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The federal government, using the same law that it uses to prosecute mafia cases, has named Kilpatrick's alleged scheme the "Kilpatrick Enterprise."
The indictment charges that Kilpatrick -- dating back to his time in the Michigan state legislature -- used his influence to rig contracts. One contractor, Bobby Ferguson, was allegedly given tens of millions of dollars for work that he never performed or for contracts that were awarded through extortion.
Kilpatrick allegedly deposited $500,000 in unexplained cash deposits to his account while his father allegedly deposited $600,000.
The probe, officials say, turned up no evidence of corruption from U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Kwame's mother.
"The defendants used the power and authority of Kwame Kilpatrick's public offices to unjustly enrich not only themselves but their families and their associates at the expense of taxpayers and donors," said Barbara L. McQuade, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The New York Times reports:
If convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, Ms. McQuade said. The charges include bribery, extortion, fraud and racketeering. The five were indicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which is used to fight organized crime and allows the government to seek stiffer penalties. Fourteen people, including the former City Council president, Monica Conyers, have already pleaded guilty to felonies in the case.
Kilpatrick's attorney proclaimed his innocence:
"We look forward to fighting this case. I've talked to my client, who is upbeat and is up for the fight," Thomas said. "We expect that he's going to be vindicated at trial as well," said attorney James Thomas.
It's such a shame to see people who are elected to help others abuse their power.
Kilpatrick was elected with great excitement in Detroit. The idea was that his youthful energy would make a difference in a city where his mother is well-known.
On Wednesday, former New York state Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. was accused of embezzling half a million dollars from a chain of Bronx health clinics, which served the poor and disadvantaged, and using them for lavish parties and meals.
In the California community of Bell, where one in six people live in poverty, the mayor and town manager, along with six other officials, were arrested for giving themselves lavish salaries to the tune of $5.5 million. The town manager made $800,000 per year. The district attorney there called it "corruption on steroids."
In Newark, N.J., the last three mayors dating back more than 40 years have faced corruption charges.
In Detroit, the probe has already snared 14 people.
This is why it is important for all citizens, but especially those in disadvantaged communities, to not take their votes for granted. In disadvantaged communities, criminals see that people are so occupied with the basics of surviving that they are not paying attention. They also see apathy.
If people paid more attention, though, they could make the government work for them.
Getting out to vote is important, but name recognition should not be the sole standard for voting for someone.
Voters should take a serious look at what each candidate is proposing to do for the area they want to represent, how long has the incumbent been in office and what has he or she accomplished during that time?
The old idea that voting doesn't matter because every politician is corrupt is simply not true. The decisions that the politicians you elect make can have a critical effect on your life.
These corruption cases hurt people who need help the most. Instead of millions of dollars lining the pockets of politicians, that is money that should be used to help the community.
Comments: (15)
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By: jeromequigley on 12/16/2010 12:15PM
Hey Jeff, 1st love to read your stuff. Don't always agree but you always seem to come at a issue with facts more than opinion. That said..
WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT DAVID BING'S NEW PLAN FOR DETROIT??? He is about to cut off city services to 7 neighborhoods, that means trash pick up, sewage,POWER and most importantly POLICE!!! I am having flash backs to WWII when Hitler pulled that move on Russia, it is also scarely like the move ESCAPE FROM NY!!! There will be no assistance to help peepz move, if they do own a house how are they going to be able to afford to move when there will be no way to sell theirs??? Are we as a country going to let them pull this off?? Most reg. posters know I am white and I do enjoy reading articles on BV (Dr Watkins is another story though)! So why am I concerned when most of the places hit will most likely be minority neighborhoods. 1) cause I care about others no matter what their shade!! 2) I care about the future of this country for us all! If we allow this to happen in just 1 city trust it will catch on!! This is not about race and pray peepz don't turn it in to that, because if you don't know, as soon as some big personality "goes there" with it. It will make the majority of the country turn off to it no matter how wrong the situation is. We as a people need to fight this, it is a rich greedy power peepz against us hard working peepz who fight every day to stay afloat!! This could be a great time for peepz of all color to stop letting the rich/powerful divide us so that we are weak. WE all need to raise up and fight this, now!!!
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By: clarke on 12/16/2010 3:13PM
THE SHORT ANSWER IS THIS jq. IT'S CALLED DEFLECTION, OR PULLING THE WOOL OVER ONES EYES. IF THE MEDIA KEEPS TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS OLD NEWS AND THE "HORRIBLE" THINGS DONE BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL IT WANTS. HELL THEY CAN GIVE HALF THE CITY AWAY BECAUSE ALL THE NEWS TALKS ABOUT EVERY DAMN DAY IS "WHAT KWAME DID". PEOPLE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN A YEAR AGO. I MEAN WE REALLY DID KNOW MORE INDITEMENTS WERE COMMING. THIS AINT NEWS.
