Trump Commutes The Hip-Hop Mayor!

Trump commutes and pardons ex-Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

PROTECT BLACK WOMEN! 

WEAR A DAMN MASK! SAVE A LIFE!

YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID!

GOOGLE'S BLOGGER IS TRASH!

On his way out, Donald J. Trump commutes the former mayor of Detroit.

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will be released from prison after serving seven years of a 28-year sentence for his role in a major corruption scandal after the former president commuted his sentence late Tuesday night.

Known as the "Hip-Hop Mayor" by The Source Magazine, Kilpatrick was a very prominent figure in Detroit politics. However under his watch, the city went into bankruptcy and faced a deadly pandemic of gun violence.

Kilpatrick used the city's funds on luxury trips, tickets to sporting events and a couple of side pieces. It was alleged, he used city funds on his mistress and his college friends.

His term came crashing down when the state of Michigan and the U.S. Justice Department looked into allegations of corruption, retaliatory actions against whistleblowers and attempted to destroy evidence. All of this put Kilpatrick in prison.

“President Trump commuted the sentence of the former Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Malik Kilpatrick,” according to the White House. “This commutation is strongly supported by prominent members of the Detroit community, Alveda King, Alice Johnson, Diamond and Silk, Pastor Paula White, Peter Karmanos, Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo of the Michigan House of Representatives, Rep. Karen Whitsett of the Michigan House of Representatives, and more than 30 faith leaders. Mr. Kilpatrick has served approximately 7 years in prison for his role in a racketeering and bribery scheme while he held public office. During his incarceration, Mr. Kilpatrick has taught public speaking classes and has led Bible Study groups with his fellow inmates.”

In October of 2020, Kilpatrick’s sister, Ayanna, said she expected the release to happen, but it never happened. “Due to suffering severe health challenges we expect Kwame Kilpatrick to receive a grant for COVID-19 compassionate release from the FBOP this week,” Ayanna Kilpatrick tweeted at the time.

As of Sunday night, Kilpatrick’s release date was still listed for January 18, 2037, on the Bureau of Prison inmate directory. Earlier this year, Kilpatrick’s family believed he would be released for COVID-19 concerns, but the request was denied by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Towering ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick gets a get out free card from Donald J. Trump.

Kilpatrick, 50, is currently serving a 28-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Oakdale, Louisiana.

Kilpatrick was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison in 2013 after being convicted of racketeering, mail fraud, and wire fraud, among other charges. He has been fighting his sentence ever since. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals had denied his original appeal of his conviction and sentence. He filed another motion in 2017 to vacate his prison sentence, and that was denied by a district court judge.

In 2019, he was denied again by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2018, Kilpatrick wrote a letter to President Donald Trump, asking for his sentence to be commuted.

In January 2020, billionaire Peter Karmanos, a long time friend of Kilpatrick, said he was working to get the ex-mayor a presidential pardon. Karmanos spoke on Charlie LeDuff’s podcast, implying that Kilpatrick was a victim of a political conspiracy and that he will use his influence with Trump to get him freed from prison.

In May, despite belief from his family that he would be released, Kilpatrick’s request for early release due to COVID-19 was rejected by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Kilpatrick served as mayor of Detroit from 2002 to 2008. He resigned in 2008 following the corruption scandal. Before serving as mayor, Kilpatrick served in the Michigan State House of Representative.