Beckham will relinquish the title of chief administrator officer

[Tig3rzhark]

http://www.freep.com/comments/articl...-team-adds-COO

Beckham definitely isn't my favorite city employee.

Although he isn't the chief administrator officer anymore, he will be an overseer of DDOT.

This isn't good.

[Detroitnerd]

Heck, Beckham goes where the money is, don't he? Must be something he can squeeze DDOT for. Wonder how he'll F it up anymore than it is.

[MichMatters]

The title is something more than misleading or at least incompleted. This is a reshuffling; he's becoming the city's COO, which isn't much different than his old job.

Hopefully, Bing goes further. Hopefully, this restructuring is just the beginning and the painful but necessary cuts can finally begin in earnest.

[ct_alum]

Isn't he a CONVICTED FELON?

[Tig3rzhark]

Isn't he a CONVICTED FELON?

Yes, he is a convicted felon, and yet he still has a job with the city.

[ziggyselbin]

Yes, he is a convicted felon, and yet he still has a job with the city.

He served his time. Nothing in the charter prevents him or anyone from being employed as a convicted felon. Not being apart of it I have to think that he likely has skills that make him valuable. Being a convicted criminal does not preclude one from having needed skills or that he/she could have changed their ways.

[kraig]

He served his time. Nothing in the charter prevents him or anyone from being employed as a convicted felon. Not being apart of it I have to think that he likely has skills that make him valuable. Being a convicted criminal does not preclude one from having needed skills or that he/she could have changed their ways.

The state law would beg to differ.

750.118 Public officer; accepting bribe.

Sec. 118.
Public officer accepting bribe—Any executive, legislative or judicial officer who shall corruptly accept any gift or gratuity, or any promise to make any gift, or to do any act beneficial to such officer, under an agreement, or with an understanding that his vote, opinion or judgment shall be given in any particular manner, or upon a particular side of any question, cause or proceeding, which is or may be by law brought before him in his official capacity, or that in such capacity, he shall make any particular nomination or appointment, shall forfeit his office, and be forever disqualified to hold any public office, trust or appointment under the constitution or laws of this state, and shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not more than 10 years, or by fine of not more than 5,000 dollars.

[ziggyselbin]

The state law would beg to differ.

750.118 Public officer; accepting bribe.

Sec. 118.
Public officer accepting bribe—Any executive, legislative or judicial officer who shall corruptly accept any gift or gratuity, or any promise to make any gift, or to do any act beneficial to such officer, under an agreement, or with an understanding that his vote, opinion or judgment shall be given in any particular manner, or upon a particular side of any question, cause or proceeding, which is or may be by law brought before him in his official capacity, or that in such capacity, he shall make any particular nomination or appointment, shall forfeit his office, and be forever disqualified to hold any public office, trust or appointment under the constitution or laws of this state, and shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not more than 10 years, or by fine of not more than 5,000 dollars.

Well then how is it that he has the gig?

[bailey]

Well then how is it that he has the gig?

I believe that is the question everyone would like Mr. Bing to answer.

[Detroitnerd]

Bing is just a fresh figurehead slapped on the Same Old Ship: The S.S. McNamara.

[MichMatters]

Why does his record keep bring brought up? I don't ask because it's doesn't matter, but because everyone already knows he was convicted and paid his time, and it was made an issue of during the campaign. It's not as if its a secret. If anyone has dropped the ball, it's the state's top prosecutor or county. If the law really is this unambiguous, and everyone and their momma knows his record, whose responsibility is it to rememdy the situation? The answer seems kind of obvious, doesn't it? I mean, Worthy and Cox went Kilpatrick as if he was the devil incarnate.

[Detroitnerd]

Why does his record keep bring brought up? I don't ask because it's doesn't matter, but because everyone already knows he was convicted and paid his time, and it was made an issue of during the campaign. It's not as if its a secret. If anyone has dropped the ball, it's the state's top prosecutor or county. If the law really is this unambiguous, and everyone and their momma knows his record, whose responsibility is it to rememdy the situation? The answer seems kind of obvious, doesn't it? I mean, Worthy and Cox went Kilpatrick as if he was the devil incarnate.

Um, Cox? The McNamara flunky who failed to put people under oath in his many interviews about Kilpatrick? The guy who never found any evidence of the party? Who would have been happy to turn a blind eye until KK's crimes became way too obvious?

Cox will never aggressively pursue anybody connected with the old Wayne County machine unless a gun is to his head.

[kraig]

Well then how is it that he has the gig?

The court's are looking at that right now. He should have never been on the ballot in 2001 or been picked up by Kwame. However, if you look at who was in position to put a stop to things, you'll understand why nothing was done.

The election commission at the time was made up of Gil Hill, who was running for mayor, Jackie Currie, who was running for her third term as city clerk, and whoever was Corp Counsel at the time [[The Corp Counsel for most of Archer's term had left to work for MGM casino's and Archer had announced that he was not running again so the position may have been vacant). Hill and Currie were busy running in their own races and weren't looking at any other issues.

