The county chief is being accused of hatching a very un-American plot

The head of the Michigan’s Macomb County Republican Party, which is in a key swing county in the upcoming presidential election, denied charges late Thursday that he had hatched a plot to block residents with foreclosed homes from voting in November. Read more about the alleged plot at BET.com/News.

Outgoing Detroit mayor tells citizens he takes responsibility for felonies.
Outgoing mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick says his fall from political grace won’t be the end of his contributions to community leadership. Hours after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice and announcing his plans to resign, the beleaguered leader gave farewell speech to supporters and live TV cameras, saying, “I take full responsibility for my actions.” Kilpatrick agreed to serve four months in jail and pay $1 million in restitution in exchange for dismissal of perjury charges, additional felonies and the possibility of 10 or more years in prison. In addition, the mayor must surrender his law license and agrees not to run for office during his five years of probation. Kilpatrick’s perjury, obstruction of justice and misconduct in office charges stemmed from his discipline of cops whose investigation into police overtime threatened to expose the mayor’s personal life. Dozens of text messages sent between Kilpatrick and his ex-chief of staff Christine Beatty show an extra-marital affair between them in 2003. The former officers were blocked from probing alleged overtime abuse by Kilpatrick’s security squad whose members reportedly served duty during the mayor’s sexual encounters. Kilpatrick and Beatty, who’s now divorced, denied their affair while under oath at a 2007 civil trial where the investigating cops sued the mayor and the city. The cops won their lawsuit and the mayor later settled on the city’s behalf for $8.4 million - apparently after learning about the text messages. Beatty has since divorced her husband and also faces multiple felonies. “I wish that we could turn back the hands of time and tell that young man to make better choices, but I can’t,” Kilpatrick said Thursday night. Immediately following his guilty plea, the mayor pleaded no contest in a separate assault case involving a July confrontation with Wayne County sheriff’s deputies. While not specifying how he’d comeback from the legal and political devastation he’s facing, Kilpatrick expressed pride and appreciation for his administration and family, saying he’ll “rise” again.

Removal hearings for Kwame Kilpatrick scheduled for today

Barring a last-minute plea agreement, historic proceedings are set to begin this morning for the possible removal of Detroit’s mayor. Gov. Jennifer Granholm will preside over the hearings requested by Detroit City Council, in the wake of multiple felony charges leveled against Kwame Kilpatrick this spring. He’s accused of both lying in court about an extra-marital affair with his ex-chief of staff and hiding evidence of the affair by settling a multi-million-dollar lawsuit with ex-cops who could’ve exposed the romance. Kilpatrick’s lawyers worked through Labor Day weekend and on Tuesday trying to negotiate a plea that wouldn’t include jail time for and hoping to get a court order stopping Granholm’s hearings. The mayor reportedly sought to offer his resignation, surrender his law license and state pension, do community service and probation, all in exchange for no jail time. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is said to be unyielding on the question of Kilpatrick’s incarceration. The mayor enjoyed a small victory Tuesday when a court agreed to let him remove his ankle monitor at a bond hearing. But a second judge, followed by the Michigan Court of Appeals, ruled that the governor’s hearing can proceed. Granholm’s removal of Kilpatrick would leave him subject to prosecution without the chance to resign as part of any plea. About a dozen witnesses are expected to testify at the 9 a.m. hearing, which Granholm - former Michigan attorney general - plans to oversee.

Governor To Decide Kilpatrick’s Fate

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s poltical future now rests in the hands of the governor.  Gov. Jennifer Granholm said on Tuesday that she may use a provision in the state constitution to have him removed from office for misconduct, The Associated Press reports. Read more about the city counci’s appeal to the governor and the charges Kilpatrick faces at BET.com/News.

Skin head gets 25 years for murdering a Black man. The justice system is finally bringing some closure to the nearly 20-year-old murder of a Black man in Philly. Thomas Gibison, a White supremacist, was convicted of conspiracy in the 1989 shooting death of Aaron Wood and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison, The Associated Press reports. A friend of Gibison testified during the trial that they went to North Philadelphia to find a Black man to kill so they could earn a White supremacist tattoo. Gibison already is serving time in prison for unrelated weapons offenses charges.

March on Washington anniversary remembered. Forty-five years ago, thousands descended on D.C., and changed America forever. See the photos here.