Detroit mayor agrees to plead guilty, resign

Well this means that Detroit can finally move forward after the mess it found itself in with the so-called hip-hop mayor. There was a twisted web of scandal with a party in the mayoral mansion and then the muder of a stripper. Then there was a cover-up of that murder that resulted in the controversial canning of a deputy police chief. Then while investigating the motivation for that canning of a deputy police chief there was a discovery of a very sultry affair between a married mayor and his chief of staff. At that this was uncovered in text messages made on government owned cell phones. In addition they lied under oath about their affair and their role over the firing of this deputy police chief.

It's finally over and Detroit can move on. Of course beyond this scandal the issues surrounding the city will still exist. Perhaps now that there will be a new regime in their city hall, Detroit can get serious about real pressing issues. Let's hope so.

Story from the AP:

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to a pair of felony obstruction charges on Thursday in a sex-and-misconduct scandal and will step down after months of defiantly holding onto his job leading the nation's 11th-largest city.

The plea deal brings to an end a seven-months-long ordeal that led to felony charges against Kilpatrick and plunged the city, region and state into political chaos.

As part of the deal, the 38-year-old Democrat is to serve four months in jail and five years of probation. He also would pay $1 million in restitution over the five-year probationary period.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner asked Kilpatrick if the mayor understood he was giving up the right to be innocent until proven guilty."I gave that up a long time ago," Kilpatrick replied.

The new mayor would be Detroit City Council President Ken Cockrel Jr. at least until there will be a special election to fill the mayor's office. The former chief of staff Christine Beatty will be seen in court on (WOW!) September 11th. She didn't plead guilty although she probably should think about it now.