Kwame Kilpatrick's fall reminiscent of a textbook Greek tragedy
Kwame Kilpatrick was found guilty on 24 of the 30 charges he faced.
AP Photo
What Could Have Been
One name that was not mentioned - someone who at one time might have been on the top of list of replacements for Senator Carl Levin - is that of former Detroit mayor, now convicted felon, Kwame Kilpatrick.
Standing well over 6 feet tall and in excess of 200 pounds, former football player, State Representative and former Mayor of Motown, Kilpatrick once seemed larger than life. His charisma, charm, and smile could fill a room on an even grander scale than his physical girth.
Kwame Kilpatrick, came from a political family. I knew both his parents, his mother, former Michigan Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick, and his father, Bernard (Bernie) Kilpatrick, a former Assistant County Executive during the Edward H. McNamara Administration (Wayne County, Michigan County Executive, 1987-2002).
Bernie and I were both elected to the Wayne County Charter Commissions in the early 80' representing Detroit.
Kwame got his charm, smile, and sense of political acumen from both parents. I met young Kwame before he sought elective office and came away from each encounter thinking “here is a young man that is going places."
At the time, I did not imagine "going places" would mean eventually resigning as Mayor, going to jail for perjury, and being sent back to jail for parole violations, ultimately found guilty on 24 counts and now facing "going away" to prison for 20 years or longer.
Truly disgraced, the former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick fits the definition of a Greek Tragedy defined as (in ancient Greek theatre): “A play in which the protagonist, usually a man of importance and outstanding personal qualities, falls to disaster through the combination of a personal failing and circumstances with which he cannot deal.”
Kilpatrick's mayorship was plagued by numerous scandals and continuous accusations of corruption. He eventually resigned after being charged with 10 felony counts, including perjury and obstruction of justice. Disgraced, he was sentenced to four months in jail after pleading guilty to reduced charges. With time off awarded for good behavior as a county inmate, he was released on probation after serving just 99 days.
Cue in the other shoe dropping: On May 25, 2010, he was sentenced to 18 months to 5 years in prison for violating his probation.
He found himself again fighting for his freedoms in Federal Court and lost. March 11, 2013 was not a good day for him. Kilpatrick was convicted on 24 of 30 counts, including five counts of extortion, racketeering, bribery and several mail, wire, and tax fraud.
The federal prosecutor called what took place during the former mayor’s term a "pattern of extortion, bribery and fraud". Jurors convicted the former Mayor and his friend and co-defendent, contractor Bobby Ferguson, of federal racketeering and other charges, but only convicted Kilpatrick's father Bernard on one tax charge.
The jury appeared not to totally wrap his father, Bernard up in the "sins" of the son.
The former mayor will be going away to federal prison for a long time — up to 20 years. His pedigree, charisma, and smile will do him little good there.
Guilty. The Greek tragedy’s final curtain has fallen on a man who at one time had the world at his fingertips... Mayor. Potential U.S. Senator. Future U.S. President? All traded in for a prison number.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel noted the sad day: “You have a very prominent public official. This guy had a tremendous opportunity ahead of him. He was a very unique brand and he tarnished that brand with what he did," Hackel said.
Long serving Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson lamented " There is tragedy and pain at many levels. Detroit's long, dark nightmare is finally over. Kwame Kilpatrick's is just beginning as he sits in prison for years to come and dreams of what might have been".
Justice has been served. Imagine, what could have been. Tragic.
Tom Watkins lead two major departments of state government: mental health and education. He was president and CEO of the economic council in Palm Beach County, FL. He currently is a business and education consultant in the US and China and can be reached at: tdwatkins88@gmail.com
Comments
jcj
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11:04 p.m.
If it had been a republican Mt Watkins would have said he was nothing more than a criminal! Do not try to make it something it was not! Kawame was a thug, criminal, nothing more!
walker101
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:51 p.m.
It was text book greed.
4Bells
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:11 p.m.
CODE KWAME = Political corruption and criminal activity in progress............
HB11
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:39 p.m.
I want to hear mom Carolyn ask the masses once again not to "let anyone talk about yall'z boy." http://youtu.be/bFunr5TAlMA
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 4:29 a.m.
Greek tragedy? Hardly. He is just a convicted thief, a cheat, and a liar. Who robbed from "his people".
An Arborigine
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:21 a.m.
He learned from the masters and when his time is done, he'll be 62. Next Mayor of Detroit if it still exists.
Mike
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:17 a.m.
