Detroit Councilman Gabe Leland Indicted for Bribery + State Charges Added
Innocent until proven guilty, but it doesn't sound good for Leland."According to the federal grand jury indictment, Leland and the business owner met in May 2017 to discuss the $15,000 payment in exchange for Leland's help in preventing or delaying the city's sale of property the business owner believed he owned.
“I should ask for 30 [[thousand dollars) but I'm nice to you,” Leland said, according to the indictment.
The indictment details several discussions Leland had with the business owner betweenMay and August 2017, including a meeting at the downtown Caucus Club, where Leland acknowledged receiving $7,500 cash.
The business owner was uncomfortable about his dealings with a campaign worker who Leland had sent to pick up the money. According to the indictment, Leland reassured the business owner: “No, but you can f---in' trust me. That's all that matters.”
Robert Carmack, who runs an auto repair shop in Detroit, told the Free Press on Thursday that he is the business owner in the Leland indictment. Carmack sued Leland earlier this year for allegedly demanding the $15,000, which Leland said was for his re-election campaign, according to the suit.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...cy/1520711002/
More Charges Against Gabe Leland
Monroe County* prosecutor charged the Detroit city councilman with misconduct in office.
The felony charge comes a month before Leland was scheduled to go to trial in federal court on three counts of bribery for allegedly demanding $15,000 from Bob Carmack to help the businessman in a dispute with the city.
*Wayne County Prosecutor Worthy cited a conflict of interest in any as the case involves Carmack, who is suing county officials, so the Michigan Attorney General's office assigned the case to Monroe County.
[Steve] Fishman [Leland's attoryn] planned to attack Carmack's credibility. Carmack is currently awaiting trial on allegations that he stole city land and sold it for $1 million. Carmack denies any wrongdoing, and the district court judge who bound the case over for trial in Wayne County Circuit Court did so after questioning the strength of the prosecution's case.
https://freep-mi.newsmemory.com?publ...dcc838_1343732