Is John Conyers Really Involved??

[Mista Alan]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story/WILSO...cIFi3vPAg.cspx

Do you think he was really knowledgeable of Monica's gain here? Did he know what he was signing?

[carman]

Well, let's see. He spoke against the project at every offering. Even his aide still thinks he is against it. And about the time that dollars are flying, he changes his position and is all for it. Duh.....I don't know....what do you think?

[ZRX Doug]

As asked your question only has two answers, and both are a thumbs-down for Monica's big gun..
A.) He knew what he was signing, and he's an effing crook.
B.) He didn't know what he was signing, and he's an effing idiot.
Either way, not a good thing, yanno?

[Brittz]

NO John is not involved.

[Mista Alan]

Though the feds did clear him. I wonder if they knew about this aspect??

[Stosh]

Here's a rhetorical question: Did he sign the letter? Really? Maybe someone else did, without his knowledge. They do have machines that will sign things for you.

[mjs]

Seriously, you think John didn't know what his wife was up to?

"Honey, we can't afford a new car!"
"Its Ok, its all paid off already."
"I see you didn't write a check, how did you pay for it?"
"Umm, I keep founding several thousand in the street."
"Oh, well, you always did have a sharp eye."

[Novine]

I'm not ready to give John Conyers a free pass. But let's not play the game where we equate our own households with his and then pass judgment based on what we think he should have known. I would bet that he spends the majority of his days in Washington DC or elsewhere, not at "home" in Detroit. Much of the day-to-day tasks of his office [[of any high-level Congressperson) is going to be handled by his staff. Whether he's willfully ignorant or just unaware, who can say, but I'm not going to pretend that John Conyers is going to know every last thing that goes on, especially when he's not around. None of that is an excuse for any criminal behavior or bad judgment by his staff. But let's be real and think about how people's lives really work, not project our own lives onto them.

[mjs]

Congress averages 140 days a year and he's one of the people who has missed the most votes so he must be home more often than you or I. I believe neither he nor his wife a are eligible for overtime and don't work second jobs delivering pizzas or waiting tables so the budget seems fairly straight forward. However, being a democrat, I do have to admit that he may have never learned addition or subtraction so maybe he is just an idiot.

[Novine]

What makes you think he's always at home when he's not in DC? As for his personal finances, again, I have no idea what Conyer's personal finances are like and neither do you. You can continue to make assumptions in ignorance but that's all it would be.

[MIRepublic]

However, being a democrat, I do have to admit that he may have never learned addition or subtraction so maybe he is just an idiot.

Ummm...WTF?

[mjs]

Ok, maybe it was a low blow, but it was just a joke because a party affiliation was fairly clear. In the real world, you marry a person that holds similar views to you and have a general idea of their morality on things such as whether they'll take multiple bribes. Its not enough to convict in a court of law, but if voters still think the odds don't say that he believes her only mistake was getting caught, they're being deluded by the political affiliation. Its like saying a mobster's wife doesn't know how her husband makes his living.

[jtf1972]

None of us knows the exact parameters of their relationship, but if the rumors are true then i would be willing they have never shared a checkbook and don't see each other or even talk very much.

...and I highly doubt Mr. has ever referred to Mrs. as "Honey."

[irish_mafia]

Just because they don't share a bed doesn't mean that they don't share bribes. Guilty, guilty, guilty!

[detr0itkid]

I'm fairly sure that they live in different houses, her on 7 mile, and him the east side of the DGC.

[East Detroit]

However, being a democrat, I do have to admit that he may have never learned addition or subtraction so maybe he is just an idiot.

You're a democrat?

[Melocoton]

You're a democrat?

Caught by the misplaced modifier police.

[kraig]

Here's a rhetorical question: Did he sign the letter? Really? Maybe someone else did, without his knowledge. They do have machines that will sign things for you.

June 30, 2009


John Conyers defends letter to EPA

By TODD SPANGLER and JIM SCHAEFER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS Before U.S. Rep. John Conyers was for a waste injection well in Romulus, he stood with fellow Democratic Rep. John Dingell who was against it.

