And you thought Democrat politics in Illinois was stinky and sleazy? Well, move over Blagojevitch. Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers, wife of House Judiciary Committee John Conyers (DEMOCRAT-MI) (famous for accusing Republicans of wrongdoing), is in hot water...
Detroit News: A lawyer for a strip club official says his client told a federal grand jury Wednesday that a top aide to then-City Councilwoman Monica Conyers offered to deliver her vote on a permit transfer for $25,000.Congressman Conyers has had his own ethical problems. Accusations that he used his congressional staff for illegal campaign related work and to perform personal services like babysitting was "business as usual" according to one former aide.
The onetime aide, Sam Riddle, denies the claims, which came the same day he held a news conference denying he accepted or delivered bribes in connection with the multimillion-dollar Synagro sludge deal.
Jim St. John, CEO of Deja Vu Consulting, alleged he and a colleague met with Riddle in a Dearborn restaurant in November 2006, days before the City Council was to vote on the Zoo Bar's bid to transfer a topless permit, St. John's attorney Brad Shafer told The News on Wednesday.
"At some point in the conversation, Sam Riddle indicated for $25,000 he could, or we could get, Monica Conyers' vote," said Shafer, adding his clients refused to pay.
The testimony comes two days after a Synagro Technologies vice president pleaded guilty to bribing city officials and demonstrates the grand jury investigation of City Hall continues to expand. City business under federal investigation includes the Synagro sludge contract, contracts at Cobo Center, the Asian Village development, other pay-to-play accusations and jobs handled by Bobby Ferguson, a Detroit contractor and friend of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
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Conyers, who sources have said is under federal investigation in connection with the Synagro contract, closely matches the description of "City Council Member A," detailed in documents filed Monday when former Synagro Michigan Vice President James R. Rosendall pleaded guilty to a bribery conspiracy charge.
The Synagro contract was approved by a 5-4 vote in November 2007 after Conyers switched her position from opposing the contract to supporting it. Conyers has denied any wrongdoing
Worse still, Conyers staff was accused of stealing the Thanksgiving turkeys a Detroit food bank donated to feed the poor. Instead they gave them to friends and political cronies. 60 families went without their Thanksgiving turkey because Conyer's staff cared more about rewarding friends than helping the poor.
Is this more proof of the REAL culture of corruption or will Democrats use the latest excuse: "It's just a mistake" to smooth this one over too?
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