Word: kilpatrick
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Sheila Murphy Cockrel, a member of the Detroit city council, has never been afraid to swim against the tide. She opposed proposals to create "Africa Town," a district exclusively for black-owned businesses in the heart of downtown. She regularly sparred with the city's former mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, who resigned in 2008 amid enormous legal problems. Just last month, she drew headlines for abruptly leaving the council's chambers to protest a rushed measure, backed by Christian conservatives, to restrict alcohol sales at Detroit's strip clubs. "It was an act of democracy to walk...
...Officially, Cockrel says she will teach public policy at Wayne State University. But many political observers expect her to be a formidable candidate for the congressional seat currently held by Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a Democrat and the former mayor's mother. Kilpatrick is vulnerable, observers say, mainly because of her son's persistent legal problems. Still, if Cockrel decides to run for the 13th congressional district seat, she will face an uphill battle: the district was gerrymandered mainly to ensure an African-American majority...
...Kilpatrick's attorneys tried to block the line of questioning, saying the former mayor, not his wife, must resolve his debts. One of their central arguments is that Kilpatrick's plea agreement allows the restitution to be adjusted to reflect 30% of his gross monthly income. Nevertheless, the exchange showed why it's hard to believe anything he says...
Perhaps the most surprising revelation during last month's hearing was that four of Michigan's wealthiest men - including Compuware CEO Peter Karmanos Jr., auto retailer Roger Penske and Quicken Loans chairman Dan Gilbert - had given a total of nearly $240,000 in loans to Kilpatrick's family around the time he left prison. Precisely how the money was used is unclear. The executives swiftly issued statements nearly identical in tone to explain their actions. "We were concerned about the city's inability to move forward due to the situation and circumstances that had surrounded Mayor Kilpatrick and his administration...
...hard to say what to expect at the hearing on Tuesday. Kilpatrick's saga has upended various aspects of Michigan's political and business life. His departure effectively set the stage for the arrival of Dave Bing, the former NBA star and steel magnate, who was elected to a full four-year mayoral term earlier this month. That a majority of Detroit's incoming city council will be fresh faces - including one of the police officials who triggered Kilpatrick's departure - can be viewed as a referendum on the former mayor's regime. Meanwhile, federal authorities are investigating other aspects...