  Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 2170 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.251.27.41 |
Rep. Kilpatrick lags in voting As House colleagues voted on key measures, congresswoman stumped for son, Detroit's mayor. By Deb Price / Detroit News Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Detroit, missed votes on homeland security in Washington on a day she instead delivered a feisty speech in Detroit defending her embattled son, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. On May 17, Rep. Kilpatrick was urging Detroiters to back "y'all's boy" at the mayor's May 17 kickoff campaign rally while her colleagues were passing a $31.9 billion bill to provide funds to protect the country against terrorism and address other homeland security threats. Kilpatrick missed two busy days of voting, May 16 and 17, and skipped another entire day of votes July 14, The Detroit News found in analyzing this year's voting attendance of Michigan's 17 members of Congress. Kilpatrick, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, which decides funding for homeland security and all other government programs, declined to be interviewed about her voting attendance. In a letter responding to inquiries about her whereabouts May 16 and 17 and July 14, she wrote, "I took personal leave time." The series of seven votes on the homeland security bill were held May 17, and included passage of amendments to provide $50 million to states to improve chemical plant security and $100 million to help states comply with new national driver's license standards. Since January, Kilpatrick has missed 34 votes. Her absenteeism this year is second-highest among members of the Michigan delegation. Only Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, missed more votes -- 43, most of them in February and March, when he was recovering from back surgery. In contrast, U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, is one of four Michigan congressional representatives with perfect voting attendance this year. "The taxpayers of this nation pay me a very good salary, and they expect me to be on the job," said Kildee, who has missed 21 of about 16,300 votes since he was elected in 1976 -- most of which were in 1985, when he was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer. "The only constitutional description of our job is to vote -- that is our primary responsibility," said Kildee. The three other Michigan lawmakers with perfect attendance so far this year are Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Reps. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, and Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak. Absenteeism can sometimes decide high-stakes issues, such as the July 28 vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which passed the House by two votes. Kildee argues that all votes are important, especially in the current era in which voting is one of the few levers of power Democrats have in a House solidly controlled by Republicans. Kilpatrick's absence was not pivotal to the outcome of any measure. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, missed two full days of votes on May 23 and July 25, for a total of six missed votes. On May 23, Miller attended meetings with news media outlets, her office said. She missed three votes, including two on "anti-spyware measures" to set criminal penalties for breaking into computers to damage them or steal data and to require software companies to get permission before putting programs onto people's computers to snatch data. On July 25, Miller was finishing up a three-day sail in the annual Port Huron to Mackinac race. She missed three votes on resolutions to commemorate women's right to vote, to promote life insurance awareness and to ask the Federal Trade Commission to investigate a video game, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," which contains hidden sex scenes that can be revealed with a program. "No vote is unimportant to Congresswoman Miller," said her press spokesman, Scott McFarlane. "In these cases, the outcome was not in jeopardy, and she had previous commitments." Freshman Rep. Joe Schwarz, R-Battle Creek, has missed seven votes, including two entire days of voting in which the House gave final approval to the defense and highway spending bills. On those days, Schwarz was in Ohio and then Battle Creek trying to persuade federal officials not to close Kellogg Air National Guard Base, which threatened 274 local jobs. A federal base closing panel announced Aug. 26 that it would keep that facility open. John Conyers, D-Detroit, missed 21 votes; John Dingell, D-Dearborn, 14 votes; Vern Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, 13 votes; Dave Camp, R-Midland, 11 votes; Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Township, 11 votes; Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, seven votes; Thaddeus McCotter, R-Livonia, seven votes; and Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, six . U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, has missed one vote. You can reach Deb Price at (202) 906-8205 or dprice@detnews.com. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 3057 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.174.217 |
YAYYY!!!! The party's over for him come November. | ||
Fnemecek Member Username: Fnemecek Post Number: 990 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.215.246.9 |
My prediction: look for Mayor Freman Hendrix to endorse Benny Napoleon for a congressional run against Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick next year. | ||
Metrodetguy Member Username: Metrodetguy Post Number: 1843 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.248.80.32 |
Interesting prediction FN, but I'm going to go with Hansen Clarke for my prediction. | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1048 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
Napoleon thinks that Hendrix will support him but my money goes with Hansen (wow Metro and I agree  )...Napoleon thought he was going to get big support with his endorsement of Hendrix but I think he sold himself to quickly and cheaply. Clarke held out. Besides Clarke is the flavor of the moment and Napoleon has too many skeletons in his closet with some folks in Detroit around his time as police chief. Although I like Clarke personally he is a bit of a goof ball and that may show with more public exposure. | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 160 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.79.86.206 |
The polce web site (Detroit Uncovered) says that Napoleon will be Hendrix' Chief of Police and he is developing his own reorg. plan, ready in the event that Hendrix wins. Detroit Uncovered has a great track record with inside information. | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1050 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.40.226.188 |
Hmmm I was pretty close to Benny and I got the impression that he was never really interested in being a police chief again - he wants something bigger and better. | ||
Warriorfan Member Username: Warriorfan Post Number: 78 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 68.43.81.191 |
Since Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick would almost certainly defend her seat, and she is a Democrat, would that mean that Hansen Clarke or Benny Napoleon would run as an Independent? | ||
Fnemecek Member Username: Fnemecek Post Number: 992 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.215.247.74 |
No, they would likely challenge her in the Democratic primary. |
