Monday, August 11, 2008

Mayoral Wanderlust

What's being overlooked in this latest controversy over the mayors travel is the amount money he has wasted on one-way flights, car rentals, hotel rooms, and gas as Mayor Kilpatrick tools around the country on his quest for solitude.

One can only imagine how much additional money Kilpatrick is soaking the city for by flying out to events and driving home, or has he been flying Suave Air? Steve Wilson should be doing his quarterly audit of the Mayor's credit card statements.

Christine Beatty also traveled to Atlanta this summer on her job search. There should be an investigation to see if the mayor and her were in town at the same time.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Let the Hearings Begin

Governor Granholm has made it official she WILL be holding a hearing on Mayor Kilpatrick's removal on September 3 in Detroit.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Notice_244694_7.pdf

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Giving Back to the Community

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s legal defense fund will return $4,500 to two contributors. In one case $1,500 is being returned to Livonia-based Advanced Air Services. The Reason? Company President Ross Bates had been told the money would go to a youth group, not Kilpatrick, whom he does not support. have any other funds been misappropriated?

The remaining $3,000 is being returned to S.A. Restaurants Inc. . S.A. Restaurants is the location of the Penthouse Club in Detroit. In 2001 the location housed another strip club called City Heat. One of its operators, the son of a reputed organized crime figure, was gunned down in the middle of 8 Mile Road.

On another note,the defense fund's IRS filing noted that Donald Davis, president of First Independence National Bank, donated $50,000. He claims that he has only donated $25,000 and has no further involvement in the fund. Kilpatrick wants First Independence to be an investment manager for his proposed stimulus bond sale. Davis also stands to make $4.5 million over 5 years by leasing computer software to the city through another company he runs if a separate contract is approved.

Is this an example of shoddy bookkeeping by the defense fund or are they trying to shield $25,000 worth of contributions from other sources? Will all of this sloppy accounting draw the attention of the IRS? We can only hope.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Is the Well Running Dry?

Today's Detroit Free Press is reporting that almost all of the $185,600 raised since Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s legal defense fund was formed in April has been spent.

Click here to see the filings with the IRS. It contains the list of contributers as well expenditures.