@@leothenomad5675 free everything will continue to sound good to you until you realize just how damn little of it you’ll see. Put more Kool-Aid in your hair and go stand in the freeway.
He pardoned him because he's mad at Detroit for not helping him get four more years in office. So he thinks, "what's the worst thing I can do to Detroit?" And pardoning Kwame came to mind.
Wait a second: he leads prayer meetings in prison but enjoys extramarital activities? Sounds like he's filled with something a little more than the holy spirit.
Her being Kilpatrick's "Chief of Staff" officially qualifies as the Comment Of The Day. Congratulations Mr. Lehto! Thanks for the story behind this guy...my buddy who lives in Detroit texted me today about it and was really upset that he got pardoned. Now I know why.
Livid! It was also the 1st thing I saw this morning so I started out my day MAD. He does NOT deserve any consideration for getting out early. While his sentence was commuted he was not pardoned. The remnants of his being in office can be felt anytime I have to call the City of Detroit government for anything. I agree with you on your anger over this 1000% (yes one thousand).
I remember seeing a puff piece on Kwame Kilpatrick when he first hit the scene, running for Mayor of Detroit. Within 15 seconds of seeing him and his schtick, I told a friend, "He's going to wind up a guest of the government if he ever gets elected to anything." It didn't take anything close to as long as I expected, either.
@@stevelehto He had the potential to do so much good for the city. He was educated. An eloquent speaker and popular with the citizens. And then he got greedy and the rest is history. What an utter disappointment.
He had a long list of rich friends. They will help him start a go fund me to start a church of some sort and people will freely give him money. He's set. Unless he fs it up.
Mike Goldsberry Well Snowden really didn’t commit a crime he didn’t sell secrets he blew the whistle on the government committing crimes against the constitution hardly comparable to somebody committing rape and as far as facing the music I believe the government would not give him a fair trial they wanted Try am under special provisions I believe which he would not be privy to normal legal counsel
Mike Goldsberry Well on your first point you bring up a good question about show the president even have the right to do pardons at all and probably not?
Possibly your best video ever Mr Lehto! Your use of metaphor was masterful. Your timing and delivery were impeccable. Your verbal painting of the story was both colourful and evocative. I laughed myself hoarse. Thank you for an excellent episode.
@@MistyB-yv1uw - No. A horse is a large quadruped. Hoarse is "having or being characterized by a husky, grating voice"... as in "we yelled ourselves hoarse." I suggest you look up homonyms next 😄
@@billwilson5341 Mr. Wilson, according to your own made-up definition of racism, if it is racist to accuse someone of racism, then the fact of you accusing me of racism would mean that you are racist. However, this definition of racism is only accepted by brainwashed right-wing racists. I do not accept this definition. In the English language, words have meanings, and you can't just make up new definitions for words because you don't like the fact that a word describes you.
Most of these crimes were pre-Patriot Act, when government corruption was expected to be covered up by others in the government, and nobody expected anyone to go through a mayor's communications and blow a whistle. He was a 70s style mayor who had the ineptitude to do 70s things at the turn of the millennium. 20 years earlier his behavior would have been expected, applauded, and rewarded. Now it's 20 more years later and the public does not put up with this BS like they used to.
Steve mentioned that there were state charges too. Maybe they can throw him in state prison for some of those. Also - Corruption is a way of life for those who practice it. I'm sure this one did a lot more than he was convicted of. Someone should dust off the old texts and see if there is another charge there.
Sure he will. He will go to church to make connections for his next scam. It's call affinity scams/fraud. I met a couple that were members of 5 churches to they could make "friends" to scam. I also met a few if their victims.
I always thought Patricia Hearst being commuted by Carter and then ultimately pardoned by Clinton stunk to the high heavens . Just another rich spoiled socialite buying their way out of true justice .
I made my first trip to Michigan in 2008 from California for a music festival. I’m in the Central Valley and I was following it because it just seemed insane that he was just out there w the text messages. That they were so brazen and explicit with their city owned phones was shocking. But it showed how much hubris he and his “chief of staff” had in regards to their graft. When I heard his sentence was being commuted, I actually didn’t believe it until I saw it on Reuters. When a public servant is convicted of being corrupt, they should be punished to the fullest extent. But there were so many webs to his deceit that his sentence was correct and it sends the wrong message to commute that level of corruption.
Well, he was pardoned for his federal convictions. Could the state then go after him for anything that didn't have a federal equivalent since presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes?
Statute of limitations. It's been way too long. If the state had a case, they would have pursued it. There is nothing stopping states and Feds from charging for identical crimes from the start (dual sovereignty).
Yes, he will get to keep the perks of his convictions for the most part, but there are a million more for every one that gets caught. Government corruption is like layers of paint a mile thick, This guy's conviction is only a slight fading on the first layer.
