  Ltorivia485 Member Username: Ltorivia485 Post Number: 1344 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 69.215.246.6 |
Pay to play Hendrix runs on integrity but raises ethics questions By Bankole Thompson and Catherine Kelly The Michigan Citizen DETROIT — The question dogging mayoral hopeful Freman Hendrix is how did he leap from a job as a Wayne County bureaucrat to becoming a million dollar investor? While the major media, Detroit Police Officers Association and some unions have endorsed Hendrix as the savior for Detroit because of his organizational and business-skills. Hendrix’s record may state otherwise. According to an anonymous report distributed to the media, Hendrix is accused of “pay to play” politics. While other mainstream outlets glossed over the issues highlighted in the report, The Michigan Citizen has found the report raises valid questions. The former deputy mayor and ex-leader of Detroit Public School reform board may have used his position to cement his personal wealth and political future. Hendrix also has intimate ties with ex-Wayne County Ed McNamara and his administration which was rife with contracting scandals. There is an ongoing federal probe of the McNamara machine. No-bid deals, questionable motives and corruption questions shadow his administration. The Real Estate Deals According to Florida’s Collier County records, Hendrix, his wife Elaine and his brother Rudy paid $369,900 for a condominium in Naples in Feb. 2001. The following year, Hendrix and his family sold the condo for $580,000, a 50 percent return on investment. Hendrix bought the condo from Vanderbilt Partners II, a subsidiary of CG&S Investors. In 2003, Hendrix and his wife bought another condominium valued at $820,000 in Naples. The couple invested in The Grand Dominica at the Grand Preserve Condominiums also owned by Vanderbilt Partners. Anthony Soave, CEO of Soave Enterprises, who has been the subject of numerous federal investigations, has ties to the Florida development in which Hendrix invested. CG&S Investors, located at 3400 E. Lafayette, the same location that houses Soave Enterprises, is linked to Vanderbilt Partners, which sold the investment to Hendrix. Soave is a major contributor to Detroit politicians. Hendrix made this investment move months after he stepped down as chairman of the Detroit Public School “reform” board where he presided over a large contract budget. A recent report commissioned by the DPS transition team said the “reform” board bankrupted the district because funds and resources were mismanaged by various administrations that came in since the 1999 state takeover. Down on the Plantation The Plantation Club, is an entertainment resort in Naples that has tennis courts, an island surrounded by tropical foliage. Hendrix reportedly held a campaign fundraiser at the resort owned and operated by Vanderbilt Partners. Failed Golf Adventures While serving as former mayor Dennis Archer’s deputy, Hendrix invested in Mulligan’s Golf Learning Center in Auburn Hills. The golf center, destroyed by a storm in 2002, was an indoor practice facility. Hendrix business partners included: former Wayne County Executive Ed McNamara; Deputy County Executive Dale Jurcism, Director of Wayne County Airports; David Katz and local golfer Brian Ashley. At one time, David Katz was investigated for his role in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport contract scandal when contracts were awarded to friends and campaign contributors. According to the Detroit News, since 2003 the golf centers have been sued six times for defaulting on a $467,000 promise to pay 8,400 golf balls delivered in 2002. The state also said the centers owe $7,208 in taxes. Hendrix’s 20 percent stake in Mulligan Golf appears to have been funded through a $1 million loan from Comerica Bank, which did substantial business with the city of Detroit and Wayne County. Comerica also financed Mayor Archer’s over $230,000 city credit card spending. City officials, their homes and irregular bank loans? According to Wayne County land records, Hendrix used his home in Rosedale Park as security for the $1,050,000 loan from Comerica when the home’s actual value was $257,100. According to the Detroit Free Press’ source, this type of loan is “common.” Yet in 2004, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s chief of staff Christine Beatty was given $12,000 toward the down payment of a Rosedale Park home by Fifth Third Bank. At that time the Free Press reported, Fifth Third Bank had no contracts with the city. The Free Press covered the Beatty deal in several stories raising the question of ethics. Beatty told the Free Press she did not consider [her mortgage deal] a violation of the city’s ethics policy, which forbids city employees from using their position for private gain or engaging in behavior that gives the appearance of impropriety. Hendrix would not respond to requests for interview about how these allegations and charges would shape his ethics should he become mayor. | ||
The_aram Member Username: The_aram Post Number: 3827 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.31.87 |
"According to an anonymous report distributed to the media" Anybody could make anything up, put it in a "report," and send it to the Citizen, and they would gladly print it as gospel truth? Whatever happened to following up on your sources? People wonder why things appear in the Citizen that don't appear in the News and Freep... It's because the latter don't sensationalize an "anonymous report." More baseless accusations and sensationalizing anti-Hendrix rhetoric from the Michigan Citizen. Why am I not surprised? How do people consider this reputable news? | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1056 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.63.137 |
Aram, I agree with you 100%. Why is it that so much of the information on Hendrix, as reported by the Michigan Citizen, is taken from an "anonymous" report or source? Does the Citizen think readers are that gullible to keep believing that all this "anonymous BS" about Hendrix should be taken as "gospel." Also, how does the Citizen know that the News and Free Press received the anonymous report if they haven't reported on it? Were reporters from each of the daily newspapers at a press conference where somebody, that none of the reporters knew, gave them a report detailing information on Hendrix? Or did each of these reporters get a phone call from a "Deep Throat" type character telling them to meet him or her at a secret location and at that location each reporter received this "anonymous report" in the presence of each other? Or did each reporter receive a package through the mail which not only had info on Hendrix but informed each reporter that a similar package was sent to reporters at the other daily newspapers? Ltorivia, I see that you are doing the same thing as many of the other McPhail supporters: posting unsubstantiated claims and taking your information from the Michigan Citizen. If the information from the Citizen lacks credibility, then, Ltorivia, how do you think your credibility is going to hold up against educated forumers? Something to think about, Ltorivia. | ||
