  Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 932 Registered: 05-2008 |
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20081120/M ETRO/811200378 Council president's trip blasted Detroit's Conyers accused of misusing funds by taking 2 police officers for security. Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News DETROIT -- City Council President Monica Conyers took along two police officers from the Executive Protection Unit last weekend to a National League of Cities conference in Orlando, Fla., which some colleagues say is a misuse of taxpayer dollars. Police spokesman James Tate confirmed the trip and said police have escorted Conyers during other jaunts out of town since she became president in September. But he didn't have specifics Wednesday about the excursions. "She is next in line to be the mayor," said Conyers' spokeswoman Denise Tolliver, who added that Conyers took two officers because one requested that a partner come to share the duties. "She absolutely needs that security. She is a woman. She can't protect herself in many instances. You have to be concerned with her safety." But protection for such trips is unusual for council members and some say it's unnecessary. When Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. was council president, he didn't take along cops on business or personal travel, except for the annual Detroit Regional Chamber Conference on Mackinac Island, said Cockrel spokesman Daniel Cherrin. And when he went to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to lobby for aid to the auto industry, Cockrel took along just one officer, Cherrin said. "The use of EPU is for extreme cases," said Councilman Kwame Kenyatta. "To have officers travel with you outside of the state where no one knows you and there is no threat ... that is a misuse of the privilege." Taxpayer funded security for elected officials in Detroit continues to be contentious, following what some say was abuse by former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Some school board members this week called for Superintendent Connie Calloway to cut her security detail. Typically, only the council president has a police officer, who can also serve as a driver, accompany her regularly outside council chambers. But individual council members can request an officer's protection. In this year's budget, there are eight police officers earmarked for council security. Most provide security during meetings. Tolliver, who went on the Florida trip, said Conyers just has security during her daily outings and sometimes has more than one officer accompany her depending on the situation. Tolliver said she didn't know of any other trips Conyers had taken with security, but Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel said she plans to ask questions about the spending. "With the city's and the state's continuing fiscal crisis -- absent a verifiable death threat -- there is no legitimate reason for any member of this council to be traveling out of state with one security person, let alone two," said Sheila Cockrel. Cherrin wouldn't disclose how many officers protect the mayor, saying it could compromise safety. But he said it is "clearly less" than Kilpatrick. In public, Cockrel generally has two officers with him. Another is assigned to his wife, while a third watches his house. The exact size of Kilpatrick's protection was elusive, but according to the city's 2007 budget, 14 police officer positions were budgeted for him and his family. At Detroit Public Schools, several board members have called on Calloway to cut her security detail in half to save money. School board member Marie Thornton said Calloway and Conyers should be more considerate with public money and in a city struggling with crime. "Why does she need two?" Thornton asked about Conyers. "She doesn't need that much security. Her track record shows she can fend for herself." No wallflower, Conyers made headlines shortly after being elected, when she was accused of punching a Walled Lake woman in 2006 during a bar brawl. Prosecutors found she acted in self-defense. This year, a Kilpatrick aide accused Conyers of threatening to get a gun and shoot him at a pension board meeting. The aide later withdrew his complaint. ------------------------------ -------- When will people learn we don't have money for this sort of thing? Two police officers...shameful. She doesn't need one! | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3727 Registered: 07-2004 |
She might need some help if she decides to have another batshit-crazy moment in a hotel lobby. But this is the scariest line in the whole piece: "'She is next in line to be the mayor,'" said Conyers' spokeswoman Denise Tolliver." Well, in the sense that Dick Cheney is "next in line" to be president, thank goodness. Based on that quote, I'd say Tolliver needs a spokesperson.  | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 3640 Registered: 04-2006 |
Who outside of Detroit knows who the hell she is? The lady on Youtube calling that other guy "Shrek"? Or maybe the lady on Youtube who got her ass handed to her by an 8th grader? Does her husband even have that type of security? | ||
Pffft Member Username: Pffft Post Number: 1818 Registered: 12-2003 |
Dodger, Best to link to stories, not cut and paste... | ||
Diehard Member Username: Diehard Post Number: 644 Registered: 03-2005 |
The EPUs are there to pull her off any people that disrespect her up in here. | ||
Spartacus Member Username: Spartacus Post Number: 340 Registered: 07-2005 |
It is disgusting that taxpayer money continues to be wasted in this way. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 2019 Registered: 04-2006 |
Iheartthed, I've met or seen John Conyers at various work/social events. Her husband is typically either by himself or with one other person who does not appear to be security but rather an advisor/assistant. | ||
Threecardmonte Member Username: Threecardmonte Post Number: 3 Registered: 11-2008 |
And yet she is in the news again: Now she's slapping a parliamentarian. Here for link. (Message edited by threecardmonte on November 20, 2008) | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 2906 Registered: 11-2007 |
Threecardmonte - it doesn't link. quote: As in George Clinton and the Parliament - Funkadelics ? | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3732 Registered: 07-2004 |
The best line is the last one. | ||
Threecardmonte Member Username: Threecardmonte Post Number: 4 Registered: 11-2008 |
Try it again. I goofed up the link. Newbie here. And you need to scroll down two posts. Parliamentarian as in Tear the Roof off Roberts Rules, mutha. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3733 Registered: 07-2004 |
"But that's for Robert. My name is Monica, not Robert. Who's this Robert, anyway? Has he been through my security?" | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 936 Registered: 05-2008 |
Thanks, Pffft. Someone made a comment about getting the hairy eyeball when they posted links in the forum... ;-) | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 504 Registered: 04-2008 |
Taking 2 police officers off the street for her own exclusive use outside the city is despicable. What about all the other citizens who need police protection while they are IN the city? | ||
Noggin Member Username: Noggin Post Number: 108 Registered: 09-2004 |
Maybe she is afraid of being slapped around by Goofy and Mickey! | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 507 Registered: 04-2008 |
Yeah! I wonder if she went there to try out for a role at Disney World? Let's see...Wicked Bitch of the North?...Dumbo?...Sleeping Ugly? | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 1098 Registered: 04-2006 |
classic: "In this year's budget, there are eight police officers earmarked for council security. Most provide security during meetings. " After seeing some of the council sessions on tv I can see why they need protection - protection from themselves. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3751 Registered: 07-2004 |
"Whatever! Whatever! Whatever!" | ||
Cinderpath Member Username: Cinderpath Post Number: 918 Registered: 05-2006 |
The heck with the cops being unnecessary, I think Monica Conyers is unnecessary as she occupies space, and consumes the planets resources, and doesn't really contribute anything. She is a liability, and overhead for the city. -Signed "Shrek". | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 761 Registered: 02-2006 |
batshit-crazy moment! I love that! With leadership like this, Detroit will continue to suffer a nasty image. I mean who in Florida even knows who the hell she is? | ||
Sg9018 Member Username: Sg9018 Post Number: 299 Registered: 10-2006 |
Guarding Monica: Conyers Angry about Questions Monica Conyers gets angry with Fox 2 asking questions about this. Monica saids what she always saids, the media is picking on her. http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/my fox/pages/News/Detail?contentI d=7939142&version=1&locale=EN- US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2. 1 | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 719 Registered: 05-2006 |
You can take the broad out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the broad. |