I can understand having a rare, occasional need for a President to have the power of early release. But, this "shotgun" method of numerous releases, does not make sense, belittles our justice system, and is flat out wrong.
Lehto failed to mention the murder of a part time stripper known as 'Strawberry' (- I believe her last name was Green), who was found dead weeks after reportedly being beaten with a club by Kwame's wife Carleta, who came home and discovered her 'entertaining' at the infamous Manoogian Manor party; a party that all partygoers denied ever happened. It was also rumored that the party was attended by then Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox - and that the couple of police officers Kilpatrick later fired had been investigating 'Strawberry's death (- she was found shot to death in her parked car); the murder was never solved.
Sesame streets Shuffleupagus is a gambler that plays poker and board games. He's rooting for the Bills in the Super Bowl Shuffleupagus will be shuffling off to Buffalo. He plans to retire in Florida and play shuffleboard and shuffle cards until he's bored
Too bad he didn't study that Bible BEFORE he commited the crimes or he would have known about the 11th Commandment: "Thou shalt not share thy rod with thy staff."
why wasn't the clintons sympathetic to trump? is hillary honest? she paid russia to produce the fake peetapes dossier. and used that as the basis for illegal spying warrants.
Followed the Criminal Mayors News/Arrest/Disobeying Judges/Trail and Jail. I am still extremely upset in what Trump did in allowing him out of Jail...sad.
I'm obviously not keen on the president pardoning all his cronies, but I can't condone the absurdly long sentences the US uses to prop up it's terrible prison system either. The guy was already locked up for 8 years. Maybe he could've done a little more, but 28 feels like even more of an affront to justice.
MY THEORY: 1) He wanted to appease all the celebrities that spoke up for Kilpatrick, buying social capital with them. 2) He liked the idea of releasing a veritable monster back into society to wreak more havoc (sort of a "scorched earth by proxy" move). 3) He might want to one day hold him up and say to the world "Look, if THIS guy can be forgiven, then surely I can too!"
The DFP wrote in their column that Kwame claimed to have 98¢ in his prison trust fund commissary account. All that really means is that he blew all his $$$ on soda, chips and honey buns...don't ask me how I know.
Most criminals only serve part of their sentences. There is no possibility of a reoffend against city of Detroit. Tax payers bear the yearly cost of keeping him in jail. He wasn’t jailed for the fraud but tax evasion. The system fails to have checks on abuse of power.
Assange has not been extradited to the US, nor gone to trial here. I don't think you can pardon someone who has not been convicted. The same with Snowden who resides in Russia.
We need to stop allowing pardons after the elections. If they had to face the voters and explain their pardons of crooks they wouldn't get reelected. It would not stop all of the crap but it might limit some of it.
@@TheMegalusDoomslayer ...best economy, lowest unemployment including lowest unemployment for blacks and women, secured our borders, world peace with peace treaties in the Middle East, ...
@@wolverinesfight1213 best economnyunemployment my tush.. he didnt do any hard work at it.. just continued on with obamas numbers, then with the 2 trill tax scam, bankrupted the country
@@wolverinesfight1213 Peace? There haven't been any new treaties; he's ok'ed more bombing campaigns; he's openly antagonized Iran; and he's completely bought off by the biggest terrorist nation in the Middle East.
We need to have Congress and the senate pass a constitutional amendment that political crime or political corruption convictions cannot be pardoned by the president and the full sentence must be served
What your describing with the guy being attached to get contracts is like a miniature version of what happens across Canada with SNC Lavalin, regardless of the government in power. Government intervenes every time they get in trouble in other countries, and justifies it by saying SNC Lavalin 'creates jobs', but almost all of their income derives from government contracts, and the same engineers could be employed at other firms if those firms got the contracts instead.
Beatty was kind of smart after the trial, she dropped out sight and kept a low profile. The stupid mayor kept stirring up trouble, and kept getting his name in the paper. I live in Michigan and until this story I had forgotten her name.
I realize you are commenting on this because this is related to your beloved Michigan, but he also (in December) pardoned the Blackwater Guards who killed 14 and injured 17 innocent Iraqi civilians. They were only convicted in 2014. I believe the Presidential pardon puts too much power in one person's hands.
@Debra Charles Right, I'm sure it was actually Antifa Trump supporters based out of a pedophile QAnon Pizza shop in Iraq that did it, and they conspired with the thousands of independent media organizations to frame those who were pardoned.
The corruption is not only painful, it's an embarrassment of monumental scale, both as U.S. citizen and as a member of the human species. I think an extinction level event is the best thing that could happen to provide a clean slate and hopefully allow the possibility of a higher civilization to develop before befor the Sun inflates as a red giant to vaporize this planet.
