John Conyers Corruption To Continue?

It looks like one of America's longest serving swindlers is prepared to continue his incumbent corruption. According to The Detroit News, 80-year-old John Conyers is planning to run once again for congress. If elected, it would be his 23rd term to the U.S. House, a record second only to fellow Michiganian Democrat John Dingell -- both evidently hoping to be rewarded once again for delivering the nation's worst economy to their home state.

It would be easy to ignore Conyer's record today in light of his wife, former Detroit City Councilmember Monica Conyers, recently pleading guilty to bribery charges and now sitting in their sweet estate to await sentencing. But let's give John his due since his name makes frequent stops on various "Most Corrupt Politicians" lists.

One can sweep aside some of Conyer's minor misdeeds, like his ridiculous Kangaroo Court, his staff allegedly stealing turkeys from charity and contacting federal agencies to supplement his own financial interests. However, the indictment from The Hill concerning his pattern of consistent ethics violations on the Judiciary Committee reveals a Dickensian level of dirt that should make even loyal supporters cringe at the ballot box. According to the report, Conyers has been involved with . . .

• Demanding that his congressional aides work on local and state campaigns (for example, his wife's fail state Senate bid).
• Forcing aides to baby-sit, tutor, and chauffeur his children.
• Stiffing a catering company.
• Allowing a staff member to use his office to obtain a fake passport in order to flee to Ghana after being convicted of fraud, making false statements, and government theft.
• Conducting a private law practice out of his office.

Sadly, the pattern continues today as Conyers continues to rank #1 when it comes to questionable use of time and money.

And now Conyer's is having a go at the Haitians relief effort. Conyers, not please with having the administrator of USAID, Rajiv Singh, in charge of the helping the Haitians wrote a letter to Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, demanding that the Singh be demoted because the group of 12 that he brought to Washington to describe the heroic efforts in Haiti did not contain an African American. I'm not kidding. Conyers wrote:

“I was alarmed and chagrined to learn that none of the approximately dozen staff he brought with him were African American. This is so serious an error in judgment that it warrants his immediate demotion to a subordinate position at AID.”

So this is the 80-year-old "leader" looking for re-election: a corrupt lifelong politician who continues to define worth by the color of one's skin rather than the content of their character. I certainly hope his constituents finally see behind the curtain and pull the lever in a different direction.