Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick resigned today.
On September 4, 2008, according to news reports on WDIV, WXYZ, and WJR, a plea deal was reached for Kilpatrick to resign from office, not run for office for five years, 4 months of jail time with 5 years probation and pay $1 million in restitution and give up his law license. The two guilty pleas were for count 2 and count 5 for obstruction of justice (perjury). Kilpatrick will also have to move out of the Manoogian Mansion, as his mayoral duties have now expired. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28th 2008 at 2pm. -- Wikipedia
The new mayor is City Council President Ken Cockrel Jr.
A little about Ken:
Cockrel was elected to the Wayne County Commission and served from 1994 to 1996. During his tenure, he worked to prevent overcrowding in Wayne County jails and strengthened the Wayne County residency requirements.
Cockrel was the youngest person ever elected to the Detroit City Council in 1997. He is currently in his 3rd term. He became president of the council after receiving the most votes for councilman in the November, 2005 election.
Cockrel is perhaps best known for his meeting with community groups regarding neighborhood issues. He also holds quarterly town-hall meetings. These meeting helped to focus his efforts as a councilman. For instance, he’s worked to create a solution regarding the city’s many abandoned homes and buildings, improve the city’s police department, improve housing opportunity, and limit drug trafficking and disruptive elements in the city’s residential neighborhoods. In the future, he plans to make sure Detroit-based contractors receive their fair share of work from the city. He will also continue work to reform the Detroit Police Department, demolish dangerous buildings and improve Detroit’s parks and recreation centers.
Specifically, Cockrel helped to launch the Friendly Neighbor Program, which is aimed at getting first-time homebuyers into city-owned homes in need of repair, and the City Council Green Task Force, which helps to educate the community and implement green policies.
Cockrel also Co-Chairs the Economic Development Standing Committee and the Internal Operations Standing Committee. He also serves on the Detroit Elections Commission and on the board of directors for the Detroit Transportation Corp.
How will this affect the race in Michigan between John McCain and Barack Obama?