Kwame Kilpatrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kwame Kilpatrick
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Kilpatrick in 2006
|
|
| 72nd Mayor of Detroit | |
| In office January 1, 2002 – September 18, 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | Dennis Archer |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Cockrel Jr. |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 9th district |
|
| In office January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2002 |
|
| Preceded by | Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick |
| Succeeded by | Fred Durhal Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick
June 8, 1970 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Florida A&M University (BS) Michigan State University (JD) |
| Profession | Politician, author, teacher |
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick (born June 8, 1970) is an American former politician. He served as the 72nd mayor of Detroit from 2002 to 2008. Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the Democratic Party. He represented the 9th district in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1997 to 2002.
Kilpatrick resigned as mayor in September 2008 after facing legal challenges. He was sentenced to jail time and later released on probation. In 2010, he was sent to state prison for violating his probation. In 2013, he was found guilty of several federal charges, including issues related to mail and wire communications, and was sentenced to federal prison. On January 20, 2021, his sentence was shortened by President Donald Trump, and Kilpatrick was released from prison.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick was born on June 8, 1970. His parents are Bernard Kilpatrick and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. They divorced in 1981.
Kwame attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit. He then went to Florida A&M University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1992. While at FAMU, he played football as an offensive tackle and was a team captain. In 1999, he earned a law degree from Detroit College of Law-Michigan State University.
On September 9, 1995, he married Carlita Poles in Detroit. They had three children: Jalil, Jonas, and Jelani. He also has a sister, Ayanna, and a half-sister, Diarra. Kwame and Carlita divorced in 2018. In July 2021, he married Laticia Maria McGee.
His Parents' Public Service
Kwame's mother, Carolyn, had a long career in politics. She represented Detroit in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1979 to 1996. She then served in the United States House of Representatives from 1996 to 2010.
His father, Bernard, was a semi-professional basketball player and also involved in politics. He was elected to the Wayne County Commission. He also led the Wayne County Health and Human Services Department and served as chief of staff for former Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara.
Serving in the Michigan Legislature
Kilpatrick was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1996. He took over the Detroit-based seat after his mother left it to run for Congress. His campaign was run on a small budget.
He became the minority floor leader for the Michigan Democratic Party from 1998 to 2000. In 2001, he was elected as the house minority leader. He was the first African-American to hold this important position. Later in 2001, Kilpatrick decided to run for mayor of Detroit.
First Term as Detroit Mayor (2002–2006)
On New Year’s Day 2002, Kwame Kilpatrick became the youngest mayor of Detroit at age 31.
During his first term, some people criticized his spending. He used city funds for a car for his family and for personal expenses like spa treatments and expensive meals. He later paid back some of these charges. He also closed the historic Belle Isle Zoo and Belle Isle Aquarium due to the city's budget problems.
In 2005, Time magazine mentioned Kilpatrick as one of the mayors facing challenges in America.
Water Department Oversight
For many years, the mayor of Detroit was in charge of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department due to pollution issues. In 2005, questions arose about water department contracts. A federal judge ended Kilpatrick's special role over the water department. The judge praised Kilpatrick's work in managing the department.
Manoogian Mansion Party Rumors
In 2002, there were rumors about a party at the Manoogian Mansion. This is the official home of the mayor of Detroit. Some former police officers who were part of the mayor's security team claimed a party took place. Kilpatrick denied these claims. An investigation by the Michigan Attorney General and State Police found no proof that the party happened.
A woman named Tamara Greene was murdered in April 2003. Her family later filed a lawsuit against the city of Detroit. They claimed she was murdered to prevent her from talking about the Manoogian Mansion party. The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge.
Courtesy Protection in Washington, D.C.
In 2002, the Washington D.C. police decided they would only offer special police protection to Kilpatrick when he was doing official business. They stopped providing after-hours protection because of concerns about his activities during past visits.
2005 Re-election Campaign
Kilpatrick ran for re-election in 2005. His father, Bernard, spoke at a campaign rally. He compared media criticism of the mayor to unfair accusations. He later apologized for these comments.
Despite predictions that he would lose, Kilpatrick won his second term as mayor with 53% of the vote. He was the first Detroit mayor to come in second in a primary election and still win the general election.
Second Term as Detroit Mayor (2006–2008)
Tax Plan for Homeowners
In July 2006, Detroit's City Council approved Kilpatrick's plan to help homeowners with high property tax rates. The plan aimed to cut property taxes by 18% to 35%, depending on the home's value.
City Audit Reports
The city of Detroit was late in filing its financial audit reports for 2005–2006 and 2006–2007. The state treasury held back some money from the city because of these delays. Kilpatrick said he was partly to blame because too many accountants had been laid off.
Concerns About Hiring Practices
A 2008 newspaper article reported that about 100 people close to Kilpatrick were hired for city jobs. This practice became known as 'the friends and family plan.' Some of these appointees had little experience, and some even had false information on their résumés. While political appointments are allowed, the large number of these hirings was controversial, especially as many other city jobs were being cut.
The salaries for these friends and family members often increased significantly. For example, one of Kilpatrick's cousins saw a 77% salary increase over five years.
Incident with Police Officer
On July 24, 2008, a detective and an investigator went to Kilpatrick's sister's home to deliver a legal paper. Kilpatrick came out of the house and pushed the sheriff's deputy. The sheriff later stated that his officers handled the situation calmly and left the property. The case was then given to the Michigan State Police to investigate.
Life After Being Mayor
In 2012, Kilpatrick and a former city treasurer faced charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission. They were accused of receiving gifts from a company that wanted investments from the city's pension fund.
Kilpatrick also co-wrote a book about his life and political experiences called Surrendered: The Rise, Fall, & Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick. The book was released in August 2011. A public prosecutor later asked the courts to order the book's publisher to send Kilpatrick's earnings from the book to help pay for his legal costs.
Current Activities
Since his release from prison, Kilpatrick has worked as an "ordained minister, motivational speaker, consultant, and certified character coach." In April 2023, he was a guest speaker at a conference called "Black Agenda Movement." On June 15, 2024, Kilpatrick supported Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election.
Political History
- 2005 Race for Mayor (Detroit)
- Kwame Kilpatrick (D) (incumbent), 53%
- Freman Hendrix (D), 47%
- 2005 Race for Mayor (Detroit) (Primary Election)
- Freman Hendrix (D), 45%
- Kwame Kilpatrick (D) (incumbent), 34%
- Sharon McPhail (D), 12%
- Hansen Clarke (D), 8%
- 2001 Race for Mayor (Detroit)
- Kwame Kilpatrick (D), 54%
- Gil Hill (D), 46%
Group Memberships
As a politician, Kilpatrick was a member of the Democratic Party.
He was also a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition. This group works to make communities safer by reducing illegal guns. The group was co-chaired by Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston and Michael Bloomberg of New York City. By December 2012, he was no longer listed as a member of this group.
Personal Health
In July 2006, Kilpatrick was hospitalized in Houston, Texas. He was diagnosed with diverticulitis, a digestive condition. His doctor thought it might have been caused by a high-protein diet he was on for weight loss.
See also
In Spanish: Kwame Kilpatrick para niños
- Barbara L. McQuade, U.S. attorney who worked on cases involving Kilpatrick.
- Louis Miriani, former mayor of Detroit
- Richard Reading, former mayor of Detroit
