Thread: Wife of U.S. Rep John Conyers threatens colleague w/ gun

Wife of U.S. Rep John Conyers threatens colleague w/ gun


Thursday, February 21, 2008
No sanction for Monica Conyers
Pension board has no rules to address claim that trustee threatened colleague.
Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News


DETROIT -- The city's General Retirement System pension board couldn't take any action Wednesday over a raucous argument between an aide to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers because the board has no formal rules governing board members' behavior.

Conyers pointed out the omission to surprised fellow trustee members, after some suggested that she face a censure from the board. DeDan Milton, a Kilpatrick assistant and pension trustee, filed a police report last week claiming Conyers, the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers, threatened to get a gun and shoot him at a pension meeting.

"It's sad we don't have any rules," said Trustee Sheila Kneeshaw. "There was a threat made with a gun. There was one trustee that rushed another trustee.


"What we have right here is a mess."

At least two other trustees have backed up Milton's account of the argument. Conyers filed her own police report several hours after Milton's, saying he started the argument and that she never threatened him.

"When someone tries to pick a fight with me, my mechanism is to defend myself," Conyers said.

Milton said he plans to press charges against Conyers. Police still are investigating. "To take it to a threat that's taking it above and beyond," Milton said.

The board's lawyer, Ronald Zajac, said the board, in existence since 1938, has not officially adopted rules, but generally follows Robert's Rules of Order and has adopted other policies. But he confirmed there are no policies governing trustee behavior.

Board members said they want to make it a priority to develop rules.

Conyers also challenged Milton's status as Kilpatrick's representative on the board, saying the charter doesn't allow the mayor to appoint a designee.

But Zajac said city unions' bargaining agreements allow Kilpatrick to appoint a representative, and that trumps the charter.

You can reach Christine MacDonald at (313) 222-2396 or cmacdonald@detnews.com.

http://tinyurl.com/2yjaj8

So now they're going to waste months on writing "rules" they won't enforce anyway? Way to go!