As for Kilpatrick's extensive crimes while in office, an FBI agent who was part of the investigation at the time said Kilpatrick was basically, "running an organized crime operation out of the mayor's office". Many thousands of Detroiters spoke out adamantly in support of Kilpatrick as news of the investigation and accusations against him went on; as well as his mother, Carolyn 'Cheeks' Kilpatrick, who was a Federal Congresswoman at the time. His father, Bernard, was put in jail for a relatively short time as well; for 'assisting' contractors seeking contact and contracts with the mayor in return for cash. - I'd look for many to put Kwame back upon the pedestal once more.
I know about him! But I lived over in Windsor during that time, and yeah. The Escalade, the appointing of family members to government management positions that def shouldn't be there, I believe appropriating city funds to modify his home? I think he added a indoor pool or something, and other stuff. The fact he got re-elected after his first term, was shocking to say the least.
I saw the greed show and wow this guy was as horrible a politician ive ever seen.He was still doing horrible things after he got caught the first time.
IMO, Kilpatrick got the sentence he deserved. I just wished that all of the elected officials got the same attention as this guy. It's selective who They go after. And that makes a mockery of the entire system.
I was going to post the same point. While there certainly has to be an effective deterrent factor (to keep public officials honest), people get more for crimes of violence, and this wasn't one. To my mind, ten years in the big house is enough for most crimes, together with the usual felony prohibitions (gun rights, voting rights, certain professions being off limits) and a prohibition of holding public office ever again.
For the mayor’s relationship outside of the office with his chief of staff, Steve you should have worked in the word “Paramour.” It would have been a proper description.
I only learned what paramour was by a Law and Order episode repeat in 2020. I understand stand the hassle of having to explain a new word in a video. But when I heard the word on the TV, I just looked online at Merriam-Webster. But I know it may add extra work for some to have to look up a word or too. 😜😜😜
I thought the US is setting non violent criminals free these days. In many states they are even freeing violent offenders. Why not just set everyone free? (sarcasm)
There’s a guy sitting in prison on a 10 year sentence for domestic assault, rape, strangulation, and whatever they call it when someone won’t let another person leave…he went in in February 2021 and gets out in June 2022…they ran all the sentences together consecutive…so a 10 year sentence is served in less then 2 years…they caught the guy by comparing the arrow he shot through a cats head that made it home before dying…the arrow matched what he had in his quiver…yet he’s not considered dangerous…they didn’t even give the police department a copy of the protection order I had against this guy and when I called for help they had no clue about it and didn’t show up…
Presidential pardons affect only convictions for federal crimes. You did mention that Kwame was charged with state and local crimes as well but did not indicate the final disposition of those charges. Has Michigan also granted him a pardon? When prosecuting our public officials, we should lower the burden of proof, double their sentences, and revoke their pardon privileges. Public officials command the vast resources supplied by The People and generally misuse it to compensate and to protect themselves... and to obscure the evidence of their crimes. Lowering the burden of proof might offset this immense advantage and definitely would minimize their ability to divide The People's prosecution/defense allocation of resources. Doubling their sentences and making sure their sentences are served to completion might make others think twice about misusing their offices.
I think he's better known than you think and I'm not from anywhere near Michigan. In my life I've spent a few hours at the Detroit airport, and a couple days in East Lansing. But I instantly recognized "Kwame" when I was going through the complete list of pardons. "drugs, drugs, Bannon, sentence served 10 years ago, drugs, KWAMEEEEE!" I didn't remember which large city it was, but I remembered he was an incredibly, amazingly, ridiculously dirty mayor of some major city. I think I saw a big 3 news magazine segment (or full episode--60 Minutes, Dateline, something) on him years ago. Something gave him national attention. At this stage I'm all for amending the Constitution to just remove the pardon power, or at the very least limit it to being applied to people that have no affiliation with the President. No pardoning himself, family, friends, business associates, donators, co-conspirators, etc. No telling his people "I need you to break the law for me for the next 4 years--I'll pardon you before I leave office." When you have a get-out-of-jail-free card, you are living totally immune from federal justice and that CANNOT be what the framers intended. That wouldn't stop another Kwame-like pardon, but it'd be a big step in cleaning it up. (And for that matter, let's prevent more Ray Blanton incidents and fix the pardon power of governors, too...if someone is deserving, let the next governor who has no personal relationship or profit potential issue the pardon.)
Unfortunately the ex mayor is no different than other politicians, the idea of pardons by out going presidents and governors is a strange concept, being a peasant in this country and not part of the elite, it is hard to understand how they live, guess I’ll just go back to my simple life.
It’s called the Just-us system.
And vp Harris has plenty of freedumb
Oh fwwweeedumb
Welcome to the newly installed communist regime. That was not an inauguration.
