Can FAMU ever catch a break? Florida A&M graduate, Kwame Kilpatrick, is back in the news, which has caused a collective sigh of aggravation from the university.
For the past year, the Detroit mayor has been involved in a sex-and-misconduct scandal. After pleading guilty to felony obstruction charges he will spend 120 days in jail. According to reports on MSNBC.com, Kilpatrick will be sentenced and sent to jail Oct. 28.
In addition to this, Kilpatrick must pay $1 million in restitution to the city, spend five years on probation during which he cannot run for office.
Considering the amount of negative attention he’s managed to attract during his mayoral tenure, running for another position in the local government probably wouldn’t be smart move. Kilpatrick was elected in 2001 at age 31, making him the youngest mayor in Detroit’s history.
It wasn’t long after his election that rumors about strippers and wild parties being held in the mayor’s mansion began. The rumors were never confirmed; however, Kilpatrick took a more serious blow after flirtatious text messages between he and Christine Beatty, his former aide, were discovered.
Embarrassing? You bet.
Nevertheless, Kilpatrick has certainly done a number of positive things during his tenure.
If truth be told, Kilpatrick did have his moments of sheer brilliance. As the son of Detroit congresswoman, Kilpatrick was able to persuade large businesses to invest in the city, which at one time, was suffering from serious auto issues.
Unfortunately for him, bad news always travels faster than good.
Jay Christie for the Editorial Board.