LR FOLLOW-UP
Monica Conyers was found to be guilty late Thursday, on federal bribery charges in relation to the Synagro sludge contract scandal. Though, the conviction has received little national media attention.
The Democrat-leaning news source, Detroit Free Press reports:
In a few short weeks, Conyers, who was the council’s president pro tem, went from one of Detroit’s most politically powerful and mercurial women to an admitted felon in a pay-to-play scheme for a $1.2-billion-plus sludge treatment contract… She admitted taking at least $6,000 from Detroit businessman Rayford Jackson to change her vote in favor of a $1.2-billion sludge disposal contract in 2007.
Implicated in other Scandals with former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
And FBI officials are promising that the investigation will go further. Continuing:
“This is not the beginning, and this is certainly not the end,” said Andrew Arena, of the Detroit FBI. “This is a battle against public corruption.”
People familiar with the investigation into city contracts said agents have asked questions about other officials, including felon and former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick…
Rep. Conyers could face Prison Time?
A key Obama ally, Congressman Conyers is Chairman of the powerful House Health and Human Services Committee. He is best known for having threatened to hold impeachment hearings for George Bush in 2007, over the War in Iraq.
From the Detroit Free Press:
According to her plea, Monica Conyers said she took two bribes in late 2007 that the Free Press has previously reported were at least $3,000 each. In his 2008 congressional financial disclosure forms which covered that period, John Conyers reported that no one in his immediate family had received gifts worth a total of at least $305.
Failing to list a bribe as a gift in the disclosure statement was part of the government’s case against former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. Lawmakers who knowingly file false financial disclosure forms can face fines or even prison, but federal prosecutors typically pursue such violations only as part of broader investigations.
Though, a spokesman for a liberal Democrat group defended Rep. Conyers. Continuing:
“As long as the conduct is really separate and doesn’t have anything to do with the member, as is the case here, I don’t see a problem for Chairman Conyers,” said Melanie Sloan.
An additional indictment of Rep. Conyers himself, could have a major impact on health care legislation, which is set to be debated in the House in the coming weeks.