Kilpatrick: GUILTY

Today Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner found former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick guilty of several probation violations (including hiding some $650,000 that would pay a small portion of what he owes back to the city of Detroit). "You would be well advised to have your affairs in order before sentencing," the judge advised, and I'm guessing this wasn't a reference to former chief of staff Christine Beatty.

Sentencing is currently scheduled for May 20, 2010 when we all learn the punishment for gettin' your groove on Detroit's dime.

Kwame Kilpatrick Flushed Detoilet

In the least shocking headline since "Roadrunner Escapes Coyote" the Detroit Free Press dropped this one yesterday: "Feds have evidence ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick took bribes."

According to the freep,

A contractor who pleaded guilty in an ongoing corruption probe in Detroit has told investigators that he handed as much as $100,000 in bribes to then-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in 2002.

That's right, apparently the funds Kilpatrick pilfered from the city weren't quite enough to cover Escalade jaunts to Niagara and gold-studded earrings. The article goes on to explain:

The contractor, Karl Kado of West Bloomfield, . . . told authorities he paid Kwame Kilpatrick in four or five installments of about $20,000 each. Kado, who is awaiting sentencing for paying bribes to protect multimillion-dollar Cobo Center contracts, said he sometimes delivered the money in envelopes to Kilpatrick's office on the 11th floor at city Hall, and sometimes Kilpatrick dropped by Cobo to get the cash.

And the worst part, the Cobo Center's roof still leaks. Note to future Detroit politicians, if you're going to take bribes from contractors at least choose competent ones for the city's sake.

Congratulations, Mayor Bing

Michigan is in economic turmoil and Detroit's leadership has never been needed more.

Khaki prayers tonight for wisdom and guidance.

Congratulations, Mayor Bing.

And to former mayor Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr.:
Thank you for taking on the difficult task of transitioning a post-Kwame disaster. And thank you in advance for taking your sane approach back to the city council where you can psych-smack that psycho Monica Conyers.

(Former) Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's Text Messages

Part of me feels terrible doing this. It's so voyeuristic. So invasive. So utterly wrong.

But the other part of me wonders what exactly was in those career ending text messages between former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his aides . . . well, truth be told I'm primarily interested in the steamy ones with Scottie Pippen . . . I mean, Christine Beatty.

So, for those of you guided by the haloed angel on your right shoulder, read no further. Click elsewhere and read what Khaki has to say on another topic.

But if the devil's got your ear, check this out.

About 1,000 text messages have been released thus far and, with any luck from the hand of justice, more will be on their way. To wet your apetite, here are a few of the new messages available:

Kilpatrick: "Be at the office in 10 minutes."
Beatty: "I was walking out. Just wait?"
Kilpatrick: "Will arrive in 5m."
Beatty: "I'm in your office."
Kilpatrick: "Are you naked? If so I'm running!"
Beatty: "Yep!"
Kilpatrick: "RUNNING!!!"
Beatty: "LOLOLOL"

Beatty discussing a news article about being pulled over by a police
officer for speeding.
Betty:"The article makes me look like a complete scoundrel. It's on the front page, and it starts off with officer saying he's been treated better by dope men. Then (it) says I leaned out of the car and asked him, 'Do you know who the F I am?' Then, of course, (the story) says I had Brown fired because I (he) discovered an affair."
Kilpatrick: "All is well, sweetie. They are trying to make an Omarosa out of you," a reference to a back-stabbing reality show character. "I have developed an intense dislike for (reporters). Keep doing your thing and keep your head up. You are one of the good guys."

Kilpatrick, upset that chief administration officer Mike Duggan decided to charge his police chief in the case, wrote to chief administration officer Derrik Miller.
Kilpatrick: I don't like Democrats! I'm sorry."
Miller: "They are racist! They are no different. We need a national strategy that includes music, young people and money."
Kilpatrick: "Right."

After firing Detroit Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown, Mayor Kilpatrick's team tried to find a way to get him put in jail. released today.
Derrick Miller: "How are we going to get this guy prosecuted?"
Corporation Counsel Ruth Carter: "Slander, no question!"
Miller: "Would Mike Duggan do it?"
Carter: "Technically, yes, but he may be skittery. He thinks we should play ball with Brown to which I replied NO F----- CHANCE!"
Miller: "What does he mean play ball?"
Carter: "Pay him (Brown)! Again I said NO CHANCE. That would surely look like a cover up."

