Another Conyers' Home Draws Complaints...

[Detroitnerd]

It has nothing to do with "powerful people." Conyers was elected by the people to represent them and the city, and he's setting a very poor example. No one elected Moroun. See the difference?

All the more reason for the media to hold private people accountable. The public officers have an election every so often to do that. See the difference?

[milt721]

All the more reason for the media to hold private people accountable. The public officers have an election every so often to do that. See the difference?

Why are you suggesting the media leaves private people alone? Do a search on "slumlords in detroit" and see what pops up.

[Detroitnerd]

Why are you suggesting the media leaves private people alone? Do a search on "slumlords in detroit" and see what pops up.

No, I'm suggesting that your claim that he is an elected official and therefore more important than any other slumlord -- especially people such as Moroun, who owns hundreds of properties in various states of decay all over Detroit [[and whom LeDoof has done fawning fireside chats with) -- doesn't carry a lot of water.

[Hypestyles]

curious- this has made "AOL Real Estate".. wow-- http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/...?ncid=webmail4

[Detroitnerd]

Anyway, I think I know what this is all about. It's not about Conyers' effectiveness as a representative. [[He isn't that effective.) It's not about his leftist actions [[he always draws back at the last moment, cowed by party leadership). Maybe it isn't even that he's a Democrat. It's just that some people want him to be unseated so badly, so fervently, so intently, and know that it is ultimately impossible for this to happen, that they are willing to gobble up any story that makes him look bad, regardless of whether they hold others to the same standards.

I know of lots of well-to-do, genuine slumlords who live in gated mansions in the Bloomies. If you want to talk about the problem of absentee slumlords, you could consider them. That is, if you're genuinely concerned about the sad quality of life in the city.

[milt721]

No, I'm suggesting that your claim that he is an elected official and therefore more important than any other slumlord -- especially people such as Moroun, who owns hundreds of properties in various states of decay all over Detroit [[and whom LeDoof has done fawning fireside chats with) -- doesn't carry a lot of water.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, then. In the meantime, check this out: http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...L01/110202002/

[Scottathew]

especially people such as Moroun, who owns hundreds of properties in various states of decay all over Detroit [[and whom LeDoof has done fawning fireside chats with) -- doesn't carry a lot of water.

WJBK has done several negative stories on him. They did a huge story about how the Ambassador Bridge Co. didn't comply with court orders to remove the fence.

They did a story about how Moroun shut down streets cutting off all access to a bait shop.

They did a story on their non-compliance with MDOT's specs for the plaza.


Your conspiracy story doesn't fly.

[Detroitnerd]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, then. In the meantime, check this out: http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...L01/110202002/

Thanks, Milt. That's pretty neat.

[Scottathew]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, then. In the meantime, check this out: http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...L01/110202002/

Surprise, surprise. The evil little rat Moroun is buying up properties around Zug and Delray where the NITC will hopefully go one day.

[Detroitnerd]

WJBK has done several negative stories on him. They did a huge story about how the Ambassador Bridge Co. didn't comply with court orders to remove the fence.

They did a story about how Moroun shut down streets cutting off all access to a bait shop.

They did a story on their non-compliance with MDOT's specs for the plaza.

Your conspiracy story doesn't fly.

Those aren't stories about his decaying properties -- they are about his bridge company. And this is not a conspiracy theory, so, ummm, I don't understand why you are using that term. [[Unless you're just out of ideas and trying to throw everything against a wall to see what sticks...)

[Zacha341]

ROTFL! I needed that : )

....Confusing Detroit Fox 2 with the national Fox News Network? Ignorant. Next you'll be claiming the Tigers play at Comerica Bank and Mies Van der Rohe designed Lafayette Coney Island.

[gnome]

Gosh nerd you sure be playing clownboy 'round here. First you say the story is irrelavant, then it was the fault of a right-wing news organization, then it was the reporter, now the hubbub is all because no one is pointing enough fingers at Mr Maroun...each time you've been laughed out of the room.

Jeeze man, you sure enough working overtime trying to parse the nuance of important while tying yourself up in failed logic traps. It's like that guy who writes for the metrotimes who tries not to think about all the 9" TS ads that comprise his paycheck. See, it's not really all those pre-op trannies that pay his light bill. His pay really comes from paid subscriptions.

Oh wait.

