Discuss Detroit » Archives - March 2009 » DetroitUncovered's Officer Bennett to run for council « Previous Next »
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Lmichigan
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Username: Lmichigan

Post Number: 4209
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 2:27 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm really liking how candid he's being in this piece, to the point where he admits he's in the worst kind of company in oppossing the Cobo deal, but then going on criticize Conyers and the other four in how they handled it:

quote:

Blogging Detroit cop John Bennett to run for council

BY BEN SCHMITT • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • March 2, 2009

An outspoken Detroit police officer, who also runs a popular blog about city politics, has filed paperwork to run for City Council.

John Bennett, 46, filed 1,205 signatures with the city clerk’s office on Friday.

“I feel pretty good about my chance, considering the climate we’re in and the people’s desire for change,” Bennett said today.

Bennett has had a topsy-turvy career as a cop. He was fired nearly five years ago after he refused an order from then-Chief Jerry Oliver to shut down his Web site, www.firejerryo.com. The site is now called www.detroituncovered.com.

Bennett tried unsuccessfully to sue for his job back. He ultimately prevailed after the Detroit Police Officers Association took his case to the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.

He was recertified as a police officer last year. Bennett cleared his final hurdle when Chief James Barren administered the oath during a special ceremony at police headquarters.

Although he’s not a fan of City Council President Monica Conyers, Bennett said he agrees with her decision to vote down the Cobo Center deal.

“Unfortunately, I side with Monica Conyers on this,” Bennett said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen too often. Monica Conyers is an embarrassment to the city of Detroit and the people of the city of Detroit.”

Bennett said he’d like to see at least five council members get bounced from their jobs.

“All nine seats are up and hopefully we’ll get at least five new faces in there,” he said.



He's right about one thing; he's got a good shot at a seat.

(Message edited by lmichigan on March 03, 2009)
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Lilpup
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Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 5366
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 3:53 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Over the years he's written some stuff on his blog that would make me think twice.

In his recent post about the Cobo deal he complains about having given away the zoo and the DIA when no such thing has happened.
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Lmichigan
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Username: Lmichigan

Post Number: 4210
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 4:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Has anyone else announced intentions to run, yet?
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Danny
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Username: Danny

Post Number: 4530
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 8:03 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Paraphase:


Although he’s not a fan of City Council
President Monica Conyers, Bennett said he agrees with her decision to vote down the Cobo Center deal.

Quote:

“Unfortunately, I side with Monica Conyers on this,” Bennett said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen too often. Monica Conyers is an embarrassment to the city of Detroit and the people of the city of Detroit.”


You're not getting my vote, Officer Bennett. You do have principles in law enforcement, but not a city politics. Siding with Conyers about negative conflict will not get you to run for city council.

He will lose in time.
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Firstandten
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Username: Firstandten

Post Number: 741
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 8:49 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Officer Bennett needs to be vetted just like any other city council candidate. You may or may not like what you see. We need him to articulate his vision for Detroit. Its always easlier to call out some politicians perceived misdeeds.

However when you become the politician political reality comes in and everything isn't so black and white.
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Daddeeo
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Username: Daddeeo

Post Number: 516
Registered: 09-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 12:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sounds like he's as uninformed as the rest of them.
He's not the change we need.
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Sharmaal
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Username: Sharmaal

Post Number: 858
Registered: 09-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 12:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There are many people out there that seem to have good character. Good character (though lacking in Detroit politics) is not the only attribute.

I agree with Daddeeo.
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Ashdetroit
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Username: Ashdetroit

Post Number: 68
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 12:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I agree. I don't think he offers the type of well-rounded leadership anyone's looking for...though he does have some cojones. :-)
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Trayd
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Username: Trayd

Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 1:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hi all! I've been looking around here for the past month and decided to join. :-)

I haven't been in Detroit for the past few years, but was born and raised here. I wasn't completely aware of everything that has been happening with Officer Bennett, but finally got more about his situation, his website, etc and I must say that he rubs me the wrong way. If what I heard was correct in that he was working for the police dept and decided to create a site to expose issues going on WHILE still employed there, well I'd fire him too. I don't know the entire story, but if he never went to his boss, etc about his thoughts and feelings, then creating a site to expose it all isn't the right way to handle things. Even if he did go to his employers about his thoughts, his tactics still weren't right in my opinion. There were just better ways to handle it w/out creating a public website about it all. So I would just wonder what he would do if he were elected to the council and some shady business went down. What would he do? How would he handle it?