@@sweetdrahthaar7951 WHAAAAAAAAAA
@@leothenomad5675 free everything will continue to sound good to you until you realize just how damn little of it you’ll see. Put more Kool-Aid in your hair and go stand in the freeway.
He pardoned him because he's mad at Detroit for not helping him get four more years in office. So he thinks, "what's the worst thing I can do to Detroit?" And pardoning Kwame came to mind.
now consider the murderers and assaulters neing released by that Kardashian & Oprah project.
Amazing the mental gymnastics Trump lovers do! Perhaps you should learn about his other pardons and his many many many connections to eggSTEIN.
Wait a second: he leads prayer meetings in prison but enjoys extramarital activities? Sounds like he's filled with something a little more than the holy spirit.
well look who pardoned him.
@@edmundwest5636 needs to win Detroit in 2024...
Who does that remind you of?
No extramarital activities while in prison.
@@jaystrickland4151 So, what happens in prison stays in prison?
When I heard this, my first thought was "You have got to be kidding". I'm guessing he'll soon be back in prison given his track record of behavior.
Made some contacts, learned and be scams, and knows better how to not get caught.
7@@jefferyharper5720
Her being Kilpatrick's "Chief of Staff" officially qualifies as the Comment Of The Day. Congratulations Mr. Lehto!
Thanks for the story behind this guy...my buddy who lives in Detroit texted me today about it and was really upset that he got pardoned. Now I know why.
Livid! It was also the 1st thing I saw this morning so I started out my day MAD. He does NOT deserve any consideration for getting out early. While his sentence was commuted he was not pardoned. The remnants of his being in office can be felt anytime I have to call the City of Detroit government for anything. I agree with you on your anger over this 1000% (yes one thousand).
So Amy Jo, same thing for trump, right? Have a nice rest of the day.
I remember seeing a puff piece on Kwame Kilpatrick when he first hit the scene, running for Mayor of Detroit. Within 15 seconds of seeing him and his schtick, I told a friend, "He's going to wind up a guest of the government if he ever gets elected to anything." It didn't take anything close to as long as I expected, either.
He got a ton of positive press early on. He was the "Hip Hop Mayor"!
@@stevelehto He had the potential to do so much good for the city. He was educated. An eloquent speaker and popular with the citizens. And then he got greedy and the rest is history. What an utter disappointment.
What an embarrassment, what a shame !....AND HE BLACK TOO ???!!!!
Question. So he owes the IRS $195,000, can't the IRS put him back in prison for failure to pay?
we can only hope
Surely this time he'll make his money legally...
We don't have debtor prisons.
He can be jailed for refusal to pay, but not the inability to pay.
@@jiaan100 This is going to be interesting. Hahahahahahaha!
@@tony_25or6to4 you can be imprisoned for child support and taxes that is it. You can not go for private debt.
If he owes money he'll likely continue his prison work and become a televangelist.
He had a long list of rich friends. They will help him start a go fund me to start a church of some sort and people will freely give him money. He's set. Unless he fs it up.
There is no criminal law requirement to pay any of that money back. It's a civil matter. You can't go to jail for not paying it.
Unbelievable criminal like him gets commuted and somebody like Snowden doesn’t get a pardon
Mike Goldsberry Well Snowden really didn’t commit a crime he didn’t sell secrets he blew the whistle on the government committing crimes against the constitution hardly comparable to somebody committing rape and as far as facing the music I believe the government would not give him a fair trial they wanted Try am under special provisions I believe which he would not be privy to normal legal counsel
Does Snowden have 2 million dollars?
Mike Goldsberry Well on your first point you bring up a good question about show the president even have the right to do pardons at all and probably not?
@Mike Goldsberry So what do u think about Flynn ? Shouldn't he have gone to PRISON?!!!
@Mike Goldsberry He didn't have to, trump dangle a pardon . You know : birds of a feather flock together.
"Chief of Staff": apt title for the position. In so many ways. Classic!
In the UK Parliament, there is the post of 'Black Rod' ... is it anything like that !?! 😂
I Like the fact that you try so hard to keep your channel family friendly.
She was his "chief of staff", now that's hilarious.
Just what kind of staff did he hav... oh, THAT type of "staff" LOL
"Chief of his staff" :)
Took me a couple of times to decipher the staff reference. But a firm heads up joke. I tip my cap.
And she probably massaged the wrongful discharge report.
She was his chief of staff at one point and it was later revealed that she was his “chief of staff”
I took a shot every time you said "We'll get to that in a second" Sorry...too drunk to finish the video...be back when I sober up! :)
Possibly your best video ever Mr Lehto! Your use of metaphor was masterful. Your timing and delivery were impeccable. Your verbal painting of the story was both colourful and evocative. I laughed myself hoarse. Thank you for an excellent episode.