If you'd like to spend hours looking for gems, here are the text messages released to date:

DETROIT CITY TEXT MESSAGES (KWAME KILPATRICK)

Meanwhile, In The Wayne County Jail

Kwame Kilpatrick sits.

While I spent another Sunday trying to wrap my arms around watching Brett Farve toss the ball to Jets players on purpose, the former mayor of Detroit was sitting in his cell in the Wayne County jail, probably having the same thoughts about Farve.

What a waste. Not Brett Farve going to the big apple (that seems to have worked out for him), but Kilpatrick's fall from promise to prison. When he first took office many of us were filled with optimism, thinking this bright, charismatic leader would bring Detroit into a new era where the city and the suburbs worked together to give America another bustling metropolis along the lines of Chicago. But instead Kilpatrick turned out to be just another power-hungry politician who would use race, position, friends and even a skank skulking pager to grab and maintain power. What a terrific waste.

The former mayor is now serving 120 days behind bars and now it appears that one of his partners in crime, Christine Beatty, is about to strike a plea of her own (one that does include the phrase "yes, I want you too"). According to the Detroit News, Beatty is considering a guilty plea to reduce potential jail time and help all of us to take another step away from this embarrassing episode in the history of a proud city.

Please, Christine, take whatever they offer. Trust me, you are not only one who wants to put this whole sordid affair behind you.

Hey, Congress . . . What About Detroit?

While Wall Street mortgage companies benefit from bipartisan bailout votes, the "Big 3" automotive manufacturers continue to spin their wheels in the mud of costly FMVSS regulations, adjusted fuel standards and low-cost Asian manufacturing. But assistance in the form of low interest loans for these critical American Companies is slower than grandma after the St. Perpetua Incontinenta all night Bingo jamboree.

Wanna help?
Contact Michigan Congressman Joe Knollenberg to find out what you can do in your district to help these American iron icons.
or
Visit Big 3 Defense


Cartoon by Mike Thompson

Kwame Kilpatrick Finally Doesn't Speak

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 82 times Tuesday during sworn testimony in a newspaper Freedom of Information lawsuit.

"I'm asserting my Fifth Amendment privilege," Kilpatrick said repeatedly in response to questions from newspaper lawyers about whether he exchanged text messages with former chief of staff Christine Beatty, whether he has signed a city policy warning city employees that their text messages were public records and whether his wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, or father, Bernard Kilpatrick, had text-messaging devices.

Too bad for soon-to-be-former Mayor Kilpatrick that those text-messaging devices didn't have a take-the-Fifth button.

Kenneth Cokrel Jr. Takes The Oath For Detroit

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey administered the oath of office to [Kenneth] Cockrel at 4:25 p.m. making him Detroit’s 61st mayor in a low-key ceremony that was announced to the media after the fact.

News outlets like The Detroit Free Press have noted that Kenneth Cockrel Jr. took the Detroit mayoral oath of office two days early, since it doesn't go into effect until Friday. But for many Detroiters and most Michiganians, Cockrel couldn't have taken the oath soon enough.

Cockrel's appointment as an interim mayor until a new mayor is elected "does not take effect until 12:01 a.m. Friday. It was done early to "ensure the seamless transition of power that the city government will continue to operate," according to a statement from a Cockrel spokesman. "

Now, I've been involved in some debates recently concerning what impact this will have on the city of Detroit. While most locals see Kwame Kilpatrick's resignation and impending departure from city politics as a ray of sunshine, there is some fear that Cockrel will become but another lingering cloud over the landscape of the Motorcity. After all, he is a lifelong politician; a political insider who chaired an ineffective city council during Detroit's recent storms.

While some of that may be true, I say let's give the man a chance during this stint as an interim mayor. He accounted himself honorably during Mayor Kilpatrick's many foibles and Monica Conyer's childish antics. While many collapsed, Kenneth Cockrel Jr. did not crumble, but moved forward with dignity.