Just my two cents
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Bobby08
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Username: Bobby08

Post Number: 156
Registered: 09-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 1:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have supported JB all the way up until his side on the Cobo Deal. I've been kept abreast on city issues via his site since "02". His informative articles that exposed city govt have opened the eyes to many and beyond. However, when I look at both sides now, exposing city corruption does not automaticaly make you into eligible to be a politician. Sadly, the majority of his predictions deeded true in the end. I will always give him props for that, yet his stance on the Cobo Deal has forced me to question his true M/O.

Just my 2 cents, carry on people.
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Dannyv
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Username: Dannyv

Post Number: 587
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 1:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Because of the shrinking tax base and population decline, the only solution for Detroit is to join in a regional metropolitan plan that would tap the greater resources of the entire metro area. Many Detroiters are loathe to do that and see conspiracy behind it. John Bennett seems unaware of the reality of the fiscal crisis that faces the City and believes Detroit can continue to go it alone. We've seen a series of institutions that were once run by the City at a deficit being shed off to relieve the City of the financial burden of funding them. Mr. Bennett and others interpret that as the City surrendering it's jewels. It's a political point of tension that he and others seek to exploit for their own political gain.
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Bobby08
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Username: Bobby08

Post Number: 157
Registered: 09-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 1:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Right Dannyv!
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Fnemecek
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Username: Fnemecek

Post Number: 1954
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 1:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

Sounds like he's as uninformed as the rest of them.
He's not the change we need.


Besides Cobo, what else is there that you feel makes him "uninformed"?
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Southwestmap
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Username: Southwestmap

Post Number: 944
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 2:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

trayd - luckily the michigan Supreme Court doesn't agree with you. And Detroit has been very lucky to have John Bennett.

I don't agree with him on Cobo - but he is one fine man and a reasonable one. That's the sort of person we need on council
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Trayd
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Username: Trayd

Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 2:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Southwest, I wasn't saying that what the things he exposed was wrong. If the dpd was carrying on some shady business, then yea that should be investigated, etc. But just thought Bennett could've done something different. I'm thinking, if this guy makes it on the council, is he going to make a new website exposing shady behavior of the council *while* he's on it? haha, I think that would result in more of the craziness that we don't need.
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Downtown_lady
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Username: Downtown_lady

Post Number: 585
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 2:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

if this guy makes it on the council, is he going to make a new website exposing shady behavior of the council *while* he's on it? haha, I think that would result in more of the craziness that we don't need.



That would result in more of the transparency that we do need.
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Benfield
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Username: Benfield

Post Number: 97
Registered: 06-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 3:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

quote:
Sounds like he's as uninformed as the rest of them.
He's not the change we need.


Besides Cobo, what else is there that you feel makes him "uninformed"?



He was wrong about Jerry Oliver. As the text messages show, JerryO was trying to do the right things only he was undercut by Kilpatrick's cronies in the department (i.e. Ella Bully-Cummings).

Then there’s Detroit Uncovered "hot inside information" that was usually wrong. He was predicting new Kilpatrick indictments almost daily last summer. Last July, as a joke, I anonymously sent him a tip that a co-worker’s neighbor who works in the prosecutor’s office says more indictments were coming. Sure enough, he posted my (false) information. What rational person would consider that trustworthy information? I should have told him that Kym Worthy had Kilpatrick for the Lindbergh kidnapping.

I think he's a blowhard who threw some shit against a sticky wall. He didn't deserve to be fired and I'm glad he got his job back but there's nothing appealing about him as a candidate for Council.
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Eastsideal
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Username: Eastsideal

Post Number: 367
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 3:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

'm thinking, if this guy makes it on the council, is he going to make a new website exposing shady behavior of the council *while* he's on it?



