The issue of revoking Kwame Kilpatrick's super-delegate credentials was diaried earlier. This diary is intended to allay the fears the DNC may have about a backlash from Detroit voters this election.
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick who faces ten felony charges in two separate cases and has twice violated the conditions of his release on bond has been granted permission from the court to attend the Democratic Convention in Denver next week. In the first case, Kilpatrick is charged with perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice in matters relating to an affair with a former staffer. http://kdka.com/...
In the second, he faces two counts of resisting and obstructing police officers attempting to serve a subpoena on a friend of the mayor in the perjury case. http://www.cnn.com/...
Kilpatrick's lawyer, James Thomas, said high-ranking Democrats want the mayor to attend the convention. Obama spokesman Brent Colburn, however, said in an e-mail that the focus of the convention should be on Obama and not on what Colburn called "the troubles of one individual. http://www.iht.com/...
Who are these high-ranking Democrats who want Kilpatrick at the convention? (Putting aside the idea that the lawyer is just doing his job and asking for liberal conditions of bond for his client.) I don't believe they exist, except from one place: Detroit. The truth is that Michigan has a long history of fear that Detroit politicians will not turn out the vote unless accorded a reward for doing so or that crossing the Detroit political machine carries consequences of Detroit voters being told to stay home.
Black Detroit leaders have a long attempted to parlay black Detroit voters into consideration from Michigan's out-state politicians. And Lansing has panicked and caved in to the threats - twice in recent memory. Attorney General candidate Scott Bowen, despite his own willingness to spend a large amount of his own money in the election (as well as his presenting a strong Democratic candidate ultimately for governor) was discarded by Governor Granholm and Lansing in favor of a political novice, Detroiter Amos Williams, for fear of losing Detroit's black vote as Granholm sought re-election. Granholm beat Devos 56 - 42 percent. Williams lost to the republican 54-43. http://web.wxyz.com/...
In 2002, Granholm's republican opponent made a campaign issue of a memo from Kilpatrick's office asking for special future considerations in exchange for turning out the vote in the city. The arrangement was never refuted. http://www.womensenews.org/...
BUT THIS ELECTION IS DIFFERENT:
The Detroit City Council has asked Governor Jennifer Granholm to remove Kilpatrick from office. http://freep.com/...
The Michigan Chronicle, one of the states oldest and a most respected African-american newpaper has called for Kilpatrick's resignation. http://www.freep.com/...
The DNC ought immediately revoke the credentials of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Indeed, the convention ought not face the distraction that his presence causes. If anyone knows who the "high-ranking Democrats" who want him present at the convention are, please tell us. I have searched and searched and have found no such sentiments expressed publicly.
I have closely reviewed the DNC's Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. They are found in their entirety here:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/...
Barack Obama will win Michigan and voter turnout such as is expected in Detroit will happen as it happened throughout our long primary season.
Fear not, DNC!