Judge: Kilpatrick must scrimp to pay city back

**leland_palmer** · May-08-09, 05:08 PM

M.L. ELRICK • Free Press
http://freep.com/article/20090508/NE...+pay+city+back

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s bid to reduce his restitution payments to the City of Detroit were resoundingly rejected today, as a Wayne County Circuit judge ruled that Kilpatrick may have to live a less lavish lifestyle until his debt to Detroit is repaid.

“Although the court does not wish to impart an undue burden or hardship on defendant or his family, defendant must realize that he is convicted felon, and will have to balance meeting all of the conditions of his probation, including restitution payments, with a lifestyle in which he has grown accustomed,” Groner wrote in an apparent reference to the Cadillac Escalade Kilpatrick got after his release from jail and the 2,800-square-foot suburban home near Dallas, Tex.

“In other words,” Groner continued, Kilpatrick “may not be able to sustain an upper middle class existence while he still owes a debt to society and a substantial financial debt to the Citizens of Detroit."

From the News...

Kilpatrick's lawyer, Michael Alan Schwartz said, "When courts make mistakes, that's when we go to higher courts. Obviously we will take this to the court of appeals."

Good luck with that!

**Crumbled_pavement** · May-08-09, 05:59 PM

Shows how Kilpatrick loves the city that God appointed him to be mayor of. He loves the city so much that he will duck and dodge any attempt to pay back his debt to his beloved city. And there are people that wanted to give this slime 2nd and 3rd chances . . .

**g-dub** · May-08-09, 06:57 PM

Sweet, sweet schadenfreude.

**Crumbled_pavement** · May-08-09, 07:00 PM

Don't text me bro!

Blarf · May-09-09, 02:40 AM

I don't get it, wasn't he given a job that pays very well?

**rajdet** · May-09-09, 06:45 AM

What a effâ€˜in jerk! Instead of paying his restitution, Kwame's gonnaâ€™ pay his lawyers to contest the ruling. I hope the FBI comes down hard on his ass, and soon.

**Olddetroiter** · May-09-09, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by Blarf

I don't get it, wasn't he given a job that pays very well?

Depends on your definition of "pays very well." It seems $10,000 per month is poverty level for folks like Kwame.

**jams** · May-09-09, 07:08 AM

Golly gee, I wonder how many riding the bus every day are paying their fines from the income of a minimum wage job.

**Bigb23** · May-09-09, 07:15 AM

Don't text me bro!

Owwww.

**exdetroiter** · May-09-09, 08:22 AM

He's an asshole.If he doesnt want to pay, put his ass back in jail.

**daddeeo** · May-09-09, 10:02 AM

This guy takes entitlement to a new level.

**Bobl** · May-09-09, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by daddeeo

This guy takes entitlement to a new level.

Momma taught him that, and she continues to drive her Cadillac while representing one of the poorest and smallest congressional districts in the State, while representative Bart Stupak, whose district includes all of the U.P. and a slice of the Lower Peninsula, refused his car allowance, instead using his own pickup truck.
The apple does not fall far from the tree.

Retroit · May-09-09, 10:30 AM

Why aren't they garnishing his wages?

If it was okay to take money out of the paychecks of Detroiters [[& non-Detroiters, ref: Detroit Income Tax) to pay him, why is it not okay to take money out of his paycheck to pay Detroiters back?

**leland_palmer** · May-09-09, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Retroit

Why aren't they garnishing his wages?

From all reports, there are no garnishing laws in Texas.

**exdetroiter** · May-09-09, 12:19 PM

If he doesn't pay, he'll be in violation of the plea agreement and will go back to jail. He's going to pay. He'll just find a way to hustle up on more money.

Retroit · May-09-09, 01:59 PM

Thanks, leland_palmer.

From what I've gathered, in Texas, wages can only be garnished for three reasons.
1. IRS
2. Child Support
3. Student loans.

Sludgedaddy · May-09-09, 05:15 PM

Kwame can always go back and rely on the old time worn reply to what is owned by saying:" Mama pay you when the check comes."

**n7hn** · May-09-09, 06:24 PM

makes one think he chose texas for a reason eh?????

Plus that $10,000 a month is just his base salary. He gets commission on top of that , well if if finds someone that would buy from a grifter.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · May-10-09, 01:14 PM

That's probably one of the reasons why he moved to Texas. He knew beforehand, that his wages couldn't be garnisheed. Slick guy, that KK. He'll get his soon enough.

**exdetroiter** · May-10-09, 04:58 PM

Regardless of rather his wages can be garnished or not, everyone is failing to realize that payment of restitution is a condition of his probation. If he doesn't pay a warrant for his arrest will be issued and he will be picked up. I've known two people from Michigan whom got behind on child support. Friend of court issued warrants and had those new Texas residents arrested. Texas won't hesitate to get Kwame upon receipt of a warrant as a result of violation of his probation.

**firstandten** · May-11-09, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

That's probably one of the reasons why he moved to Texas. He knew beforehand, that his wages couldn't be garnisheed. Slick guy, that KK. He'll get his soon enough.

A smart person always has an exit plan. While KK was fighting and telling us he would never give up on Detroit he was putting his exit plan in place. I bet this court case is part of it. He would be crazy to not at least ask to get his payments reduced, delayed whatever. He can make his personal financial situation look anyway he wants. The court said no but the point is he at least asked.

**exdetroiter** · May-11-09, 08:04 AM

Ya, he can make his financial situation appear how ever he'd like it to, but then he would be pulling Karmonos into it, i.e. review of his financial records to see who is getting paid, how much and how often. There's something fishy and underlying as to why Mr. Karmonos threw Kwame a life jacket in the first place. Was that hush money?

**Brian No. 5.2** · May-11-09, 12:36 PM

Kilpatrick attorney Michael Alan Schwartz had argued in a March 24 court filing that Kilpatrick could only spare $6 a month from his $120,000 annual salary.

Is that a typo? Did his lawyer actually make this claim? If I was the judge, I would have immediately ended whatever hearing was taking place, because that is an insult to the court [[and obviously an insult to the city of Detroit). Six dollars?!?!? I can understand arguing that $6,000 is beyond what he can afford to pay--that's 60% of his base pay, and that is a lot of money for anyone--but $6? Not $3,600, not $1,600, not even $600, but $6. If that's accurate, he is an incredible deadbeat. Still driving a Cadillac, what a slap in the face.

He is unbelievable. If I worked for Compuware, I would be angry that such a person represents my company. He clearly doesn't believe he did anything wrong. Does his wife work? If not, why not? I don't care that it isn't her fault. She stuck with him. Those bills belong to both of them now. Come back and complain about being unable to afford the penalty when both of them are working, they've moved into a modest home, ditched the pimpmobiles, and stopped buying diamonds and $1,000 suits.

I hate to hope people fail, but I'm afraid he hasn't fallen far enough. I won't be happy until I see him on the side of the road picking up trash in an orange jumper.

**Crumbled_pavement** · May-11-09, 02:07 PM

If I was the judge I would have been eager to see his financial statements. I would have ended up increasing his monthy payments to $12k with a warning that everytime he tries to reduce payments I will increase them again.

**Hypestyles** · May-11-09, 02:28 PM

all the campaign accounts need to be siezed..

I wonder is the ex-mayor crying broke about his lawyer payments, clearly this is another high-profile barrister..

hopefully the ex-mayor cannot run for office while he still owes money.. right?

Oh... is the ex-mayor's lawsuit against SkyTel still going forward?