This issue has been kicking around Detroit for a while but is coming to a head this morning. Monica Conyers, wife of House Judiciary Chairman, Congressman John Conyers, is in Federal District Court in Detroit right now, pleading guilty to federal corruption charges.
Ms. Conyers is on the Detroit City Council. She is pleading guilty to having taken cash in exchange for changing her previous "no" vote to a "yes" vote to award a $1.2 billion sludge-hauling contract to Synagro, Inc. Sketchy details are here
UPDATED: The guilty plea is done: She has plead guilty to conspiring to commit bribery. And according to the US Attorneys, there was no sentence bargain and it looks as if she'll do the minimum, i.e. 3 years, even though the US Attorney office will ask for more.
My concern is with Congressman Conyers. He needs to answer some serious questions about how he did not know that his wife was taking cash in exchange for her vote.
Conyers has been my congressman for many years and I love the guy. I have given him my money and have supported him in several initiatives; heck, I signed an on-line petition that his office sent me last week.
Purportedly, he lives in DC, she lives in Detroit and they don't really see each other much.
But dammit, I need to know that he is clean. This hurts. Am I being over-sensitive?