Next May the city will hold a special election allowing the people of Detroit to actually vote on a new leader. Until then, let's watch. Let's wait. Let's see.

And The Khaki Elephant wishes you success, Mr. Cockrel.

What Does The Democratic Party Think Of Michigan?

It's the question I couldn't shake after waking up at 3:00 am with post-Taco Bell discomfort brewing in my bowels. I rolled out of bed and stumbled toward porcelain considering what the Dems have given us.

• A Canadian-bred Governor who has fostered a state Economy that is more fragile than a Palestinian peace agreement.
• A mayor in our largest city who may soon add to the millions he has cost the city by forcing them to pay for 3 squares a day while he is behind bars.
• A U.S. Senator who scored an "F" with the National Tax Payers Union because of a voting record that would make Mao proud.
• Another U.S. Senator who scored a 0 rating from the Christian Coalition and the NRA, probably because she didn't have a chance to raise her score, what with the time she spends making sure partial-birth abortions and the rights of illegal aliens are protected.
• Hell, the Democrats won't even give us a full vote at the Democratic National Convention.

What does the Democratic party think of Michigan? Not much, if they think of us at all.

2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

The annual Woodward Dream Cruise is the one time a year that metro Detroiters don't mind being stuck in traffic. It's the "free" event where drivers hop into their classic (and not-so-classic) cars to cruise up and down Michigan's most famous street while thousands of automobile lovers line the streets with lawn chairs and a taste for exhuast to watch the show.

Here are some highlights, courtesy of The Detroit News, starting with GM CEO Rick Wagoner climbing out of an ethanol powered Corvette Z06 E85 Concept Pace Car.

Kwame Kilpatrick Unconventional (Again)

Will Detroit's mayor be allowed to attend the Democratic National Convention? First he was tethered and told he would have to skip his chance to boo boyscouts at the Democrat gathering. Then another judge ruled that he could go, apparently deciding that if every lying cheater in the party were banned from the convention floor then we would truly hear the sound of one hand clapping. Finally the county prosecutor filed an appeal saying that the pending assault charges were the reason for the mayor's restrictions and the court agreed by re-tethering Kilpatrick and canceling his first-class ticket to the Rockies. The situation has flip-flopped like a Barack Obama foreign policy speech. And speaking of his holiness, if Obama had his way Mayor Kilpatrick will be watching the convention on the Manoogian Mansion's widescreen plasma TV that was so generously provided by Detroit tax payers.

Barack Obama doesn't want Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his legal troubles to be a distraction at the upcoming Democratic National Convention, and he got his wish Thursday when a judge ordered the city executive to stay home.
A Michigan spokesman for Obama, Brent Colburn, said in an e-mail Thursday that the focus of the convention in Denver this month should be on Obama and not on what Colburn called "the troubles of one individual," a reference to Kilpatrick and the two criminal cases he's facing.

Given some of Obama's other associations, you would think a mayor who lies on the stand, abuses city funds and assaults a public servant would provide a perceptible boost to his moral compass. At least Kilpatrick is proud to be an American.

But this is a serious blow for the mayor and Detroit. He has been cast from the party's biggest stage and that does not bode well for the city or the state.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick A Semi-Free Man!

The mayor is not in jail. OK, for most major American cities that's a statement so obvious that it isn't worth writing. But, Detroit? Ah, Detroit is special.

Motor City mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was dropped behind bars on Friday night after violating a court order not to leave the mitten state. Apparently the mayor decided that no court was going to stop him from slipping across the Canadian border for some frosty fun. Besides, you can buy Cuban cigars there, eh.

Kilpatrick's latest antics garnered him a night behind bars (and I don't mean in an alley off 8 Mile) and even further restrictions on travel.

[N]ew restrictions imposed by the courts that require him to wear a tether and bar him from having contact with four bodyguards and traveling outside Metro Detroit no doubt will further constrict his ability to lead. He can't attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver this month. He must change members of his Executive Protection Unit and can't spend time with his sister, Ayanna Kilpatrick, and brother-in-law, Daniel Ferguson III, who are witnesses in his new felony case. He will be barred from traveling to New York City this fall as he had promised to meet with the analysts who determine how much interest Detroit has to pay on money it borrows.