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By: David on 12/16/2010 5:02PM
The media is acting like this clown invented local political corruption. White politicians were doing this and getting away with it long before Kwame Kilpatrick. That doesn't make it any better and that's no excuse for him but IMO that's whyso many black politicians feel they can get away with it. Because whites did it and GOT AWAY WITH IT and the MEDIA IGNORED IT. See it's always about race! lol
@jeromequigley
Black people need a white person opinion on blackvoices as much as a dog need flees. Boyce Watkins is one of the best things on blackvoices. If white people like you don't like him that means he must be saying something we as black people need to hear. Why don't you go to the Pee bag sites with your opinions!
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By: jeromequigley on 12/17/2010 12:33AM
@David: I will go when and where I want to go and post what I want! If YOU don't like it, then you can go post on some Pee bag site! Not sure who you think you are but you best put on your big boy pants before you start in on me!! And if you think Dr W is the best on BV then you surely don't have a clue!! He continue's to mis-lead readers on here with almost every STORY he tells!! And trust, I am not the only one who knows this, there are plenty of reg. posters on here that has exposed his half truths over and over again!! If you want some one to jump on that will cover up and run you best look else where cause that aint me!!! This is America still! And if your slow mind took the time to read what I posted you will see un-like you I do not judge by skin color but seeing as how you thrive on it I guess you would not get that!
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By: FRANK on 12/17/2010 2:31PM
THAT DAMN KWAME IS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW...THIS BOY WAS DOING SLICK CONTRACTS, FIRING COPS THAT INVESTIGATED HIS SHADY DOINGS, LYING IN COURT, STICKING CROOKED MONEY IN HIS POCKET, AND GETTING ALL THE ASS HE WANTED...
I JUST REALLY HATE HOW HE RUINED HIS MOM'S POLITICAL CARREER...
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By: jeromequigley on 12/17/2010 12:44AM
@Clarke, you hit it on the head! It is deflection at it's best!! There does not seem to be any MSM covering what is about to go down in Detroit but you get flooded with sites(including CNN) about a transexual that some dumb DMV worker sent a letter to telling them how their life style is wrong and included some church phamplet! Dumb move by dmv worker but it is so not a news worthy story! The fact that detroit(meaning the hard working peepz who live there) is about to have a good deal of the city turn into a lawless territory is almost uncovered by any MSM?? Like peepz in Detroit have not suffered enough! Yet one of the biggest corportations in Detroit, Fuji, has gone for some huge time with out paying their taxes and until a recent article came out in the local paper, they were not even on the tax collection list?? And of course they owe MILLIONS!! But be assured if it was some average joe they would be going after their property and their paychecks quick as a flash!! I am just stunned that this is going on and there is virtually NO coverage of it!! This is just too many kinds of Wrong Clarke!!!
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By: clarke on 12/17/2010 8:35AM
I FEEL YOUR PAIN jq. EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIVE THERE NOW I KNOW THE D VERY WELL AND HAVE STRONG TIES. NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER UNTIL THE GOOD, AS YOUR SAID, HARD WORKING PEOPLE OF DETROIT REALLY SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, DAMNIT AND REALLY TAKE CONTROL, AND THAT MEANS IN THAT BUILDING DOWNTOWN ON WOODWARD AND JEFFERSON AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. PEACE.
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By: jeromequigley on 12/17/2010 12:38PM
Amen Clarke!! The problem most peepz don't seem to get(of course you do) is that if they get away with it in Detroit there will be more to follow and fast!! I'm just blown away that it seems peepz don't realize or just don't know what a HUGE DEAL this really is! He is abandoning the peepz of that city who paid their taxes, and because him and ALL the other jokers who have their hand in the till can't do their job those peepz are out of luck?? This is just way too all kinds of wrong!!!!
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By: clarke on 12/18/2010 12:11PM
YOU KNOW WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE jq, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS WHY CAN'T WE PUT THIS ONE TO REST AND MOVE FORWARD. I'M CONCERNED IS ANY ONE WACTHING WHAT THE MAN THAT IS IN OFFICE NOW IS DOING. BING COULD BE DOING SOME OF THE VERY SAME THINGS, THOUGH MAYBE NOT SO MUCH FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL PROFIT, BUT WE ARE SO BUSY TALKING ABOUT WHAT KWAME DID, ARE WE BEING BAMBOOZLED AS WE SPEAK? I WORRY THAT THE GOOD PEOPLE,THOSE THAT CHOSE TO STAY, ARE SO BEATEN DOWN BY A CORRUPT SYSTEM THAT THEY REALLY DON'T CARE ANYMORE, AND WILL WATCH THE CITY BE SOLD OUT OR EVEN GIVEN AWAY BENEATH THEIR FEET.
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By: bobbie cornett on 12/17/2010 12:53AM
Now I would like to know when will the Bushes and their partners in crime be prosecuted for falsely accusing, bribing and mass murdering people; and for unlawfully and wrongfully using the U.S. military for the unjust wars they've started; and for robbing countries...when will they pay.
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