What? You laughed yourself what?? Horse? That's what I thought you said
@@MistyB-yv1uw - No. A horse is a large quadruped. Hoarse is "having or being characterized by a husky, grating voice"... as in "we yelled ourselves hoarse."
I suggest you look up homonyms next 😄
@@SailingYachtSaltyLass yes we did.
@@MistyB-yv1uw - 😄 😄
So this is draining the swamp. Now I understand
Ah the swamp was in the federal prison system. Good thing he didn't drain any more than he already did.
This would hit me hard too if I lived in Detroit.
Steve had to live this and watch the aftermath since it happened right in his backyard.
If millions of people like Steve didn't tolerate white supremacy in their backyards, trump would have never been elected president...
@@networkedperson Shove your racism.
@@billwilson5341 you're confusing antiracism with racism. If you speak English, this shouldn't be confusing.
@@networkedperson: Racists, such as yourself, bring race into any conversation even where race is not an issue. Take your sh*t elsewhere, Racist.
@@billwilson5341 Mr. Wilson, according to your own made-up definition of racism, if it is racist to accuse someone of racism, then the fact of you accusing me of racism would mean that you are racist. However, this definition of racism is only accepted by brainwashed right-wing racists. I do not accept this definition. In the English language, words have meanings, and you can't just make up new definitions for words because you don't like the fact that a word describes you.
The guy made incriminating texts on a city issued device??? How would we catch them if they weren't so stupid?
He needed to take a lesson from HR Clinton.
Most of these crimes were pre-Patriot Act, when government corruption was expected to be covered up by others in the government, and nobody expected anyone to go through a mayor's communications and blow a whistle. He was a 70s style mayor who had the ineptitude to do 70s things at the turn of the millennium. 20 years earlier his behavior would have been expected, applauded, and rewarded. Now it's 20 more years later and the public does not put up with this BS like they used to.
They went to law school remember!!! university of kambugulan
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
I wonder if the State of Michigan can still come after him.
unless it was for state or city taxes or another crime it's doubtful.
Steve mentioned that there were state charges too. Maybe they can throw him in state prison for some of those.
Also - Corruption is a way of life for those who practice it. I'm sure this one did a lot more than he was convicted of. Someone should dust off the old texts and see if there is another charge there.
Bet he won't pick up a bible in the next 20 years.
This guy never cared
We shall see.
Sure he will. He will go to church to make connections for his next scam. It's call affinity scams/fraud. I met a couple that were members of 5 churches to they could make "friends" to scam. I also met a few if their victims.
I bet this will be his new career...Bible thumping pays well...
The pardoning of a corrupt public official could be considered a professional courtesy .
Of all the pardons, Kwame is the worst.
I think the Blackwater mercenary pardon was worse.
Agreed 100%
I always thought Patricia Hearst being commuted by Carter and then ultimately pardoned by Clinton stunk to the high heavens . Just another rich spoiled socialite buying their way out of true justice .
Thank you, Steve, for reviewing this issue! Important for people to know!!!
I made my first trip to Michigan in 2008 from California for a music festival. I’m in the Central Valley and I was following it because it just seemed insane that he was just out there w the text messages. That they were so brazen and explicit with their city owned phones was shocking. But it showed how much hubris he and his “chief of staff” had in regards to their graft. When I heard his sentence was being commuted, I actually didn’t believe it until I saw it on Reuters. When a public servant is convicted of being corrupt, they should be punished to the fullest extent. But there were so many webs to his deceit that his sentence was correct and it sends the wrong message to commute that level of corruption.
Well, he was pardoned for his federal convictions. Could the state then go after him for anything that didn't have a federal equivalent since presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes?
Statute of limitations. It's been way too long. If the state had a case, they would have pursued it. There is nothing stopping states and Feds from charging for identical crimes from the start (dual sovereignty).
Agree, corrupt politicians should stay in prison. Always enjoy your program and often learn something.
"Chief of....."staff"" 😂🤣😂
Excellent episode, Steve. Thank you.
At least it wasn't a full pardon and only a Commutation, so he is still a Convicted Felon and gets all the "Perks" of that title!
Yes, he will get to keep the perks of his convictions for the most part, but there are a million more for every one that gets caught. Government corruption is like layers of paint a mile thick, This guy's conviction is only a slight fading on the first layer.
You're gonna cry, all night long, 96 cents, cry cry cry...lol (Apologies to Question Mark & The Mysterions)
I can understand having a rare, occasional need for a President to have the power of early release. But, this "shotgun" method of numerous releases, does not make sense, belittles our justice system, and is flat out wrong.
Outgoing presidents tend to mass pardon during their last days in office. This isn’t new. Still, I get what you’re saying.
