Year: 2008

Local News: Detroit’s New Mayor in hot water

We thought that all the corruption was over in Detroit, after the City’s “hip hop” Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was out of office.

It turns out, however that I, we; the city, was very wrong.

It seems the newest Mayor of the city of Detroit has been caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

This story from my Favorite Detroit paper, The Detroit Free Press: (I always hated the Detroit News)

The state Attorney General’s Office is exploring whether Detroit Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. should be investigated for perjury because he signed a sworn statement that he had no unpaid campaign fees when he owed $42,000.

A source in Attorney General Mike Cox’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said today that attorneys in the office began looking at  the situation after it became public about two weeks ago. The source said no decision has been made about whether to charge Cockrel, and the legal review continues.

“If we decide to do something, it will be with the utmost reluctance because Detroit’s already been through the wringer,” said the source, referring to the scandals and criminal charges that forced former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from office in September, elevating Cockrel to mayor.

“But he’s going to do his job,” the source said, referring to Cox.

On Wednesday, Detroit political consultant and Kilpatrick ally Adolph Mongo filed a request with Cox’s office requesting he charge Cockrel with perjury after Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy declined to take the case, citing a lack of resources to handle elections complaints.

The attorney general’s legal review has concluded that while Worthy has the authority, she has essentially referred the case to Cox.

Cockrel’s troubles began after he failed to resolve $42,000 in unpaid campaign fees that Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett assessed against his campaign fund in late 2006.

When Cockrel filed to run for mayor Oct. 14, he signed a sworn statement that the fees were paid, saying he thought his filing of remaining campaign paperwork would earn him a waiver. But Garrett denied the waiver.

Mayoral spokesman Daniel Cherrin said Cockrel respects the need of the Attorney General’s Office to do its job. He said Cockrel “believes he was in compliance when he signed the affidavit.”

He noted that once Cockrel was denied a waiver from the fees last week, he paid them.

Meanwhile, Cockrel’s situation took a bizarre turn today when one of his little-known opponents in the mayoral election attempted to obtain a citizen’s warrant for a perjury charge from 36th District Court in Detroit only to withdraw his effort because he didn’t have the $2 million that a judge said he needed to fund the prosecution.

Duane Montgomery filed a citizen’s warrant with Judge Robert Giles, but it died because Montgomery didn’t have the money to pay for the prosecution as required by the law that allows such warrants, said Chief District Judge Marylin Atkins.

Honestly, What is it about African-American Democrats and Corruption?  Seems to the two go hand in hand anymore. I truly hope that Attorney Mike Cox does his job and does not give this guy a free pass, just because the “One” is running for office. Of course, He won’t do a thing till after the election. Judging by the comments left at the Free Press, people are not too happy about this either. Can you blame them? 😮

I have to believe though that Kilpatrick is laughing rather hard in jail right now. He was sentenced here recently. A mere 120 days in jail, a slap on the hand for his crimes against a once-fine city. He also had to pay rather lean amount of restitution to the city, and lost his law license, but knowing him, mamma warbucks will have his back.

These are Obama’s people, remember that. yeah, I know… RAAAAACIST! Rolling Eyes

I just wonder when that Communist Liberal Keith Olbermann will do a Special Comment on this little gem of News? I also wonder if the Marxist owned and operated Main Stream Media will report this news story? I won’t hold my breath, lest I turn blue and die. 😛

From the Mailbag

This from the AHSA:

USAToday reported that Dan Cooper, founder and owner of Cooper Firearms, lost his job.  The reason: He’s voting for Obama:

Montana gunsmith Dan Cooper has been ousted as chief executive of the rifle company that bears his name after pressure from gun owners who are angry that he is supporting Democrat Barack Obama.

Today, on behalf of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), I condemned the actions by the NRA and its cronies forcing Dan Cooper out.

The gun lobby’s attempt to destroy a good man and small business owner, a loyal member of the gun fraternity, again reveals the desperate Joe McCarthy-like politics of fear that the NRA leadership and others put first.  They are trying to scare America’s hunters and shooters into voting against Barack Obama — but we have one thing to say: vote hope and not fear.

I have been campaigning in battleground states, including Ohio, Minnesota, Florida and Colorado for Barack Obama this fall.  I know first-hand that gun owners are voting for Obama. They know their gun rights are secure.  And they want a president who won’t take their guns AND will focus on the economy and their jobs.  It’s beyond appalling that hard-core gun activists would destroy the economic livelihood of a guy like Dan Cooper.  John McCain should be ashamed that his supporters have harmed a small business owner for political reasons.  That should never happen in the America.

Last year we witnessed what happened to prominent outdoor writer and commentator Jim Zumbo when he dared take a position contrary to NRA policy.  Now they are trying to do the same to Dan Cooper.

This is wrong, and rank and file gun owners who have no political ax to grind need to stand up, reject such underhanded tactics and have their voices heard. That’s why AHSA was formed, to end this partisan bullying and to restore pride to the shooting sports.   This action against Cooper reinforces my commitment to making change happen by electing Obama – and by building an organization for hunters and shooters who are tired of extremism.

I believe that while it is a legit point to not like Obama’s socialism. Firing someone from their own company for supporting a politician, is crazy.  Especially when they founded the company.

This election cannot end quick enough, for me anyhow.

Questioning Bush's Sanity

A rather remarkably interesting article over at the quite Liberal Op-Ed News asks, “Is Bush Sane?”

Actually, the real question that one should asking is, are those who voted for him twice sane, despite the fact that he took us into a war, based upon what is now known as false information.

Further more, the even bigger question is, will all of those people vote for McCain?

That’s what we should be asking.