Is there anyone out there who still believes that this guy is good for the city? Unfortunately . . .

For those not familiar with the "1968" reference, that was a time when Detroit was torn by the violent throes of race rioting. And by playing the race card over and over during his trials, Kilpatrick is trying to lead us down that path again, all to maintain power he has savagely abused.

It's time, Mayor Kilpatrick.

Pack up your power suits, put away the earrings and stuff those corrupt city contracts where they belong. Resign and leave the city to recover from the scarring that your administration has caused.

Tigers Trade Pudge (or: The Day My Boys Became Yankee Fans)

I've always been a big baseball fan. I remember growing up and watching some of my favorite players step up to the plate with the ole English D bold on their chests. Al Kaline, Norm Cash, Bill Freehan, Willie Horton and when I hit my teens Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. Not all hall-of-famers, but Tigers for life who I came to know and loved to watch them play.

Things have changed.

My two boys are at the beginning of their love for sports so it's little wonder when they turn to baseball they are drawn to the man who became the face of the Detroit Tiger's resurgence. Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. Yes, he spent much of his career in Texas, but as far as my kids are concerned he is their Tiger. His poster is in their room, his baseball cards litter their dresser drawers, and there is rare silence in the living room when he comes up to bat. Well, there was silence. Pudge is no longer a Tiger. He was traded to New York and now the boys want to know how they can watch Yankee games.

I grew up in an era when sports free agency was in its infancy and players staying with their teams was the norm. Oh, I know sports has always been a business, but there was something about times past that at least gave the impression of loyalty. Players didn't leave and teams seemed to appreciate them. As an adult I understand that it was a naive impression created by antiquated league rules, but I wish my kids could enjoy baseball with that same naivety. I wish they could watch the same "motor city players" take the field for their team, regardless of whether or not different players would bring better results. I wish, for their sake, that Pudge was still a Detroit Tiger.

Kwame Kilpatrick Assaults Detroit (Again)

I've known some pretty selfish people in my life. There was that girl in kindergarten who wouldn't let me play with her dolls . . . I mean, action figures. There was the kid in junior high who didn't want to help me mow my lawn before we swam in his pool. There was the guy in high school who didn't like me borrowing his fastback Mustang for a date. And I'm not even going to mention all of you out there who snatch the last piece of pizza (you know who your are). But I don't think I've ever encountered a display of selfish indulgence like the one we are witnessing from Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Rather than exit the Detroit political scene and save the city from further national embarrassment, he has decided to continue wearing a mask of buffoonery that inspires countless effacing jokes that begin with "What do you call a city" and end with "Detroit."

Last week was just another punchline waiting for delivery. As The Detroit News reported, Detective Brian White and his partner, Joanne Kinney, were driving around the city to serve a subpeana when they notice a Fergson Construction truck parked outside the home of Kilpatrick's sister, Ayanna. Well, since the the city was also trying to serve a subpeana to the owner of that company (Kilpatrick's buddy, Bobby Ferguson) they decided to stop in to see if he was lounging about. What followed could only happen in Detroit under Kwame's administration.

[Det.] White went to the front door of Ayanna Kilpatrick's home with his partner, Joanne Kinney, looking for Bobby Ferguson. Ayanna Kilpatrick is married to Daniel Ferguson, Bobby Ferguson's relative. "He [Mayor Kilpatrick] grabbed me and threw me," White testified, adding that Kilpatrick was irate. Under cross-examination he said he was thrown into a collision with [his partner, Joanne] Kinney.

Ah, but that's not all the city's fine mayor accomplished on that day. The mayor then shouted at Kinney, "How can a black woman be riding in a car with a man named White?" Because nothing says leadership and class like racist comments. Well, except maybe the mayor's parting remarks:

"Leave my (expletive) family alone" and "get the (expletive) out of here" and instructed other people at the home, "Don't tell those (expletive) anything."

After Kilpatrick's latest episode 36th District Judge Ronald Giles added more fodder for the nation. What do you call a city who can't send their mayor to Disney World because he might miss a court ordered random drug test?

