It is, in many ways, the saga which never ends. But the fact is, the specter of Kwame Kilpatrick just keeps hanging over Detroit.
The latest issue has to do with the fact that the former Mayor used campaign funds for personal use; namely, that his lawyers in the text message scandal were paid out of it. It is a clear violation of state law.
But rather than accept a much smaller fine as proposed last year by then Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, Kilpatrick bid his time and never took the deal. Now, new Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is insisting on a fine of close to a million bucks.
All of this is before the former Mayor must return to Wayne County to face federal charges for public corruption next year. The saga simply has no end in sight; it appears as Detroit will be paying for their old leader's miscues for a long time to come. This cannot help current Mayor Dave Bing or the Common Council move Detroit forward. Indeed, it surely will do the average citizen little good.
The sad fact is that the average citizen is exactly who put Kilpatrick in power in the first place. Hopefully, there will be a lesson learned, even if after years of it being taught: keep a better eye on your elected officials. When Detroiters learn that lesson, they shall indeed better serve themselves.
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