Kwame was rotten. His dad was rotten. Both were convicted. Good riddance. I don't need to read garbage about how this was a tragedy. No, this is rotten culture emerging out of rotten culture emerging out of rotten culture. It is filth piled high upon filth.
Mike
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:39 a.m.
Also, how 'bout that principal of Skyline high!
Bill
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:02 a.m.
Perhaps one could relate Kwame and his gang to the Three Stooges. Kwame disgraced Detroit and is going where he should have gone long ago. Good luck to Detroit as they work toward recovery hpefully under the guidance of a qualified emergency manager.
Bill
Wed, Mar 20, 2013 : 7:13 p.m.
I apologize for what may have been deemed as an insult to The Three Stooges.
mady
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:15 p.m.
why on earth would you want to insult Larry, Moe and Curly like that?!
arborani
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:44 p.m.
Aw, c'mon - the Three Stooges had some redeeming qualities.
Elijah Shalis
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:52 a.m.
He is not reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. Greek Tragedies always involved the Gods and them causing the falls. This is all of his making.
CLX
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 11:27 p.m.
I'm pretty aghast that anyone thought that this guy had long term potential and that his demise is a tragedy. He was not a professional in any sense. He surrounded himself with friends, not advisers with talent and experience. Sorry, but anyone with any real knowledge knew exactly what he was.
Skyjockey43
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 10:52 p.m.
I'm still trying to decide which is worse: Governmental corruption in Detroit? or Governmental incompetence in Ann Arbor. Sadly only the former results in jail time.
pseudo
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
well, that and Ann Arbor is thriving and Detroit is not.
Local Yocal
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:25 p.m.
Isn't Mark Hackel's father ( a former Sheriff ) in jail as well?
My2centz
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:11 p.m.
My previous comment was removed. I will try to state what I said in a different way. Corruption should be rooted out continually. Kwame was not the first and will not be the last person to be tempted by greed. We do not need any more greek tragedies like this one.
Billy
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 8:27 p.m.
No...wrong. In fact I'm slightly disgusted that you would even begin to apply some noble description to the farce that was Kwame's Reign.
DBH
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 8 p.m.
Mr. Watkins, if you know the details KK is facing in terms of his sentence, could you clarify please? Earlier in your opinion piece you write he is facing prison "for 20 years or longer" which to me implies 20 years is the minimum. Later you write "The former mayor will be going away to federal prison for a long time — up to 20 years" which to me implies 20 years is the maximum. Which is it?
mady
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 7:49 p.m.
Greek tragedy, my B--t. King Kwame was brought down by his own arrogance and greed.
Dcam
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 7:45 p.m.
The part of a Greek scenario that I conjure up was settling accounts with outgoing officials. If they did well by the people they served, they were given a nice pension and a hearty thank you. If they did a mediocre job, their pension was also mediocre and the thank you was less than enthusiastic. If they a poor job, no pension and no thank you. If they did an outrageously poor or corrupt job, they got no pension, were exiled and sometimes executed. Those were the days indeed.
RunsWithScissors
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 7:24 p.m.
If Kilpatrick's story is a Greek Tragedy, then the Detroit City Council is kabuki theatre (kabuki can be interpreted as "avant-garde" or "bizarre" theatre).
RunsWithScissors
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 8:28 p.m.
It might be slapstick. But I keep visualizing them in garish makeup and screeching during a council meeting. (with many, many apologies to kabuki theatre fans)
beardown
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
I was thinking slapstick, ala keystone cops or the three stooges.
ac10award
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 7:21 p.m.
You cant polish a turd, why try to romanticize one?
Ignatz
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 7:20 p.m.
I really doubt Mayor Bling would have made US Senator. Enough Detroit voters bought his flash, but I don't think that would have translated state wide.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 6:56 p.m.
It's a simple tale of corruption, not a Greek tragedy. Why must you run so many opinion pieces from this high-up crony within the Democratic party? This is just spin, nothing more. Kilpatrick traded contracts for money. He's not the first to steal from Detroit like this, and he probably won't be the last.
dotdash
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 6:56 p.m.
I don't know. Usually in a Greek tragedy, the characteristic that leads to the downfall is the same one necessary to the rise. Bill Clinton is a good example because the characteristic that got him into trouble (his need for everyone to love him) was exactly the same characteristic that made him such a great politician to begin with. With Mr. Kilpatrick, it seems as if simple greed was the mechanism of his downfall. Not every great fall is a tragedy; some of them are just -- just desserts.
Arboriginal
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 6:34 p.m.
Great piece! He coulda been a contender!