That would be enough to get me to vote for him. Just what we need, in fact, even if you disagree with him on Cobo (and I share his perspective, but not his position, on the deal, perhaps because I'm older and remember things better...).

Trayd, you seem to forget that it's supposed to be OUR police department, and OUR City Council. We actually have a right to know what's going on inside both of them.
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Southwestmap
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Username: Southwestmap

Post Number: 945
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 3:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bennett is writing a personal blog - he's not pretending to be a newspaper reporter. His original audience was small; his goal was to expose Jerry Oliver as a terrible police chief and croney of the mayor, who Bennett thought corrupt early on.
Oliver hated Bennett for showing off Oliver's professional failures and checkered background (but its the internet age now and such stuff gets around) and fired him for publishing his views on the internet.

Oliver may have later, after leaving Detroit, decided to amend his version of exactly what happened when he fired the two DPD execs (and make himself the hero)- but that single episode was not the firejerryo blog in full.

Yes, he does write a lot of stuff that doesn't come to pass - but its just a blog!
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Benfield
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Username: Benfield

Post Number: 98
Registered: 06-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 3:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

/quote{Yes, he does write a lot of stuff that doesn't come to pass - but its just a blog!}

But it wasn't a very good blog. More often than not, John Bennett got the facts wrong.

Unless Jerry Oliver went into the SMS records and planted messages between EBC and Christine Beatty about undercutting Jerry Oliver's authority, then Southwestmap's assertion of revisionism is as bullshit as John Bennett's blog.

If we want to elect a blogger to council at least elect a good one. Vote Supergay 2009!
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Southwestmap
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Username: Southwestmap

Post Number: 946
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 4:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

And, here again you are wrong and I do now question whether you have a motive/agenda on this topic.

You unilaterally declare that Bennett's blog is "not very good" - yet it is consistantly voted one of the best local blogs by the Metro Times and is quoted often by the two daily newspapers (they must obviously read it for leads) and it is heavily linked-to by other Detroit bloggers.

Perhaps you can enlighten me as to the standards that you use to measure a "good blog."
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Benfield
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Username: Benfield

Post Number: 99
Registered: 06-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 4:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How do I measure a good blog? Well that varies. For a blog such as Detroit Undercover, which attempts to break news, I expect the news it reports to be, more often than not, true. Bennett's inside sources were right one of out five, one out of six times. Go back through his archives and count the number of times he said new indictments were coming against Kwame. It was silly after awhile. I don't believe he had "inside sources" I think he was just making it up and/or he was posting any unsubstantiated piece of gossip that happened to land in his email box

If John Bennett was a fictional character he would be what is known as an unreliable narrator.
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Bearinabox
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Username: Bearinabox

Post Number: 1267
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - 7:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

If we want to elect a blogger to council at least elect a good one. Vote Supergay 2009!

Is the Detroitist running? I'd vote for him.
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Gnome
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Username: Gnome

Post Number: 2448
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 6:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Just got an email from his campaign saying that John will be on the Mildred Gaddis show this morning, March 4 at 7:30 am.

That's AM 1200 WCHB, 7:30
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Benfield
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Username: Benfield

Post Number: 103
Registered: 06-2008
Posted on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 7:50 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh Jesus, he's part of the Mildred Gaddis club. Does Bennett have five degrees like Gaddis' favorite retard Reverend David Murray?
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Bw7085
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Username: Bw7085

Post Number: 23
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 2:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I visited Detroit uncovered almost daily for a long time because it was informative about what was going on in the police department and city government. I did not always agree with Mr. Bennett and his bloggers just like DetroitYes bloggers. But you have to give him credit for his stand for what is right. He was given a choice either take down your site or be suspended without pay. He believe in free speech and decided to take the suspension which later turn into him being fired. I don't know What his true motives were at that time. Weather it was free speech or that he felt that the police department was not serving the people of Detroit or he just didn't like his new boss. But given a choice how many of you would choose between having a blog or keeping your job. The current council has to be replaced. He has my vote.

Just my two cents

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