Jennifer Granholm was the Attorney General and Mike Duggan was the Wayne County Prosecutor at that time. As McNamara cronies their only concern was getting Kwame into office. Anything else was irrelevant. Besides, he [[Beckham) wasn't considered a viable candidate anyway.

Beckham being brought on board by Kwame is not an Election Commission issue. So it wasn't considered by them. The Corporation Counsel [[Ruth Carter) was a Kwame appointee, and as we saw with the text messages, was not above breaking the law for the Kwamster. Another McNamara crony, Mike Cox, was the new AG. We're all keenly aware of the efforts he'll go to in order to avoid investigating any type of corruption in Detroit.

Which left only Kym Worthy and City Council's Research Division. Let's face it, up until she was in a position where she had no choice but to go after Kwame, she wasn't doing much as the County Prosecutor anyway. As far as Council's Research Division, everyone knows that the old man that's in charge of that office is afraid of his own shadow and it was after ground hog's day.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just how easy it is to violate the law around these parts and get away with it for a long period of time. The only reason it's in the court system now is because a private citizen, Agnes Hitchcock, Detroit's own Olympic Grapethrower, brought the matter up and took it to court.

[ziggyselbin]

The court's are looking at that right now. He should have never been on the ballot in 2001 or been picked up by Kwame. However, if you look at who was in position to put a stop to things, you'll understand why nothing was done.

The election commission at the time was made up of Gil Hill, who was running for mayor, Jackie Currie, who was running for her third term as city clerk, and whoever was Corp Counsel at the time [[The Corp Counsel for most of Archer's term had left to work for MGM casino's and Archer had announced that he was not running again so the position may have been vacant). Hill and Currie were busy running in their own races and weren't looking at any other issues.

Jennifer Granholm was the Attorney General and Mike Duggan was the Wayne County Prosecutor at that time. As McNamara cronies their only concern was getting Kwame into office. Anything else was irrelevant. Besides, he [[Beckham) wasn't considered a viable candidate anyway.

Beckham being brought on board by Kwame is not an Election Commission issue. So it wasn't considered by them. The Corporation Counsel [[Ruth Carter) was a Kwame appointee, and as we saw with the text messages, was not above breaking the law for the Kwamster. Another McNamara crony, Mike Cox, was the new AG. We're all keenly aware of the efforts he'll go to in order to avoid investigating any type of corruption in Detroit.

Which left only Kym Worthy and City Council's Research Division. Let's face it, up until she was in a position where she had no choice but to go after Kwame, she wasn't doing much as the County Prosecutor anyway. As far as Council's Research Division, everyone knows that the old man that's in charge of that office is afraid of his own shadow and it was after ground hog's day.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just how easy it is to violate the law around these parts and get away with it for a long period of time. The only reason it's in the court system now is because a private citizen, Agnes Hitchcock, Detroit's own Olympic Grapethrower, brought the matter up and took it to court.

What court and where? In order for a court to "look into it" some kind of case must be made; I have heard of nothing on the matter.

My guess is it is perfectly legal for him to be in the position he is in.

[kraig]

What court and where? In order for a court to "look into it" some kind of case must be made; I have heard of nothing on the matter.

My guess is it is perfectly legal for him to be in the position he is in.

Here's the case.

Hearing set in suit to oust Charlie Beckham

Charlie Beckham
By Diane Bukowski
Michigan Citizen

DETROIT — Community activist Agnes Hitchcock’s lawsuit asking for the removal of Charles Beckham, Mayor Dave Bing’s chief administrative officer, because of his 1984 federal convictions is scheduled for a precedent-setting hearing Jan. 15.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Robert Ziolkowski will consider Beckham’s motion for summary disposition, brought by Matthew Leitman of the Miller Canfield firm, and Hitchcock’s counter-motion, filed by attorney Ronnie Cromer, Jr. of Diallo, Cromer, Toussaint Posey & Polk. Both are to be filed by Dec. 7.

Ziolkowski approved Hitchcock’s request to bring the lawsuit Oct 27. It contends Beckham must be removed because a state statute, MCL 750.118, provides that any public officer convicted of bribery “be forever disqualified to hold any public office, trust or appointment under the constitution or laws of this state.”

Leitman contends a 1980 state attorney general ruling says the provision applies only if the individual involved was convicted and sentenced under the state Penal Code. Beckham was convicted on federal statutes involving racketeering, mail fraud and extortion in 1984.

“There is nothing under state election law or the city charter that calls for such an action,” said Leitman. “Beckham is not a public officer, someone whose authority and duties are outlined by the charter or state constitution. He is like Rahm Emmanuel, advisor and chief of staff to President Obama.”

In a brief filed before the Oct. 27 hearing, Leitman noted, “No Michigan court has considered whether the Bribery Statute’s ban on holding public office is triggered by a conviction from another jurisdiction, [[i.e. under federal law or the laws of another state), but several persuasive decisions from other state courts show that the statute does not apply to federal convictions.”