[Crumbled_pavement]

Dnerd, for what it's worth I understand exactly what you are saying. You bring up some very good points too. The problem is Conyers is an elected leader in Detroit. He should be maintaining his property and setting a good example for the community. It is specifically his job, and it is what the community elected him to do, to uplift Detroit and help make it a better community, not to dump on Detroit. If Moroun is guilty of being a slumlord, and this goes for any other slumlord, Conyers should be working with the rest of Detroit's elected leadership [[and state leadership as well) to put screws to them and force them to clean up their act. Instead of Conyers going after Moroun and forcing him to clean up his act, Conyers joins Moroun as a fellow slumlord. Damn right I'm pissed! This is not the way forward.

EDIT: In other words, we're complaining about a police officer robbing a liquor store. You bring up the fact that there are about 20 or so hoodlums in the neighborhood that regularly rob liquor stores, why aren't we complaining about them? Why do they get a free pass? We're saying, it is the police officer's job to round them up, yet instead of that, he's joining them and doing the same thing. That's our issue.

[muskie1]

He is a perfect "lead by example" type of guy.

[RedeemerKid]

Well, considering you don't like powerful people to own blighted structures, you might start with Moroun. He owns hundreds of them. Just sayin'...

Well, you didn't directly answer my question but it seems you believe there is some pecking order whereby Conyers owned blight is off limits until some others are reconciled.

Irrespective of Moroun [[who is indeed taking plenty of his own heat in the media, and has next to nothing to do with this story) and his numerous issues, it just seems you want to give John Conyers a free pass on this issue as it somehow should be insulated from public view, media coverage, or negative opinion.

Seems that it's acceptable to you that the man lets his property decay and erode in the city. Others would suggest that it is inappropriate, regardless of who is pointing it out. But you divert the issue and make irresponsible claims that WJBK is being biased by reporting this.

When flat out asked if you are OK with what Conyers does [[or does not do) with his property, you avoid the question and again divert the subject to Moroun.

Whistling past the graveyard.

[Lowell]

I agree with just about everything John Conyers stands for. But on the issue of his homes, he is aloof to the point of being comatose. You just don't expect a congressman who supposedly cares about Detroit to mess up the neighborhoods like he has done by failing to maintain two houses that he owns.

And attacking the "hack reporter" and "politically motivated news network," sounds like Sarah Palin or Sean Hannity. I take LeDuff at his word that the neighbors called him, and the report showed a number of people who seemed upset.

Beyond his homes, Conyers' record is certainly ripe for criticism. Not his ideology, but his record of representing his district. He is an odd dude. He has been in office since 1965, but his tenure has been pretty erratic. With his gerrymandered new district, and his advancing age, this very well could be his last term.

My sentiments too.^ I agree with most of his politics but if he is going to wear a 'Kick Me' sign on his backside in the form blighted houses, my foot will be right up there with all the others.
He asked for it; he got it, FOX or not.

His advisers would be wise to persuade him to rehab both places. Certainly he must have the money.

[ragnarok1981]

Conyers has become part of the beltway crowd and pretty much lost touch with what is going on here in Detroit. I think it is a pretty safe assumption to say that his kids were probably not planned and if memory serves Monica was a staffer that he had a fling with and I think he married her after she was pregnant. While he does dote on the kids he also seems to do a lot of distance parenting and that has resulted in his kids being on the wild side and unfortunately getting a lot of their ethical leanings from their mom. Conyers has done a lot of great things for our region in his many years in office and he should be held in great esteem for that, but that does not give him a pass for everything that happens with him or his family. If you are going to enter the political field then you have to take the responsibilities that come with it and that includes keeping your "house" in order. Unfortunately he no longer seems to really care what goes on in his "house" and has let the kids and the wife do their own thing which has often resulted in dragging him down with them.
Detroiters and voters in general tend to not really care when it comes to voting, so if they see a name they recognize they vote for them. That is most likely why Monica got elected in the first place because I think we can all agree that she had no qualifications for the job. Now unfortunately it looks like the son is already planning on using the family name to break into the political field and I fear that Detroiters will be too damn stupid and vote him into office because of the Conyers name.

[Lowell]

I saw an interview with him a few nights ago. The Monica question came up. Did he visit her in prison? Yes. It would be very easy to 'toss her under the bus'. I think most politicians in his place would. But he hasn't and had no unkind words. Maybe she has something on him but I didn't get that feeling. He seemed genuinely sympatico. Go figure. Maybe it is because of the kids. I hope so.