Lehto failed to mention the murder of a part time stripper known as 'Strawberry' (- I believe her last name was Green), who was found dead weeks after reportedly being beaten with a club by Kwame's wife Carleta, who came home and discovered her 'entertaining' at the infamous Manoogian Manor party; a party that all partygoers denied ever happened. It was also rumored that the party was attended by then Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox - and that the couple of police officers Kilpatrick later fired had been investigating 'Strawberry's death (- she was found shot to death in her parked car); the murder was never solved.
Hey - the video was getting too long as it was!
@@stevelehto - Got it. - I'm just pointing more about why I agree Kwame should have been left in jail; his wife should be there too!
Give the flint michigan mayor and water officials 28 years, give Zimmerman 28 yrs gtfoh
Sounds like everyone is going to make his life hell now that the walls of prison are not there to protect him. Did Trump do him a favor?
I'm a tennis player, ergo I'm guilty of racqueteering, lol
Sesame streets Shuffleupagus is a gambler that plays poker
and board games. He's rooting for the Bills in the Super Bowl
Shuffleupagus will be shuffling off to Buffalo. He plans to retire in Florida
and play shuffleboard and shuffle cards until he's bored
No, you're guilty of poor jokes.
@@joegonzales7794 My dad taught me how to tell dad jokes
Too bad he didn't study that Bible BEFORE he commited the crimes or he would have known about the 11th Commandment: "Thou shalt not share thy rod with thy staff."
Pardons were sold. Kilpatrick payed market value.
Politicians are always sympathetic toward other corrupt politicians.
why wasn't the clintons sympathetic to trump? is hillary honest?
she paid russia to produce the fake peetapes dossier. and used that as the basis for illegal spying warrants.
Followed the Criminal Mayors News/Arrest/Disobeying Judges/Trail and Jail. I am still extremely upset in what Trump did in allowing him out of Jail...sad.
I'm obviously not keen on the president pardoning all his cronies, but I can't condone the absurdly long sentences the US uses to prop up it's terrible prison system either. The guy was already locked up for 8 years. Maybe he could've done a little more, but 28 feels like even more of an affront to justice.
He was convicted if 21 felonies, committed while in office, if that helps.
In a "democracy" beyond national security grounds why should the President have executive powers?
MY THEORY:
1) He wanted to appease all the celebrities that spoke up for Kilpatrick, buying social capital with them.
2) He liked the idea of releasing a veritable monster back into society to wreak more havoc (sort of a "scorched earth by proxy" move).
3) He might want to one day hold him up and say to the world "Look, if THIS guy can be forgiven, then surely I can too!"
The DFP wrote in their column that Kwame claimed to have 98¢ in his prison trust fund commissary account. All that really means is that he blew all his $$$ on soda, chips and honey buns...don't ask me how I know.
Can the solicitation of bribery in exchange for pardons be used as grounds to overturn them?
Most criminals only serve part of their sentences. There is no possibility of a reoffend against city of Detroit. Tax payers bear the yearly cost of keeping him in jail. He wasn’t jailed for the fraud but tax evasion. The system fails to have checks on abuse of power.
He was convicted of 21 felonies.
The problem was that Kilpatrick thought he could play Congressman Games..what he did was like a normal day for a Congressman/Senator.....
Hundo, unfolded, on the top left side of the main cabinet, next to the red viper, above to WRIF sticker. 4.
But when was it edited? 😉
@@imouse3246 seconds later, when I realized I need to include the wrif sticker.
Looks like a Tucker...
ND
@@groermaik √
1st 🥇🤩🎉
He commuted this dirt bag, but Not Assange and Snowden ? MY HEART IS BROKEN :(
Assange has not been extradited to the US, nor gone to trial here. I don't think you can pardon someone who has not been convicted. The same with Snowden who resides in Russia.
Nearly spit out my drink when he read Diamond and Silk being considered prominent members of the community. 😂
"There's always enough time to do it over" --unless its a conviction that gets their sentence commuted by a knucklehead...
Take a shot every time Steve says 'We'll get to that in a second.'
My ex would not have liked that. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
so in a nutshell you have 1 corrupt guy giving a pardon 2 another corrupt guy ! and your shocked !!! WHY ?
We need to stop allowing pardons after the elections. If they had to face the voters and explain their pardons of crooks they wouldn't get reelected.
It would not stop all of the crap but it might limit some of it.
As much as I think trump did a lot for our country, this is BS!!
Can you name what he did for this country aside from terrorize it?
@@TheMegalusDoomslayer ...best economy, lowest unemployment including lowest unemployment for blacks and women, secured our borders, world peace with peace treaties in the Middle East, ...
