The Associated PressLawyers for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick filed a lawsuit Thursday aimed at scuttling a hearing that could lead to his ouster, saying the proceedings would be unfair and presided over by a governor who is biased against him.
Wayne County Circuit Judge Robert Ziolkowski is expected to hear a request Friday to halt removal proceedings scheduled to start Wednesday.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm scheduled next week's hearing under a rarely used provision of the Michigan Constitution that allows the governor to evict officials for misconduct. Kilpatrick's political life is threatened not only by the hearing, but by felony charges that he lied under oath about an affair and assaulted investigators; he denies any wrongdoing.
MLive.comA new poll says Democrat Barack Obama has extended his lead over Republican John McCain in Michigan.
The survey conducted by the Detroit Free Press and WDIV-TV shows Obama leading McCain, 46 percent to 39 percent, with 12 percent undecided and 3 percent backing other candidates. But 31 percent of those polled say they could be persuaded to change their minds by Election Day.
WSJ.comFirst came Bear Stearns, then mortgage lenders and borrowers, followed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: They've all looked to Uncle Sam for a bailout, and now the word around Washington is that Detroit will be next on the taxpayer supplicant list.
Earlier this month, the Detroit Free Press reported that the top dogs at Ford, GM and Chrysler had a meeting of the minds and decided that the way out of their current losing streak would be to ask the feds for a lifeline. They figure they'll need $40 billion or so to ride out their current troubles until they reach the promised land of hybrids, the Chevy Volt, and, who knows, maybe even profits.
We've since heard that lobbyists for the car makers are taking their pitch for direct federal loans around Washington, with a goal of unveiling the plan after Labor Day -- conveniently in the frenzy of the fall election campaign. They've briefed Congressman John Dingell, the dean of Michigan Democrats, as well as officials in the Bush White House.
UPI.comA radio ad supporting embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is running on stations in the city.
Adolph Mongo, who was responsible for a controversial ad in 2005 that suggested Kilpatrick's critics were involved in a lynching, told The Detroit News that the goal is to suggest the mayor is innocent and put pressure on Wayne County District Attorney Kym Worthy to offer a plea bargain.
"Stop the chaos and bring this to an end," Mongo said. "Stop the lynching and dragging him all over the state."
On Tuesday, Kilpatrick won a small legal victory, the Detroit Free Press reported. A state appeals court upheld a judge who relaxed the conditions of Kilpatrick's bail, ruling that he does not need to be electronically monitored and can attend the Democratic Convention in Denver.
Detroit Free Press
Some Republican members of Michigan’s congressional delegation are back in Washington today calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - again - to bring Congress back to do something about high gas prices.
Rep. Candice Miller of Harrison Township is one of those who has returned to the nation’s capital in the middle of the August recess to go to the House floor and call for a special session. She says she knows Democrats in her district are "embarassed and frustrated and outraged" that Congress is on a break while gas prices remain as high as they do.
The Associated PressA judge has ruled there's enough evidence for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to stand trial on assault charges stemming from a confrontation with two investigators.
The investigators testified Friday that an angry Kilpatrick shoved one of them into the other and made racial remarks while they were trying to deliver a subpoena to a Kilpatrick friend.
Detroit Free PressThe DeVos Place convention center will host the state's first Great Lakes Green conference and exhibition. Events on Thursday and Friday are focused on builder topics and those on Saturday cater to homeowners and consumers interested in green products and services.
Rich Kogelschatz, president of Heartland Builders LLC in Rockford and chair of the conference, said the focus is on green building and remodeling.
More than 100 exhibitors will be set up on Thursday for an invitation-only reception hosted by Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell.
Chicago Tribune.comThe king of Sweden is coming to Flint.
King Carl XVI Gustaf is expected to visit Kettering University on Sept. 26 during a two-day trip to Michigan.
Kettering Provost Michael Harris tells The Flint Journal that plans are under way for a ceremony featuring Gov. Jennifer Granholm. He says the king is expected to talk with Detroit automakers during his visit, but Flint is his main destination.
Kettering is hoping Swedish Biogas International of Linkoping will build a plant in Flint that would convert human waste into vehicle fuel and generate heat and electricity.
