Controversies
Synagro bribery scandal and conviction
 | This section needs to be updated.(January 2016) |
On June 16, 2009, it was reported that Conyers had been linked to an ongoing corruption investigation in Detroit, involving alleged bribes offered by Synagro Technologies. Originally, case documents had referred only to "Council Member A" receiving bribes totaling more than $6,000 to influence passage of a contract with the city, but on June 16 the United States Attorney's Office confirmed that two Synagro representatives had named Conyers as the recipient. [7] [8]
Conyers was given a pre-indictment letter and offered a plea deal in the case. [7] On June 26, 2009, Conyers was charged with conspiring to commit bribery and pleaded guilty. [9]
On June 26, 2009, Conyers pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe in the Synagro Sludge scandal. [10] Three days later, Conyers officially resigned from the Detroit City Council, effective July 6. [11] Her former chief of staff, Sam Riddle, faced prosecution as well. Riddle's later trial included wiretap recordings of conversations with and about Conyers, in which he describes her as "crazy." [12] Testimony given during Riddle's trial on February 4, 2010, indicated that Conyers often left a downtown Detroit restaurant without paying for the meal; the restaurant's owner estimated that Conyers owed him about $3,000. [13] On March 10, 2010, Conyers was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. [14] During the sentencing hearing, Conyers requested to withdraw her guilty plea, which the judge denied. [15] She filed notice to appeal. [16]
Financial
In January 2009, Detroit's General Retirement System notified Conyers that she owed $5,600 to the city, which included travel advances not spent on business-class airfare to London. The pension board also claimed she had not submitted receipts for trips to Grand Cayman and Philadelphia. [17]
In April 2009, Conyers admitted she had helped her brother, Reggie Esters, a convicted felon, obtain a city job that was originally scheduled to last four months. It was extended to two years, ending only when Esters' absenteeism became an issue. Esters is reported to have submitted a false resume. She originally denied helping her brother. [18]
Personal/professional conduct
In February 2008, The Detroit News reported details of an exchange between Conyers and DeDan Milton, an aide to Mayor Kilpatrick. [19] Conyers allegedly made reference to a gun in an argument with Milton. Conyers has denied the allegations. The police reports have since been withdrawn. [20]
In April 2008, Conyers got into an argument with City Council President Ken Cockrel, Jr. during a public hearing. Cockrel reprimanded Conyers for interrupting fellow councilwoman JoAnn Watson, and Conyers turned on Cockrel. The argument escalated until Conyers referred to Cockrel as "Shrek", after the animated film character. [21] Cockrel tried to call for a recess, but Conyers continued insulting him. Video of the incident exists on YouTube. [22]
In February 2009, Conyers was involved in a confrontation with fellow council member Kwame Kenyatta. After Kenyatta insisted that Conyers submit in writing her request to cut his budget, Conyers insulted Kenyatta about his hearing aid, health, and lack of education. Conyers stated that Kenyatta needed to "learn how to talk to a woman", to which Kenyatta replied that when he was with a woman, he would do so. Conyers had to be restrained by a council staffer and a council security officer as she attempted to approach Kenyatta. [23] Conyers later sent an apology letter, which was rejected by Kenyatta; he thought it was insincere. [24] Conyers subsequently said that re-election "might not be worth it," in view of the constant public criticism of her. [24]
In February 2009, the Detroit Free Press editorial board opined that Conyers was no longer fit for office due to her increasingly "volatile" behavior. [25]
In March 2009, Conyers led a group of five members of the Detroit City Council who blocked the proposed transfer of ownership of Detroit Cobo Hall (the home of the North American International Auto Show) to a regional authority. The latter was to have representatives from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, which make up the metropolitan area.
Council hearings about the proposed deal became heated. She said to Isaac Robinson, a white official of the Teamsters union, that most of the people who customarily worked at the large annual show "don't look like me. They look like you." [26] When questioned about her remarks, she denied any intention of racism. Conyers said, "Black people cannot be racist". [27]
The subject reportedly lost her weekend radio show job at 910 AM Superstation (WFDF-AM) primarily for unapproved hotel lodging expenses in March 2017. [28]
