Cushingberry makes the news again!!

**Zacha341** · January-10-14, 07:25 PM

Question? When is an open bottle of alcohol excusable to have in a car?

'Empties' for bottle return after a picnic at the park?

I cannot see any other reason outside of drinking in car...

**Gistok** · January-10-14, 07:32 PM

Gannon, Zacha341.... please pass the popcorn....

**Gannon** · January-10-14, 08:11 PM

Just caught this in the News' article:

Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said allegations, if true, are “one more hit” to the council’s reputation.

bwa-ha-ha-ha!

**Dan Wesson** · January-10-14, 08:39 PM

I think your going to see just how bullet proof and teflon coated this guy really is...

**poobert** · January-10-14, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Question? When is an open bottle of alcohol excusable to have in a car?

'Empties' for bottle return after a picnic at the park?

I cannot see any other reason outside of drinking in car...

Seriously. I have always been terrified of ruining my life by having an empty anything in my car so returning recycling or trash or returnables went into the trunk.

But you know, that is how it works for us working stiffs. Us poor sons-of-bitches, white or black, will apparently never have the "privilege" of fucking with other peoples' lives, like Cushingberry, Christy, or a litany of other haves. Yeah, Cush may like to act like a man of the people but I'd invite him to walk a mile in my shoes and obey the law like me any day. Fuck that cocksucker.

**Vic01** · January-11-14, 01:38 AM

Another interesting article...

As of Dec. 31, 2013 a new state law puts limits on transporting medical marijuana. It can’t be in a passenger’s pocket, the console or any other place accessible to a driver, even if it belongs to someone with a state registry card that allows using medical marijuana.

http://www.freep.com/article/2014011...026/1001/rss01

**Wesley Mouch** · January-11-14, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Why does a review need to be done on-site? Can't it be done in front of a judge, just like with everyone else? What if the supervisor has a vendetta against the public official as well? Why do public officials get this protection against personal vendettas when private citizens do not? It's possible for an officer to have a vendetta against another citizen, isn't it?

As opposed to standard operating procedure, which is to do a lousy job of collecting evidence and have a shaky case? That doesn't make sense, either.

Again, assuming the ideal condition would be equal protection under the law, why do public officials require special attention from the police?

Calm down there. You're a little too excited. Try some of those funny smellin' cigarettes. Might do you some good.

As to your comments, lighten up. You setup policies and procedures so you can do your best as a department. I suppose you can characterize them as unfair, but its not. It may be just handling difficult situations better. For example, you might want a supervisor because some State Senator says they're immune from a certain law. Maybe they are. And some rookie cop might make a mistake. So you get backup and a few more sets of experience and responsible eyes on the situation. Its not a free pass. Its just professional behavior.

In the third world, and communist countries, cops are arms of the State. They are used to manipulate public officials. Blackmail them. Make them look bad if they don't agree with you. Policing is a very difficult business, and very politically charged. Look at the furor over Stop & Frisk. Very political.

Its very important that their decisions do not have any political dimensions. Let them do their best when they handle politicians. We must keep the police departments honorable. By reviewing such cases carefully, they are policing themselves. That's good. Really good.

**compn** · January-11-14, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Vic01

even if it belongs to someone with a state registry card that allows using medical marijuana.

http://www.freep.com/article/2014011...026/1001/rss01

MCL 750.474 does not apply to the medical use of marihuana, much like MCL 257.625 did not apply to the medical use of marihuana in People Vs Koon case as settled by the Michigan Supreme Court.

Its just no one's taken MCL 750.474 to the supreme court yet.

this is not legal advice.

**compn** · January-11-14, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Question? When is an open bottle of alcohol excusable to have in a car?

it is a good question. i pick up empty alcohol and pop bottles all the time. you know, picking up litter? making sure parks and streets arent covered in broken glass and empty bottles?

sometimes i put them all in one bag in the trunk, but if the bottles are clean enough and i'm lazy, i'll lay them in the passenger side foot area.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-11-14, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by compn

it is a good question. i pick up empty alcohol and pop bottles all the time. you know, picking up litter? making sure parks and streets arent covered in broken glass and empty bottles?

sometimes i put them all in one bag in the trunk, but if the bottles are clean enough and i'm lazy, i'll lay them in the passenger side foot area.

I'll bet you'd be in violation of the law. But unless you are cut off a copy, swerving back and forth, and forget to use your signal, have a car that smells of dope, and would fail a breathalizer after 'one' drink, you probably shouldn't worry.

**Zacha341** · January-11-14, 01:29 PM

Hah! Once a friend who could no longer drink any alcohol [[due to a prescribed medication) gave me a half bottle of a fine liquor as a gift... indeed I did drive home on 'pins and needles' for fear of a police pull-over revealing the opened bottle. Oye, the horror of it all...

