Another Democrat finds justice

[Tailgunner]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story.aspx?content_id=c3b744a1-f623-4efb-955a-a586c06a1edf

(WXYZ) Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has pleaded guilty to felony charges in Wayne County Circuit Court. He will be forced to resign immediately.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STREAMING COVERAGE OF THE HEARING (http://www.wxyz.com/content/video/stream.aspx)

Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two obstruction of justice felony charges.

In addition to his resignation, the Mayor will serve 120 days in jail, serve 5 years probation, pay one million dollars restitution, surrender his pension, surrender his law license and may not seek office for 5 years.

His sentencing is scheduled for October 28th.

The Mayor also pleaded no contest to assault charges as part of a settlement agreement under the conditions that he must resign. The second count in the case will be dismissed.

The Mayor entered Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner's court room this morning at about 9:10 shaking hands and doling out hugs.

The mayor turned to Christine Beatty, his former chief of staff and shook her hand. That was just moments before his wife, Carlita, walked into the courtroom.

The court was packed with Kilpatrick's team of lawyers and public relations staff.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy was present along with assistant prosecutors. Worthy charged the mayor and Beatty with several felonies, including perjury and obstruction of justice.

Special Assistant Attorney General Douglas Baker was in attendance on behalf of Attorney General Mike Cox, who charged the mayor with assault and obstruction.

[BigOleSwingin`]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story.aspx?content_id=c3b744a1-f623-4efb-955a-a586c06a1edf

.. and may not seek office for 5 years.


Does that mean that after 5 years that crook can become an elected official again? :blink:

[COBRADOC]

Does that mean that after 5 years that crook can become an elected official again? :blink:

Might be. It worked for Berry/Perry (whatever his name is) in D.C. And it worked for Alce Hastings here in Florida. Hell, Hastigs was impeached as a Federal Judge, then got elected to Congress.

[BigOleSwingin`]

Might be. It worked for Berry/Perry (whatever his name is) in D.C. And it worked for Alce Hastings here in Florida. Hell, Hastigs was impeached as a Federal Judge, then got elected to Congress.

Un be freakin` lievable! :angry: I think the systen should ban those who`re proven to be crooks from political offices.

[COBRADOC]

Un be freakin` lievable! :angry: I think the systen should ban those who`re proven to be crooks from political offices.

Wouldn't work. If we tried that there wouldn't be enough of the political types to stay politicians.

[BigOleSwingin`]

Wouldn't work. If we tried that there wouldn't be enough of the political types to stay politicians.

Yeah you`re probably right. Sad,isn`t it?

[happy1]

I grew up in Detroit notin surprises me

[jjk308]

Here's one corrupt Democrat who doesn't seem likely to go to jail because he's just too powerful:

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Washington Times
THOMASSON: Taxing the notion of change
Dan Thomasson
COMMENTARY:

Now that change has become the theme of both parties in the upcoming general election, it is necessary to remind ourselves that the one thing that apparently will never change in this political rat warren of a town is the arrogance of power - the opinion of some of those elected to high places that the ethical and moral rules don't apply to them.

The evidence of this belief in a double standard is overwhelming, supported by constant and dumfounding repetition. History, it seems, is never a warning, never a teacher.

A congressman ousts the opposition's supreme leader in a scandal, becomes the leader himself, and is brought down for some of the same things that ended his predecessor's career. A chairman of an important congressional committee is guilty of ethics violations and several years later a successor on the same committee is forced to resign under similar conditions and is ultimately sent to jail.

At the same time his party's presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, is sounding a thunderous call for changing Washington, it is disclosed that Chairman Charles Rangel of the House Ways and Means Committee has failed to declare on his tax returns some $75,000 in rental income he earned from a vacation property in the Dominican Republic. That's not a huge amount in today's world. But it takes on considerable significance when it involves a congressman responsible for writing tax laws.

Not to worry, his lawyer says. Mr. Rangel simply will file amended returns for the years in question. Would you like to try the same thing? Don't.

The chances are the Internal Revenue Service would look askance at your oversight, contending that not declaring income is strong evidence of intent to defraud the government.

It's not like arguing over whether you should be able to deduct certain items. It's the act of hiding income, which, of course, we all know is a way of life among some service and professional people who are paid in cash.

Mr. Rangel, however, is not someone who does odd jobs or runs a bar where he fudges on the night's receipts. He is among a handful of the most powerful men in Congress. He is a highly respected Democratic stalwart and, until now it seems, a model citizen blessed with an abundance of charisma and intelligence, a media favorite with an extraordinary presence and sense of humor. He has been in the House a long time. For that very reason alone, one would not expect him to not fall into such an obvious, avoidable trap.

The House Ethics Committee now has the matter under review, adding it to a list of other Rangel real estate transactions in New York City and the obvious question of whether his receiving favorable treatment in leasing four Manhattan apartments violated House rules.

Mr. Rangel also apparently bought the Dominican villa on an interest-free loan, which may or may not raise other questions. The vacation property has been expanded since he became the owner.