The_aram Member Username: The_aram Post Number: 3828 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.31.87 |
I think the already-up red flag started wildly waving around in my mind in the last sentence. Legitimate newspapers don't add the editorial commentary onto the sentence saying someone didn't respond to interview requests. Instead of "Hendrix would not respond to requests for interview about how these allegations and charges would shape his ethics should he become mayor.", it should have just read "Hendrix would not respond to requests for an interview." Seems to me everything in the Citizen is one part news, four parts editorial commentary, spin, or shoddy piecing together of the facts. | ||
Merchantgander Member Username: Merchantgander Post Number: 510 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 150.198.150.244 |
Royce, the other papers received the report to but unlike the Michigan Citizen, they actually investigated the report, obtained the missing pages that were conveniently left out and after their investigation it was proved everything Hendrix’s has said was true and the loan was legal. It is amazing what passes off as journalism these days. | ||
1honey Member Username: 1honey Post Number: 459 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 208.39.170.77 |
 KEY WORD - MICHIGAN CITIZEN | ||
Fnemecek Member Username: Fnemecek Post Number: 681 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 68.255.243.36 |
So, from reading the Michigan Citizen, Hendrix is only slightly less corrupt that the Big Diamond. And we should worry about that why? | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 939 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.40.226.188 |
Yes, we should worry about that. Don't you think it is tiem that deserve a leader who cares about the people? preservation of our city? educating children? making us a world class city? regional cooperation? I don't see these qualities in the other candidates - I only see them in McPhail. Yes, Hendrix might possess some good buddies in the suburbs but his heart is not in the right place for the people. As far as preservation goes? Well archer did not have a stellar record (remember Hudsons) and his wife works for Illitch...so I am sure he won't do anything there. Plus he had a chance for 7 years to make a difference and did nothing remarkable. | ||
Jdmdetroit Member Username: Jdmdetroit Post Number: 95 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 170.20.11.59 |
ILD... While I have no doubt that Sharon McPhail who cares about the people, preservation of our city and all that, I see no evidence that Hendrix does not. My firm hope is that, if one of them faces Kwame Kilpatrick in November, the other will work with the nominee. Of course, if they end up facing each OTHER in November, then it'll be a new ballgame. | ||
Bostedguy Member Username: Bostedguy Post Number: 8 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 69.212.62.24 |
ILD, I disagree with your assertion that Archer "did nothing remarkable." He spent much of his time cleaning up crap from CY. He brought some validity to the mayoral office and he certainly improved regional cooperation. He is a reason I moved to Detroit, and I was very disappointed he didn't run for mayor again. He would surely have been light years better than King Kwame. | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 941 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.40.226.188 |
Ehhhhh I have lived in Detroit for 13 years and the way I see it Archer was not horrible by any means. But population went down by 100,000 and nothing was done in the neighborhoods. Alot was done downtown which is good - but people just don't live downtown in droves like the do in the neighborhoods. | ||
Ltorivia485 Member Username: Ltorivia485 Post Number: 1371 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 64.211.208.76 |
Not long after this, Detroit’s public school system was taken over by the state. The elected school board was ousted and replaced by a body composed of members hand picked by local capitalists. Both Kilpatrick and the outgoing mayor, Dennis Archer, were instrumental in this state takeover. Community activists continue to struggle against this takeover, often staging protests at school board meetings. Most recently, the state has outlawed the city’s requirement that municipal employees, whether they are street cleaners or cops, live in Detroit, and forced the mayor to cut the city income tax or else lose state block grant money. (Cutting the city income tax may sound like a good thing, but the reality is that it was meant as an enticement for real estate developers to gentrify the neighborhoods around the downtown area.) All of these moves by the state government bear the imprint of Kilpatrick. As a state representative from Detroit, and state House Democratic leader, none of these moves could have made it all the way through the legislature without him at the very least giving a wink and a nod. Don't vote for Hendrix if you believe he's another "Archer." Archer did not fight the law that made city workers eligible to live outside the city limits, nor did he fight against the state takeover. Kwame Kilpatrick wanted the Proposal E to pass because he would have had control over the schools and pad himself with money in his pockets. Do this to save Detroit Public Schools and the city. http://www.socialistviewpoint. org/feb_02/feb_02_19.html | ||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 1899 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 12.75.18.164 |
??????? Don't ever criticize my sources again! lol | ||
Ltorivia485 Member Username: Ltorivia485 Post Number: 1373 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 64.211.208.76 |
Track, don't vote for Hendrix if you believe he's another "Archer." Archer did not fight the state law that made city workers eligible to live outside the city limits (contributing to the constant population loss in this city), nor did he fight against the state takeover. Kwame Kilpatrick wanted the Proposal E to pass because he would have had control over the schools and pad himself with money in his pockets. Do this to save Detroit Public Schools and the city. | ||
Brian Member Username: Brian Post Number: 2995 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.37.83.33 |
http://www.freep.com/money/bus iness/walsh26e_20050726.htm
Oops!!
Hendrix isn't as forthcoming and folks would like. What happened to the transparent person he claimed he was at Mackinac? |
