More Troubles in Motor City

Former mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick, now serving prison time for his efforts to cover up an extramarital affair, was hit with a 38 count indictment today the New York Times reports. The indictment characterizes "The Kilpatrick Enterprise", his inner circle of relatives and business associates, as essentially an organized crime ring.

The charges are a depressingly familiar list that include such items as fraud, accepting kickbacks, and racketeering.  Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the indictment is that it indicates that the illegal activities of the Kilpatrick Enterprise began before Kilpatrick was elected mayor.  According to the indictment, Kilpatrick's corruption began when he served as a representative in the Michigan State Legislature.  Accusations from that time include funneling grant money to charities run by himself and his wife and of using that money for personal expenses.

The power and corruption of the Kilpatrick Enterprise allegedly grew after Kilpatrick was elected mayor of Detroit and include massive fraud that effectively stole taxpayer money.  Such shenanigans are unconscionable in any city. To do something like that in Detroit, a city known for its intractable poverty, a city where the money was so desperately needed by so many, sinks to a new low.

The fact that the corruption of the Kilpatrick Enterprise apparently began before Kilpatrick was elected mayor leads to some disturbing questions about the media and culture of Detroit.  Was no one in authority concerned about the track record of the prospective mayor?  Did no one bother to look into his finances and ask questions about where his money came from?  The Times article provides a clue:  

"Fourteen people, including the former City Council president, Monica Conyers, have already pleaded guilty to felonies in the case."

This indicates a culture of blatant corruption at the highest levels of Detroit city government, a culture where those in power acted with little apparent regard for the law.  It is just such a culture that needs people to stand up and blow the whistle on illegal activities.  On another disturbing note, Kilpatrick's fall came as a result of his efforts to cover up an affair with his chief of staff.  Those efforts included perjury and the firing of police officers.  Had Kilpatrick admitted to the affair, or perhaps covered his tracks better, then it is possible that the corruption in Detroit would have continued unabated.  Only time will tell if the multiplying charges against Kilpatrick, his associates, and those who helped them will have any meaningful impact on the corruption within Detroit's city government.

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