In 2003, the influential husband of Monica Conyers appeared at a public hearing in Romulus, standing with fellow Michigan Democratic Rep. John Dingell, who was dead set against a planned hazardous waste injection well in that city.
“We’re trying to keep the God-given resources that this area is blessed with as healthy and as clean as possible,� Conyers told an audience on April 21, 2003.
Early today, John Conyers offered an explanation as to why his position changed before he sent a letter on July 17, 2007, to the Environmental Protection Agency in support of Greektown businessman Dimitrios [[Jim) Papas’ efforts to transfer permits that would restart the controversial, leak-prone well.
PDF: Read John Conyers' letter to the EPA
In a statement e-mailed to the Free Press just after midnight, Conyers’ office said he “determined that this was something the EPA should reconsider� based “on the context of the congressman’s representational duties to his constituents,� including the Detroit police and firemen’s pension board, which was heavily invested in the waste well operation.
The statement from Conyers’ spokeswoman went on to note that federal prosecutors cleared him of any involvement in the bribery investigation into Conyers’ wife.
Sam Riddle, the one-time political consultant and aide to Monica Conyers, told the Free Press last week that that Monica Conyers had indirectly benefited from Papas in 2007, before the EPA letter. It’s unclear whether John Conyers then knew of any financial ties between his wife and Papas.
The Free Press also has learned that Papas was a political supporter of Monica Conyers. He contributed $1,500 in 2005 to her successful run for City Council. He also cohosted a fund-raiser that brought $12,250 to her campaign, records show. Riddle, who spoke exclusively to the Free Press for Monday editions, said the 2007 EPA letter from John Conyers was generated by Monica Conyers after she arranged a $20,000 consulting contract for Riddle with Papas. One of Papas’ companies — Environmental Geo-Technologies — had contracted with the Detroit Police and Firemen’s Retirement System to operate the deep-injection well, in which the system had invested millions.
Riddle said Monica Conyers demanded $10,000 from Riddle as a finder’s fee.
In a statement Monday night, Papas said he has cooperated fully with federal agents who have investigated Monica Conyers and others.
“Mr. Papas categorically denies any wrongdoing in his past interactions with Monica Conyers or Sam Riddle,� the statement read. “During the period in question, Mr. Papas had no business before the City Council and he sought no special consideration in any matters of government.�
Papas also said he was told he is not a target of the ongoing investigation.
Monica Conyers pleaded guilty Friday to a felony for taking bribes in connection with an unrelated $1.2-billion sludge-hauling contract. Her crime carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison, and federal authorities said they plan to present evidence of other crimes at her sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg has said that agents have found no evidence that John Conyers “was knowingly or intentionally involved in Ms. Conyers’ illegal conduct.�
State Rep. Doug Geiss, a Taylor Democrat who represents Romulus and is an ardent opponent of the deep-injection well, demanded Monday that John Conyers clarify his position on the project.
“I’d like the congressman to go on the record,� he said. “I call for him to publicly state it.�
In his 2003 public testimony, Conyers — first elected in 1964 — said that while he wanted to continue discussions about the controversial well project, he was going to “join with� Dingell, who was firmly opposed to the project, “in a struggle that has been going on for many years.�
PDF: Read John Conyers' testimony
A year later, at another hearing, a member of Conyers’ staff painted a bleak picture of trucks loaded with hazardous waste rolling up I-75.
In that 2004 hearing, staffer Deanna Maher appeared for the congressman and said: “Everyone in the entire Downriver area, every community is totally against this injection well, and not just for environmental concerns.�
PDF: Read Deanna Maher's testimony None of those concerns were mentioned in Conyers’ 2007 letter to the EPA. Though in both, concerns were raised about the police and fire fund’s star-crossed investment in the Romulus well. In the end, the EPA rejected the specific requests sought in the Conyers letter.



John Conyers isn't some rookie politician that was being manipulated by his wife. There have been ethical issues with his office for years. He's dirty too.

[mjs]

Very good catch East Detroit. I really should start getting to bed well before 1:30 in the morning.

[Stosh]

Conyers’ office said he “determined that this was something the EPA should reconsider� based “on the context of the congressman’s representational duties to his constituents,� including the Detroit police and firemen’s pension board, which was heavily invested in the waste well operation.

.

Right. Now considerwhy it is that Conyers' office is blowing smoke in this matter. He should be more concerned with the quality of life in his district versus the inane defense of his wife's [[and others) investment choices in a fiduciary situation. His constituents, sadly, are not the pensioners. They are the residents of his district, who may or may not be the same people.