@@wolverinesfight1213 best economnyunemployment my tush.. he didnt do any hard work at it.. just continued on with obamas numbers, then with the 2 trill tax scam, bankrupted the country
@@wolverinesfight1213 Peace? There haven't been any new treaties; he's ok'ed more bombing campaigns; he's openly antagonized Iran; and he's completely bought off by the biggest terrorist nation in the Middle East.
@@TheMegalusDoomslayer There have been four treaties signed.
We need to have Congress and the senate pass a constitutional amendment that political crime or political corruption convictions cannot be pardoned by the president and the full sentence must be served
Not that I don't agree, but good luck with that one.
How many people wanted Steve to go there today reference Monica Conyers and her own problems?
What your describing with the guy being attached to get contracts is like a miniature version of what happens across Canada with SNC Lavalin, regardless of the government in power. Government intervenes every time they get in trouble in other countries, and justifies it by saying SNC Lavalin 'creates jobs', but almost all of their income derives from government contracts, and the same engineers could be employed at other firms if those firms got the contracts instead.
I could see why Beatty was so into this man, he just has such a great way with words! We don't fire we un-apoint!
Beatty was kind of smart after the trial, she dropped out sight and kept a low profile. The stupid mayor kept stirring up trouble, and kept getting his name in the paper.
I live in Michigan and until this story I had forgotten her name.
I realize you are commenting on this because this is related to your beloved Michigan, but he also (in December) pardoned the Blackwater Guards who killed 14 and injured 17 innocent Iraqi civilians. They were only convicted in 2014. I believe the Presidential pardon puts too much power in one person's hands.
@Debra Charles Right, I'm sure it was actually Antifa Trump supporters based out of a pedophile QAnon Pizza shop in Iraq that did it, and they conspired with the thousands of independent media organizations to frame those who were pardoned.
The corruption is not only painful, it's an embarrassment of monumental scale, both as U.S. citizen and as a member of the human species. I think an extinction level event is the best thing that could happen to provide a clean slate and hopefully allow the possibility of a higher civilization to develop before befor the Sun inflates as a red giant to vaporize this planet.
Sadly I agree
He could have pardon Julian Assange and Edward Snowden and those would have been the right think to do.
He could have been a great mayor, had the charisma, but unfortunately went the wrong way
Charisma isn't a virtue. Intelligence, and calm efficiency in the face of adversity, that's a virtue.
@@Loganl1980 Neither is intelligence or calm efficiency a virtue.
One could say that about WW2 Germans.
Corruption is everywhere! So sickening.....
As for Kilpatrick's extensive crimes while in office, an FBI agent who was part of the investigation at the time said Kilpatrick was basically, "running an organized crime operation out of the mayor's office". Many thousands of Detroiters spoke out adamantly in support of Kilpatrick as news of the investigation and accusations against him went on; as well as his mother, Carolyn 'Cheeks' Kilpatrick, who was a Federal Congresswoman at the time. His father, Bernard, was put in jail for a relatively short time as well; for 'assisting' contractors seeking contact and contracts with the mayor in return for cash. - I'd look for many to put Kwame back upon the pedestal once more.
Kilpatric, has started a gofundme to help buy a house.
I know about him! But I lived over in Windsor during that time, and yeah. The Escalade, the appointing of family members to government management positions that def shouldn't be there, I believe appropriating city funds to modify his home? I think he added a indoor pool or something, and other stuff. The fact he got re-elected after his first term, was shocking to say the least.
I saw the greed show and wow this guy was as horrible a politician ive ever seen.He was still doing horrible things after he got caught the first time.
I really don't agree with Trump on this one...bad move.
which one DO you agree with Trump on? Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.?
Well he is out in the public now, maybe someone will make sure he does not get any older.
IMO, Kilpatrick got the sentence he deserved. I just wished that all of the elected officials got the same attention as this guy. It's selective who They go after. And that makes a mockery of the entire system.
And yet Trump would not pardon Julian Assange who was doing his job as a journalist and nothing more!
Does anyone not think this is just a big F U from Trump to Michigan for not voting for him in the presidential election?
I wonder how much money it takes to buy a pardon?
$2 million is the offer price.
One thing is for sure, Kilpatrick came up short and had to settle for a commutation.
th-cam.com/video/DZG0lUXjxfY/w-d-xo.html
He was incompetent at his Job?? AND guilty of nepotism?? And trump commuted his sentence??? Makes perfect sense to me.
You are so right, to the level of perfection. Seems like too many people are using this so called new math when figuring cause and effect vs rewards,
"All Presidents do this" voiced in the best Alex Jones impersonation.
Steve, come on man, federal sentences are always insane, 28 years? People get less for murder.
I was going to post the same point. While there certainly has to be an effective deterrent factor (to keep public officials honest), people get more for crimes of violence, and this wasn't one.