It is doubtful the IRS would bring any criminal charges in this case especially if, as his lawyer contends, amended returns will leave Mr. Rangel without any federal tax liability. He may, however, have to pay a penalty. That depends on how many days he spent at the Dominican villa, which he has declared one of his favorite escape places. For those who wish to rent their properties and depreciate them for tax purposes, the government allows only 14 days of owner occupancy a year.

Mr. Rangel contends his wife keeps all the books and he didn't even realize he had to declare the rental income. Really? Here's a guy who has been on the Ways and Means Committee since 1975 an now chairs it and we are to believe he has no understanding of the tax code he helped to write?

As a tax simpleton who owned a second home on the beach for years, even I understood the limits. There were only two must rules - make sure every cent of rent was declared and use the property only two weeks a year unless you could show you went for a weekend to make repairs.

While this may not rise to the same level as some of the scandals that continuously plague the national legislature, the appearance of impropriety looms large once again at a time when change has become the byword of the presidential election. Well, the more things change, etc., etc.

Dan K. Thomasson is the former editor of the Scripps Howard News Service.

[jjk308]

And another with the initials BHO, caught making an "earmark" payoff to his big campaign contributors:

Thursday, September 11, 2008 Washington Times
Obama's museum earmarks draw fire
Jim McElhatton (Contact)
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama tried to direct more than $3 million in taxpayer funds to a Chicago museum whose chairman is one of the Illinois senator's largest campaign fundraisers.

Mr. Obama has twice since fiscal 2006 sought to have taxpayers foot the bill for a new theater projector and other equipment at the Adler Planetarium on the Lake Michigan waterfront. Neither of the requests, which totaled $3.3 million, was approved by Congress, the museum said.

The planetarium's chairman, then and still, is Frank Clark, chief executive of ComEd, a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Energy. He has pledged to raise more than $200,000 for Mr. Obama's run for the White House.

Moreover, the Adler Planetarium is represented by the lobbying firm National Group LLP, co-founded by William Oldaker, who helped launch Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s political action committee in 2005. Mr. Oldaker, a partner with the Delaware Democrat's son in another Washington lobbying and law firm, is no longer involved with Mr. Biden's PAC, Unite Our States.

Obama campaign aides said the requests for the Adler were among several worthwhile projects supported over the years by the senator on behalf of universities, hospitals and other nonprofit institutions in his home state.

"Senator Obama is firmly committed to enhancing our nation's science education programming, and he joined a bipartisan coalition of Illinois members of Congress, including Senator [Richard J.] Durbin and Congressmen [Mark Steven] Kirk, [Jesse L.] Jackson Jr., [Danny K.] Davis, and [Rahm] Emanuel in requesting funding to enhance and restore the planetarium," Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said.

Mr. Obama's Senate office last year disclosed his fiscal 2008 earmark requests.

Earmarking is becoming an increasingly big issue in the presidential race.

Democrats have sought to paint Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, as flip-flopping on her position on the infamous "bridge to nowhere" earmark. They said she supported it before she opposed it.

They also said she has sought tens of millions of dollars in earmarks as governor and mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

Mr. Obama's office said at the time that the $3 million request for the Adler was made because its projector was failing, "leaving the theater dark and groups of school students and other interested museum-goers without this very valuable and exciting learning experience."

Two years earlier, Mr. Obama sought $300,000 for the Adler in another unsuccessful earmark request.

But with Mr. Clark also serving as a big Obama fundraiser, the Adler request also is the sort spending proposal that invites scrutiny from Republicans scouring Mr. Obama's earmarks for political fodder in the presidential campaign.

"His earmark requests benefiting projects tied to friends and contributors is further proof that Obama's 'change' slogan is just words and nothing more," Republican National Committee spokesman Danny Diaz said of the Adler request.

Officials for the Obama campaign and the Adler scoffed at the suggestion of political favoritism.

"The nonprofit Adler Planetarium is one of the leading astronomical institutions in the Midwest, offering programs for students, scientists and the public," Mr. LaBolt said.

Adler spokeswoman Molly O'Connell said the planetarium had made requests to Mr. Durbin and Mr. Obama and six area congressmen from both political parties.

"We are grateful that all of the members we have approached, including Senator Obama, have deemed our activities worthy of their support, and have made appropriations requests on our behalf as they have for many worthy Illinois nonprofit organizations," she said. "Although Senator Obama has submitted requests on the museum's behalf, none of them have been funded."

Though neither of Mr. Obama's spending requests won approval in Congress, the Adler still has managed to secure more than $1.2 million in other earmarks in recent years.

Since 2005, the museum has paid more than a quarter-million dollars to National Group to lobby Congress.

Obama campaign officials said Mr. Biden's son, Hunter, never lobbied Mr. Obama.

"Hunter Biden and Bill Oldaker were not involved in the Adler account, nor did they receive any funds that the firm earned on the account," Mr. LaBolt said.

Hunter Biden left the National Group in 2006. Telephone calls to Mr. Biden and Mr. Oldaker at their law firm were not returned Wednesday, nor was a phone message left at the National Group, which shares the same office as Oldaker, Biden and Belair. A message left for Mr. Clark this week through Exelon also was not returned.