It's past time Kwame Kilpatrick has announced his intention to step down as mayor of the city of Detroit and end this ordeal that has held the citizens of Detroit hostage for far too long. The mayor has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice. He has agreed to serve four months in jail, pay up to $1 million in restitution, serve five years of probation, pledged not to run for mayor of Detroit for five years and he will surrender his state pension to the city of Detroit, which agreed to an $8.4 million settlement in the whistle-blower lawsuits filed by a group of former Detroit officers who alleged they were wronged. Kilpatrick has done the right thing and it's a shame he put himself in this position in the first place. A man who was on the fast track to greatness in Detroit and on a national stage in the Democratic Party has now seen it all crumble in disappointing fashion. Kilpatrick has ruined greatness - his own greatness - and an opportunity to truly leave a positive historic mark on the city of Detroit. Instead, he resigns in disgrace, will have to pay big-time money as restitution and will go to jail. It's a shame, but finally it looks like the worst damage may be over and the city of Detroit and state of Michigan can begin to awaken and rebuild from this all-too-real nightmare.
Detroit Free Press on Kilpatrick:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS01/309050001
Detroit News on Kilpatrick:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/METRO/809040440
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