Only in Detroit...

In a recent issue of the Detroit Free Press it was reported that a Wayne County Judge rules that it was OK for convicted felon Charles Beckham to work for Mayor Bing as an aide. A Detroit citizen had challenged Beckham’s employment as a violation of a state law barring felons convicted of bribery from serving in government positions. Beckham was convicted of racketeering, extortion and mail fraud in 1984 in a Federal case involving rigging a City sludge-hauling contract. The County judge opined that since he was convicted under a Federal law, the State law barring him from public appointments did not apply. Come on judge this guy wasn't convicted of stealing a box of paperclips from the supply room - this was a felony, racketeering and extortion and more.

Hmmmm. So, let’s say that Richard Reid, the Shoe Bomber, gets out of jail some day. Since he was convicted under Federal anti-terrorism laws, he’d apparently still qualify under this judge's interpretation of things for an appointment to the Detroit City government staff. The fact that Reid is also inept at what he did might just be a bonus in Detroit, where inept governance s rewarded. Could things get any sillier? Apparently they could, since this story was buried behind all of the latest stories about ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and various of his cronies who are being prosecuted or investigated by the Feds. The DFP reported on ten cases of investigations, prosecutions and/or convictions of various “players” from the Kilpatrick era (including ex City Council President Monica Conyers who is awaiting sentencing) and many more investigations continue.

In an editorial piece in the same paper, Free Press Deputy Editorial Page Editor Brian Dickersen makes a surprisingly disappointing case for saying “enough already, let’s get this behind us and get on with life.” Dickersen argues that the Federal prosecutors office is spread thin and spending entirely too much time going after the Kilpatrick posse. I suppose that is true. They could be focusing upon other crimes, which heaven knows there is plenty of in the City; however, there shouldn’t be a message sent to those who profited so greatly through corruption during the Kwame reign that if they can hold out long enough the Feds will just go away. Instead of saying “enough already”, the citizens of Detroit need to stand up and say “enough is enough.”

Hopefully Detroiters did that when the elected Dave Bing (his questionable judgment on hiring Beckham aside) to a full term. The new City Council also looks to be an improvement over the ever-bickering and tiara wearing side show of the past few years. Hopefully the new Council will spend more time on the business of the citizens of Detroit and less time giving Jay Leno monologue material. Then, if Robert Bobb can get the power he needs to clean up the mess in the public schools, maybe Detroit real has a future after all.