To my mind, ten years in the big house is enough for most crimes, together with the usual felony prohibitions (gun rights, voting rights, certain professions being off limits) and a prohibition of holding public office ever again.
For the mayor’s relationship outside of the office with his chief of staff, Steve you should have worked in the word “Paramour.” It would have been a proper description.
I considered it but I didn't want to stop and define it.
I only learned what paramour was by a Law and Order episode repeat in 2020. I understand stand the hassle of having to explain a new word in a video. But when I heard the word on the TV, I just looked online at Merriam-Webster. But I know it may add extra work for some to have to look up a word or too. 😜😜😜
" chief of staff" . I see what you did there .
Being his chief of staff was always a hard job.
It's got to be hard to be good.
Surprise, surprise.
Criminal pardons criminal.
I thought the US is setting non violent criminals free these days. In many states they are even freeing violent offenders. Why not just set everyone free? (sarcasm)
There’s a guy sitting in prison on a 10 year sentence for domestic assault, rape, strangulation, and whatever they call it when someone won’t let another person leave…he went in in February 2021 and gets out in June 2022…they ran all the sentences together consecutive…so a 10 year sentence is served in less then 2 years…they caught the guy by comparing the arrow he shot through a cats head that made it home before dying…the arrow matched what he had in his quiver…yet he’s not considered dangerous…they didn’t even give the police department a copy of the protection order I had against this guy and when I called for help they had no clue about it and didn’t show up…
He has friends in high places with political power and connections. There's the key factor!! And Trump is a fan of corruption.
If Kilpatrick picks the wrong city to live in this could turn into a death sentence.
Presidential pardons affect only convictions for federal crimes. You did mention that Kwame was charged with state and local crimes as well but did not indicate the final disposition of those charges. Has Michigan also granted him a pardon?
When prosecuting our public officials, we should lower the burden of proof, double their sentences, and revoke their pardon privileges. Public officials command the vast resources supplied by The People and generally misuse it to compensate and to protect themselves... and to obscure the evidence of their crimes. Lowering the burden of proof might offset this immense advantage and definitely would minimize their ability to divide The People's prosecution/defense allocation of resources. Doubling their sentences and making sure their sentences are served to completion might make others think twice about misusing their offices.
He served out the terms for those crimes.
@@stevelehto Thanks for the update. I suppose we should wish for longer state sentences...
Leading Bible studies in prison is NOT commendable
I think he's better known than you think and I'm not from anywhere near Michigan. In my life I've spent a few hours at the Detroit airport, and a couple days in East Lansing. But I instantly recognized "Kwame" when I was going through the complete list of pardons. "drugs, drugs, Bannon, sentence served 10 years ago, drugs, KWAMEEEEE!" I didn't remember which large city it was, but I remembered he was an incredibly, amazingly, ridiculously dirty mayor of some major city. I think I saw a big 3 news magazine segment (or full episode--60 Minutes, Dateline, something) on him years ago. Something gave him national attention.
At this stage I'm all for amending the Constitution to just remove the pardon power, or at the very least limit it to being applied to people that have no affiliation with the President. No pardoning himself, family, friends, business associates, donators, co-conspirators, etc. No telling his people "I need you to break the law for me for the next 4 years--I'll pardon you before I leave office." When you have a get-out-of-jail-free card, you are living totally immune from federal justice and that CANNOT be what the framers intended. That wouldn't stop another Kwame-like pardon, but it'd be a big step in cleaning it up. (And for that matter, let's prevent more Ray Blanton incidents and fix the pardon power of governors, too...if someone is deserving, let the next governor who has no personal relationship or profit potential issue the pardon.)
Unfortunately the ex mayor is no different than other politicians, the idea of pardons by out going presidents and governors is a strange concept, being a peasant in this country and not part of the elite, it is hard to understand how they live, guess I’ll just go back to my simple life.
Thank You & Ms. Heather!
Posting on Facebook...
He "obfuscated the truth". Is that anything like lying?
Here's a hint. It'll just go away like a miracle.
I love how you said " CHEIF OF STAFF " twice lol
It’s a political pre move for the black vote in Detroit for the future of the new party.
Was thinking the same
Who's black vote, majority of people I've met here in Michigan hate Kwame's guts.
Yeah you have no idea what your talking about. I'm actually from metro Detroit, and still live here
I think he had dirt that would come out if they didn't free him
Maybe it was to allow him to earn some money so he could pay back the restitution he owes.
Are you going to hire him?
No way............we actually had, at one time, the media investigating corruption........amazing
Good point! 😂
Commutation must have been going for a lower price than pardons.
The only thing I think of Detroit's of politics is "I would buy that for a dollar."
I actually use that phrase about once a week or so.
Nice robocop reference