Just when one thought nobody could be as foolish as former New
York Governor Eliot Spitzer, two sex scandals in Michigan have
Democrats there reeling.
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had an affair with his chief of
staff, Christine Beatty. Usually, what consenting adults do behind
closed doors would not matter so much except Kilpatrick is guarded
by 50 Detroit police officers. Among big city mayors, such a large
security detail is unusual.
This affair came to light in a police investigation of the
security detail and irregularities in the Mayor’s Office. Deputy
Police Chief Gary Brown was fired. In a deposition related to
Brown’s firing, both Kilpatrick and Beatty said under oath they
were not romantically involved. Inconvenient evidence included more
than 1,000 amorous text messages between Kilpatrick and Beatty on
Detroit equipment. In public, Kilpatrick said Brown was fired for
cause. Other text messages from Kilpatrick had him asking his staff
to retroactively come up with reasons for Brown’s ouster.
Brown and another fired officer were awarded $8.4 million in a
lawsuit against the city. Outside counsel at the trial cost Detroit
taxpayers another $845,000. Kilpatrick and Beatty have been
indicted on charges of conspiracy, perjury and obstruction of
justice. Kilpatrick has been seen with his wife. Beatty is no
longer his chief of staff and is looking for work.
Kilpatrick is the son of U.S. Representative Carolyn Cheeks
Kilpatrick, a Detroit Democrat. Kwame Kilpatrick’s rise has been
meteoric, becoming Detroit Mayor at only 31. Now public sector
union leaders have called on him to resign and a recall petition
has been filed. Brown is mulling a race for Congress against
Kilpatrick.
Michigan Democrats were reeling from the charges against
Kilpatrick when another sex scandal unfolded. Tom Athans, husband
of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), was questioned by police in
Troy, a Detroit suburb, after leaving a motel where he gave $150 to
a prostitute for a sex act. Troy police were trying to break up a
prostitution ring and do not prosecute customers who cooperate, as
Athans did when police stopped his Cadillac DeVille. In the motel
room, police found sex toys, condoms, a laptop and $431 in
cash.
If Athans were only the husband of a U.S Senator, it would be
embarrassing to the couple. However, Athans is also a key figure in
liberal talk radio. He was formerly vice president of
pre-bankruptcy Air America and CEO of Democracy Radio. He now heads
Talk USA Radio, based in Washington.
If this happened to a Republican or a figure in conservative
talk radio, it would dominate the news. There would be calls for
resignations and congressional hearings.
Athans said he found the prostitute on Craig’s List. It is not
certain which is more embarrassing to Athans: falling into a Troy
police sex sting or paying only $150 for a prostitute. At least
Spitzer spent more than Athans. It seems that the City of Detroit,
however, has spent so much thus far that Spitzer’s amount looks
paltry.