Decisions from other state courts are not binding elsewhere, meaning that Judge Ziolkowski’s ruling may set precedent. Leitman also argues that Beckham’s federal convictions do not legally constitute bribery.

‘Somebody behind Hitchcock’

“This is clearly political and not Agnes Hitchcock,” Beckham said earlier through Bing’s chief of communications Edward Cardenas. “ This is somebody behind Agnes Hitchcock who filed this. I am confident that we have a good, strong legal position.”

Hitchcock, steward of the Call ‘em Out coalition, responded, “Mr Beckham would like to think that grassroots activists don’t have any supporters, but it is more important for our supporters to stay behind the scenes. There is an abundance of support for our efforts.”

Beckham’s recent enactments of the lay-offs of bus drivers and drastic route cuts, the sales of the water department’s Macomb County Interceptor and Cobo Hall, and further cuts in recreation center hours have been the subject of many community and union protests.

The city’s unions, who endorsed Bing’s opponent Tom Barrow in the recent election, are continuing to face major problems at the bargaining table under Bing and Beckham.

“We are positioning ourselves for fact-finding in January,” said Al Garrett, President of Michigan AFSCME Council 25. “But they can drag this whole thing out until they bring in a receiver. We have said we are willing to make some concessions, but they are acting like they don’t even have to deal with us.”

Leamon Wilson, chair of the AFSCME City of Detroit Local Presidents, said, “The fact-finder meets with each side separately, but he used to meet with us in the same room. Then he goes to the city with our proposals and all they say is no.”

Beckham was previously water department director under Mayor Coleman Young, director at various times of the recreation, general services and public lighting departments under Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and is now CAO under Bing. He also ran for Mayor in the 2001 primary.


This may be why he'll no longer have the same title he had before. He'll still have the same juice, but it looks like the Bing Administration is trying to downplay his status.

[lilpup]

The court's are looking at that right now. He should have never been on the ballot in 2001 or been picked up by Kwame. However, if you look at who was in position to put a stop to things, you'll understand why nothing was done.

If that's the case convicted felon Barrow shouldn't have been on the ballot either.

[kraig]

If that's the case convicted felon Barrow shouldn't have been on the ballot either.

It's the type of felony conviction that makes the determination. Oddly enough, convictions for rape, murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, etc won't keep you off of the ballot or render you ineligible for a political appointment. But, a bribery conviction will. Beckham was convicted of bribery. Barrow was convicted of tax fraud and tax evasion, which, according to state law, does not make a candidate ineligible to run.

[kraig]

People only get caught if someone's in the mood to catch them.




December 22, 2009


Detroit judge faces suspension for mayor run
By DAWSON BELL
FREE PRESS LANSING BUREAU
Detroit 36th District Court Judge Brenda Sanders violated judicial conduct rules when she ran for mayor weeks after being elected in 2008, and when she solicited money for her judicial campaign, and should be suspended without pay for 21 days, according to a Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission recommendation obtained today by the Free Press.
Judges in Michigan are forbidden to run for a non-judicial office until 12 months after leaving the bench. Sanders claimed she was unaware of the rule when she filed to run for Detroit mayor in February’s special election. She agreed to accept a suspension of up to 42 days in August, according to documents from the commission.

The commission’s recommendation, dated Dec. 14, will be forwarded to the Michigan Supreme Court for final action.

[kraig]

HA! Kraig... "She was unaware of the rules." Um, don't you think you should know the rules if you're running for an office that has A LOT of "commonsense" rules like that. LOL.

A judge that's unaware of the law. See, it's that kind of stuff that has Dateline thinking they can do us the way they did. LOL.

[sumas]

Barrow's conviction was over turned and he was absolved of all wrong doing. I did not vote for Bing but had no issues when he won. He brought back the same old hacks who have been around for forever.

Now I have issues.

Bing sucks! What is this bull?. Is there some black man fraternity that keeps this machine oiled? A new day, a different page, I do not think so.

My Detroit has little to do with idiots who think they run things. Even Council with all the newbies are starting to wonder. Who is this dude?

The current shake up just shows how shallow this man is. His company just went belly up and his cronys get city jobs. Very creepy!

[kraig]

Barrow's conviction was over turned and he was absolved of all wrong doing. I did not vote for Bing but had no issues when he won. He brought back the same old hacks who have been around for forever.

Now I have issues.

Bing sucks! What is this bull?. Is there some black man fraternity that keeps this machine oiled? A new day, a different page, I do not think so.

My Detroit has little to do with idiots who think they run things. Even Council with all the newbies are starting to wonder. Who is this dude?

The current shake up just shows how shallow this man is. His company just went belly up and his cronys get city jobs. Very creepy!

Barrow was convicted on mulitple counts. Only one was overturned, the rest of the convictions still stand. But none of his convictions were the type that would prevent him from running for office.

I'm in agreement with everything after that.