Marion Barry v. Kwame Kilpatrick
Former mayors Marion Barry, top, and Kwame Kilpatrick, are under investigation for corruption
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On George Washington’s birthday, let us now discuss public servants who have failed the public trust. Former mayors Marion Barry and Kwame Kilpatrick were both in the news this week with new allegations of corruption. In Barry’s case, a special counsel report to the City Council concluded he had received a kickback from a contract he obtained for a girlfriend. In Kilpatrick’s case, not only did he argue he couldn’t afford to make his $79,000 scheduled restitution payment, but the Detroit Free Press reported today that his father solicited bribes from city contractors. |
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| Marion Barry | Kwame Kilpatrick | |
| Age | 74 | 39 |
| Highest office held | Mayor of D.C., twice | Mayor of Detroit |
| Current job | D.C. Council member representing Ward 8 | Account executive for Compuware |
| Political pedigree | Early leader for SNCC in the 1960s | Son of U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick |
| Conviction(s) | Cocaine possession, 1990; misdemeanor of failing to file local & federal taxes, 2005 | Perjury: lying to grand jury when he said he was not having an affair with his chief of staff, Christine Beatty |
| Sentenced to | 6 mos. in prison, $5,000 fine, 1990; 3 yrs. supervised probation, 2006 | 120 days in jail; $1m in restitution to the city of Detroit |
| Quote | "Bitch set me up." | Text message to Beatty: "I got something for you." |
| Time served | Six months | 99 days |
| Current troubles | Charged with stalking his ex-girlfriend, leading to investigation of $15K city grant he obtained for her, then got a kickback from | Bribery investigation, plus he’s not making scheduled restitution payments of the $1m he owes. |
| Woman problem | Married 4 times; girlfriends who turn him in | Still on his first marriage; serial adulterer |
| Damning document | Official report to DC Council concluding Barry’s actions amount to corruption. | 682 pages of incriminating text messages to and from Kilpatrick |
