Insiders say Kilpatrick's political influence may be felt in upcoming Detroit mayoral, city council races
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Burdens and opportunities await former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick now that he’s released from prison. The latter stems from his influence in the city.
"People love him here, we got social media - he doesn't even have to be physically in Detroit to be here," said political consultant Adolph Mongo.
And many say he could have an impact on the coming city council and mayoral elections.
It could just be speaking and reminding people that those who live here, have something that people who tend to make political contributions, don't," said PR expert Karen Dumas. "And that is the ability to vote. I think voter apathy has set in, because people have forgotten that their vote can matter.
"Like I said, a lot of people are quietly disappointed with where they find themselves in a predominantly African-American city. That a lot of what they see as progress has not benefitted the people who live here and lived here through thick and thin."
Political consultant Steve Hood says Kilpatrick’s support could bolster the potential campaigns of old allies and backers like Anthony Adams who is weighing a run for mayor and Sherry Gay Dagnogo who hand-delivered a letter to former President Donald Trump asking for Kilpatrick’s commutation.
"2021 is a big summer," he said. "You have the mayoral race and the entire City Council race. Former Mayor Kilpatrick, should he decide to engage, could play a big role."
The gift of Trump’s clemency comes with a curse of $11 million in restitution.
"The president could have done away with certain matters that will follow him, which the president didn’t," said Larry Dubin.
Dubin is the emeritus professor of law at the University of Detroit Mercy.
"Basically what he will have to do is report in income that he will be receiving - whether it be from a business or from a job, signing autographs, whatever the source is," Dubin said. "And then the authorities will work out with him some amount of money based upon the amount of income he has coming in."
"The only thing I don’t like about this pardon is, where’s Bobby? Where’s Bobby Ferguson?" Mongo said.
"I would understand where (former contractor) Bobby Ferguson would feel that he got a raw deal," Dubin said. "I suppose that with the new incoming president, President Biden, that may be a plea that is made to the president at some point to equalize the equity of that situation."
DETROIT - SEPTEMBER 2: Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick appears in Wayne County Circuit Court for a bond hearing on assault charges September 2, 2008. The mayor alledgedly assaulted two Wayne County police officers who were attempting to serve a subpoe