after The Windsor Star wrote a story based on an interview with an unidentified businessman that indicated Kilpatrick was spotted with his sons at a water park on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on July 21 -- two days before the Windsor trip that landed the mayor in jail Thursday.
>>

[MultimediaMan]

It really is simple: He thinks the law does not apply to him.

Witness Tampering, Obstruction of Justice, Perjury, Grand Larceny, Graft, Murder...

Judging from his personality cues and his past behavior, he will likely end up commiting suicide when his butcher's bill comes due. My guess is with pills or carbon monoxide.

[Dr Mordrid]

Yes, there is that hope

The upside is that the felony assault charges will very likely be heard quickly, and conviction of a felony charge means he automatically has to leave office because of a city charter provision which states convicted felons cannot serve as mayor.

Hopefully it'll go even faster with Governor Granholm, no shining example of smarts or common sense herself, removes him at the Sept. 3rd removal hearing.

We can only hope....