Monica Conyers: Money For Sludge

City Councilwoman Monica Conyers has once again done the city of Detroit proud. She has apparently moved beyond bar fights and juvenile disruptions of city council meetings to a more profitable endeavor.

According to The Detroit News:

Federal investigators have electronic surveillance evidence that allegedly links Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers with receiving a payment or payments in connection with a city-approved sludge contract, two people familiar with the investigation said.

But did the green change the scene?

Conyers -- who changed her position from speaking in opposition to the sludge contract to voting in favor of it -- and at least one other council member are under FBI investigation in connection with possible bribes related to the $47 million contract with Synagro Technologies Inc. of Houston. . . . In November, the City Council voted 5-4 to award a contract to Synagro.

It sure looks like Monica's vote made the difference. As the wife of our country's second-longest serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives, John Conyers Jr., there's no doubt that she has a handle on politics, it's just the whole personal integrity thing she seems to forget.

Dear, Synagro
I'd be willing to drop some lettuce in a $47 million fund if you could clean up the sludge flowing through our local government.

Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick Booed At The Parade

And this was supposed to be a happy occasion.

The Detroit Red Wings victory parade took them from The Hockeytown Cafe to Hart Plaza in the center of Detroit with thousands lining the streets to cheer on their beloved hockey team. And the cheering only stopped when Detroit mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, to the stage.

Kilpatrick walked up to the microphone and said something that I suspect had to do with the Wings' victory . . . it was hard to tell since the mayor's speech was drowned out by all the booing. I thing I may have also heard hissing, but that could have been somebody letting air out of the tires in Kilpatrick's ever-present mile-long motorcade.

Perhaps the most stunning moment came when the mayor ended his speech with, "Because we're all here together and you're all having a good time, the beer is on me. God bless you. Go Red Wings." Only to be greeted by more boos. Imagine that, hockey fans booing beer, and free beer on top of that. I suppose they were just skeptical that even if the mayor actually did follow through on his promise of free suds, it would end up being just one more thing he would put on the city's tab.

And we already know the spin the mayor will throw on this one. Detroit loves him, it was all those evil suburbanites in the crowd who were making the racket.

Gov Granholm, Care To Weigh In On Mayor Kilpatrick?

The Detroit City Council has spoken . . . again. Is anybody listening?

The council voted on yet another resolution concerning embattled but still nattily dressed Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick. This time the threat is twofold: 1) A request for Gov. Jennifer Granholm to use her I-can't-believe-it-exists executive authority to remove a Michigan mayor from his elected position and B) Start their own I-can't-believe-it-doesn't-exist-yet process to oust Kilpatrick. But will any of this really work? As reported in The Detroit News:

“I think it places additional pressure on the mayor to consider making a move, ” said Council President Ken Cockrel Jr., who would become mayor if Kilpatrick is forced from office. “The only way I see the mayor going out is probably if some deal is cut between him and the prosecutor or if he’s forced out in some way.”

By now any regular reader of this blog and every sentient creature in metro Detroit knows about the mayor's "eight felony charges for perjury, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and misconduct." They also know that Kenneth Cockrel and the rest of the council (well, some of the rest of the council) may have the best intentions but are essentially as impotent as mules after a gold rush bender when it comes to actually removing the mayor. That means we turn to the Governor.

[Governor] Granholm’s office was tight-lipped today about the council’s request. Granholm can’t review the matter until she receives a sworn statement from one or more council members accusing Kilpatrick of misconduct. Council’s attorney, Bill Goodman, said it would be a week before he submits the request.

The governor is tight-lipped most of the time these days . . . well, except when she vetoes partial-birth abortion bills or jibber jabbers about why we need to raise taxes in order to lure businesses back to Michigan with glittering promises of spending more to make less. But in this case I hope the Gov remains tight-lipped. It's not out of any support for Mayor Kilpatrick, who I think is treating the city with Faustian nonchalance. Rather, I don't like the thought of the state's executive branch removing an elected official, any elected official, from his position. It's a frightening concept if one buys into slippery slope conspiracy theories. And while I'm not usually in that crowd, let's just say that I don't want to test my intellectual Skully resolve when it comes to Jennifer Granholm.