...

Originally Posted by poobert

Seriously. I have always been terrified of ruining my life by having an empty anything in my car so returning recycling or trash or returnables went into the trunk.

**Zacha341** · January-11-14, 01:40 PM

Great point! I wonder if it was a liquor bottle or beer bottles and cans [[which are returnable)? A bottle of vodka... um, no return on those.

Originally Posted by compn

it is a good question. i pick up empty alcohol and pop bottles all the time. you know, picking up litter? making sure parks and streets arent covered in broken glass and empty bottles?

sometimes i put them all in one bag in the trunk, but if the bottles are clean enough and i'm lazy, i'll lay them in the passenger side foot area.

**coracle** · January-11-14, 04:31 PM

http://www.michiganduilaws.net/michi...ainerlaws.html
Maybe he can slide by the "open container" threat on a technicality that it was empty so neither he nor his passenger could drink from it. It's a moot point but he is an elected official so he'll be given special treatment if he offers some "tit for tat" deal. My guess is the story will go away and be forgotten with no action taken.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-11-14, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

http://www.michiganduilaws.net/michi...ainerlaws.html
Maybe he can slide by the "open container" threat on a technicality that it was empty so neither he nor his passenger could drink from it. It's a moot point but he is an elected official so he'll be given special treatment if he offers some "tit for tat" deal. My guess is the story will go away and be forgotten with no action taken.

There's a big difference between empty and 'drip dry'. One suggests that the alcohol might have just been consumed. The other that it had been empty for days. Wonder if that is known by the officer and/or the VIP backup officer. One is easily forgivable on a technicality. The other evidence of bad behavior.

Cushingberry's word that it was empty could easily be as valid as his comment that he just had 'one' drink. Comments by someone accused of a crime shouldn't be taken as true nor false. They're mostly irrelevant. Officers should be looking for the signs of intoxication as they should be trained.

**Gannon** · January-11-14, 05:25 PM

THIS is brilliantly written.

Rod Meloni is now on my short list of favorite local newsies!

Cheers

**Dan Wesson** · January-11-14, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

THIS is brilliantly written.

Rod Meloni is now on my short list of favorite local newsies!

Cheers

Now I remember the rising young star of Cushingberry back in the day.

I will now have to agree that he is part of the problem just based on crap happened and he was part of the crew.

**NickCharles** · January-11-14, 07:14 PM

Cushingberry has been a fucking liar about the entire incident, anyway, so I'm fully prepared to consider everything that he has said, or will say, about it to be [[what a surprise!!) self-serving bullshit.

**poobert** · January-13-14, 04:38 PM

So this guy is a criminal, racist, and possibly retarded. Nice job, District 2, you fucks. Who votes for these people? Why? Do they like getting fucked?

**coracle** · January-13-14, 05:00 PM

As Council President Pro Tem. he represents the face of Detroit to the world. What does it tell us about the people that voted for him and the council members that voted him their President?

**compn** · January-13-14, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

So this guy is a criminal, racist, and possibly retarded. Nice job, District 2, you fucks. Who votes for these people? Why? Do they like getting fucked?

i thought he was innocent until proven guilty [[of failing to indicate when turning) in a court of law?

**Wesley Mouch** · January-13-14, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

As Council President Pro Tem. he represents the face of Detroit to the world. What does it tell us about the people that voted for him and the council members that voted him their President?

One thing it tells us is that the council elections were not meaningless, as the opponents of the EM law repeatedly said.

Turns out the both council and mayoral races were hugely important to Detroit's future -- which suggest to me that democracy remains in control of Detroit. [[Except for the spending money part.)

**bailey** · January-14-14, 06:45 AM

trouble continues to follow newly elected Councilman George Cushingberry Jr.

The Cush – as he calls himself – has been driving his 1993 Buick with a suspended license. Turns out, the Secretary of State suspended Cushingberry’s license because of delinquent parking tickets from the city of Detroit, the office confirmed late this afternoon.

The latest discovery raises more questions about why police didn’t arrest Cushingberry last week following a traffic stop. The council president pro tem is accused of fleeing police and possessing an open container. motorcitymuckraker.com

Chief care to comment on why CC members are allowed to drive away from a stop on a suspended license?

**Zacha341** · January-14-14, 06:53 AM

Who at his supposed 'level' eh-hmm, allows their license to be 'suspended' for not paying parking tickets? Duh. This is all getting really slow.

**Honky Tonk** · January-14-14, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Who at his supposed 'level' eh-hmm, allows their license to be 'suspended' for not paying parking tickets? Duh. This is all getting really slow.

Who the hell drives around for a week with an open liquor bottle rolling around the back seat on a suspended license? I guess I don't know who the @$%&! he is.....