Detroit mayor apologizes, draws mixed responses

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Detroit — Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded for forgiveness from his family and his constituents Wednesday in an emotional televised speech, his delayed response to recently revealed racy text messages that contradict his sworn testimony that he did not have a physical relationship with a key aide.

“I truly apologize to you,” Kilpatrick said, turning to his wife, Carlita, who sat by his side, holding his hand, at their family church.

“I am the mayor. I made the mistake,” Kilpatrick told Detroit residents, looking into the camera. “I am accountable.”

He did not publicly specify, however, what he was apologizing for, saying legal matters prevented him from doing so.

A prosecutor is investigating whether the mayor and chief of staff Christine Beatty lied under oath during a whistle-blower’s lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship. A conviction of lying under oath can bring up to 15 years of imprisonment.

Psychology freshman Krishan Williams, who has lived in Detroit for 18 years, said the scandal surrounding Kilpatrick reflects badly on him, both personally and as a mayor.

“Being loyal to your companion is like being loyal to the city that you’re supposed to run,” Williams said. “So if you can’t be loyal to one person, then you can’t be loyal to your city.”

Kilpatrick vowed to remain mayor in his speech, which aired live in prime time on Detroit TV stations.

“I remain in charge of the city,” he said during the speech at Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ. There was no audience and no reporters or photographers, save for the operator of the sole video camera used.

The speech ended a week of seclusion for Kilpatrick since the Detroit Free Press reported on the text messages. His only public response had been a written statement a week ago.

Computer science freshman Allan McDaniel, who has lived in Detroit for 18 years, said it reflects badly for him personally.

“It doesn’t affect him as a mayor but it affects the way people perceive him, the way people look at him, because they might look at him as not serious if he’s going around doing that when he should be doing more important things,” McDaniel said.

Carlita Kilpatrick also spoke Wednesday, describing the pain her husband had caused, but urging the city to remain committed to him.

Kwame Kilpatrick, 37, is in his second term and could run again next year, but the revelation of the text messages from 2002 and 2003 could end his political career.

The messages call into question testimony Kilpatrick and Beatty gave in a lawsuit filed by two police officers who alleged they were fired for investigating claims that the mayor used his security unit to cover up extramarital affairs.

In court, Kilpatrick and Beatty denied having a physical relationship, but the text messages reveal that they carried on a flirty, sometimes sexually explicit dialogue about where to meet and how to conceal their trysts.

Beatty submitted a letter of resignation Monday, effective Feb. 8.

Staff writer Eric Chiu contributed to this report.

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