Dave Bing Drives Against The Mayor Of Detroit

Hall of Fame Point Guard, Dave Bing, brings the ball up court. Years after retiring from the Detroit Pistons to lead a successful Michigan business, he looks as graceful as he did during his peak playing days. He moves across halfcourt and eyes the towering form of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick blocking his path to the basket. He silently mouths his determination.

"[Kilpatrick] has got to do what is best for the city at this point."

With practiced ease Bing passes the dribble between his legs and slides left, surveying the situation.

"He says he's not leaving and he can't be forced out soon."

The legendary Piston guard stutter-steps, fakes to pull up, then drives right.

"Anybody who thinks this is not hurting the city, the region, the state of Michigan has their heads in the sand."

Bing Know his opponent; knows the strength of his defense.

"There are a lot of people who are afraid to speak up, primarily the white business community, because they will be colored a racist because they're coming out against a black man."

But the Hall-of-famer has never backed down, no matter how tough the competition. He has never walked away from a challenge, even when others were ready to give up.

"I don't think race has anything to do with what we're going through."

Dave Bing snaps the ball between his legs again and bursts forward to the basket. He dips his left shoulder and presses in hard, forcing the defender to stumble back as he crosses into the paint.

"It's about right and wrong."

The ball pops off the wood floor and up, up into his hand as Bing jumps forward, left knee up and right leg long, ball held high.

"It's about accountability."

He shifts the ball from right to left hand, fading slightly away from basket as he finger rolls the ball up between Kilpatrick's flailing arms and off the glass.

"It's about leadership."

Swish. Dave Bing Scores!

You can read more about Dave Bing posting up Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick here in The Detroit News.

The Khaki Elephant Endorses Kenneth Cockrel Jr. For Mayor Of Detroit

Oh, wait, is this premature? We still have a mayor there? Well, this is embarrassing.

I guess that I almost missed Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's comment at the "Pancakes and Politics forum" (yes, I know there was a lot of flip-flopping there) that leaving his position now would create chaos for the city of Detroit. Um, as opposed the the sacred stability his misuse of city funds, inappropriate firing of police officers, sex scandal, thug mentality henchmen, racially-charged accusations and verbal assaults has given to the D.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for putting the city first.

Who Is Kym Worthy?

High profile court cases tend to destroy existing celebrities while creating new ones. The seminal example, of course, is the O.J. Simpson trial, where even the not guilty verdict resulted in destroying the defendant's image and mercifully ending his acting career. At the same time Johnnie Cochran and Kato Kaitlin became household names.

I expect the upcoming trial of Kwame Kilpatrick to follow the same model. The mayor had been a rising star in the Democratic Party and a voice of hope for both the city of Detroit and the state. But his image has been tarnished by the scandals of his administration, and that existing tarnish will be nothing compared to what will happen once the national media has the mayor and the city under a microscope. Detroit is already treated like the stinky uncle who likes to scratch his crotch during church. Once this trial starts, even the mayor's staunches supporters may stagger under the abuse the city will take from the rest of the country. And don't expect things to improve if the major networks decide to trot out the likes of Monica Conyers and Sharon McPhail as representatives of the city.

But there is hope. There are prominent Detroit leaders who have the ability and strength to step forward and restore the city's pride and image. One is Detroit City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. We've been watching another for the past couple of days: Kym Worthy.

Soon the nation will be asking, "Who is Kym Worthy?" Who is this woman who stood calmly at the podium and professionally delivered the first felony indictments on a Detroit mayor since . . . since Fred was courting Wilma? Who is this prosecutor who handles interviews as deftly as God handled Old Testament blasphemers? Like every bio, hers could be condensed to bullet points

• She is a graduate of the University of Michigan (Go Blue) with a law degree from Notre Dame.
• She is an experienced litigator
• She has been a judge
• She is a controversial prosecutor.
• She is a mother
• She is a community activist

But when she is center stage people won't see the bullet points. People will see a strong woman with a clear message. People will see somebody who is calm under pressure. People will see intelligence melded with insight. People will see Detroit.

She will not prosecute the case in the courtroom, but I have a feeling that Kym Worthy is about to become a star and Detroit's image will be the better for it.