  Genesyxx Member Username: Genesyxx Post Number: 678 Registered: 02-2004 |
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Attorney General Mike Cox says that around 1,500 people have been killed in Detroit over the past four years, yet Gov. Jennifer Granholm has done little to help the city drive down its homicide rate. "We've had half the casualties in the city of Detroit (as U.S. soldiers) that have been killed in Iraq and the governor won't engage. In fact, she's cutting the state police," he said during an interview late Tuesday with The Associated Press. "She has deserted the city of Detroit." A spokeswoman for the Democratic governor pointed out Wednesday that the Republican attorney general recently pulled out of an anti-crime program in Detroit known as the Joshua Project. "He has repeatedly making allegations against the governor, most recently about the Joshua Project. But the fact is, he is turning his back on Detroit, and the governor is committed to keeping the Joshua Project going," spokeswoman Liz Boyd said. The two sides have been disagreeing publicly since Cox's office sent a letter Feb. 16 saying it was pulling out of the Joshua Project, which paired police and parole officers in areas of Detroit with prosecutors to monitor known offenders and prevent them from committing more crimes by conducting unscheduled home visits and mandatory call-in meetings. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's spokesman, Matt Allen, said Kilpatrick thinks Granholm is doing a lot for his city by putting money into razing abandoned buildings, training workers, working to make neighborhoods safer, offering health care, funding after-school programs and attracting more jobs. "We don't feel abandoned. There's a lot going on here," Allen said. "It's not just badges and bullets. It comes down to assets and people." Although the city is feeling the effects of the state's poor economy, "to characterize that in any way as abandonment, I think is a stretch and a mischaracterization," Allen added. "A job goes a long way toward crime prevention." Cox said Kilpatrick, Granholm's fellow Democrat, "can't say she's deserted Detroit because he'll be punished through revenue sharing." In listing his reasons for pulling out of the Joshua Project, Cox said the Corrections Department didn't share enough information with his department about offenders and dragged its feet on having parole officers - accompanied by police - conduct drug and alcohol tests on parolees and probationers in their homes. The Corrections Department said its staff met weekly with the attorney general's office and Detroit Police Department to share information, and that it gave the attorney general's criminal investigations unit access to its system. It also said having parole officers conduct drug and alcohol tests in offenders' homes was dangerous, and that offenders could be tested in local parole and probation offices. Cox, who has been mentioned often as a possible 2010 gubernatorial candidate, scoffed Tuesday at the idea that parole officers wouldn't be safe testing offenders in their homes. "Detroit cops do Breathalyzer tests every day and night. And here it was a situation where ... the parole officer is armed (as is) the police officer," he said. "It was just like they were grasping for straws." Boyd said the Granholm administration is so concerned over losing the Joshua Project that state officials are meeting next week with city, county and federal officials to figure out how to expand Project Safe Neighborhoods into the areas of Detroit no longer being served by Project Joshua. The safe neighborhoods project increases community policing, prevents gun violence and removes violent criminals from the streets more quickly. "It's all about fighting crime and helping citizens. It's not about placing blame and taking credit," Boyd said. Cox, however, said Granholm is putting Detroiters at risk with her proposals to deal with a budget shortfall by laying off state police troopers and releasing up to 5,500 elderly or infirm prisoners or nonviolent inmates already eligible for parole. "There are people who could be let out of prison, but I'm a little afraid when 5,000 are going to be let out at one time," he said. "You know where 65, 70 percent of those folks are going to move to? Detroit." Granholm said she would increase spending for additional parole supervision and community resources to oversee the increased number of released inmates. Many local communities also would get more state money to hire additional police officers and firefighters. Linkage: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s tories/M/MI_DETROIT_DISPUTE_MI OL-?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TE MPLATE=DEFAULT | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 8412 Registered: 10-2003 |
Typical Michigan politics. I don't really care for how Cox dismissed the safety issue of going into a parollees home to conduct drug/alcohol screening. It just seems that is the death of an officer/PO waiting to happen. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 685 Registered: 06-2006 |
This thread will undoubtedly bring about a lot of pro-Granholm, anti-Cox sentiments due to far left political leanings of this board... But before you engage in such activity, ask yourselves this: if the article had read this way (below), would you still argue on behalf of the same politician after reading it? If so, then you must realize how silly it is to take sides here: LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Governor Jennifer Granholm says that around 1,500 people have been killed in Detroit over the past four years, yet Attorney General Mike Cox has done little to help the city drive down its homicide rate. "We've had half the casualties in the city of Detroit (as U.S. soldiers) that have been killed in Iraq and the governor won't engage. In fact, he's cutting the state police," she said during an interview late Tuesday with The Associated Press. "He has deserted the city of Detroit." please don't get caught up in the political finger-pointing between these two clowns...you're all just pawns in their game...don't play into their hands... (Message edited by thejesus on March 01, 2007) | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 8415 Registered: 10-2003 |
The problem of not getting caught up in the political fingerpointing is that this entire issue along with the issues of the Joshua Project are pure politics. Granholm will pander to her base and Cox will pander to his. The message from them is: Granholm: We are trying to help Detroit but Cox doesn't want to help. Cox: We are trying to help Detroit but Detroit/Granholm don't want to help. It is all bullshit politics so the finger pointing needs to be disucssed. Now a thread that addresses the issues/concerns as opposed to the 'I am a repub so Cox is right and Granholm is stupid' or 'I am a dem so Granhom is right and Cox is stupid' arguments. The simple fact is they are using the media to fight their petty battles instead of working together to do what is in the best interests of the citizens of the State. I will be very sad and upset if the Joshua project dies due to political non-sense. | ||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 2511 Registered: 10-2003 |
Slightly off-topic, what exactly is a "non-violent offender"? I've assumed it means mainly people in prison for drugs, but what about car theft, B&E, bad checks, etc? Are a bunch of thieves about to be air-dropped on the city? I hope not. Put a bunch of paroled car thieves out on the streets of Detroit and they're not going to be getting great jobs the next day in this economy. They're going to be stealing your car. | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 8423 Registered: 10-2003 |
Property crimes. The QoL issues that effect citizens the worst. Violent crime is an issue but one that for the most part can be avoided if you stay away from shady types and the drug trade. Property crime, to me if a bigger issue on a daily basis to the average citizen than violent crime. I wonder why the State doesn't look at setting half way houses up across the state. Why should Detroit, Pontiac, Mt. Clemens, Flint, etc have to deal with all of the issues? | ||
6nois Member Username: 6nois Post Number: 67 Registered: 11-2006 |
There are halfway houses in a lot of places I know of quite a few in Bay City. This whole thing is stupid, I don't have fond feelings for anything Cox has done. And why Granholm and Cox can't get anything done together is beyond me. I don't understand why these non violent criminals would come to detroit. There are alot cheaper places to live in Michigan. And if Cox is thinking of making a run for governer that all fine and dandy but he should do the job he has now first, and work with the current administration. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 181 Registered: 10-2003 |
Mike Cox is a crook. I wouldn't believe a word he says because there's ALWAYS an ulterior motive behind it. In this case, it's obviously just politics as usual. But the guy is about making money, and thats about it. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 687 Registered: 06-2006 |
"But the guy is about making money, and thats about it." Yeah, THAT's why lawyers decide to run for Attorney General ::rolls eyes:: (Message edited by thejesus on March 01, 2007) | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 183 Registered: 10-2003 |
Right. Because positions of power never lead to making more money. ::rolls eyes even farther:: PS don't forget his brother owns the gigantic legal firm Weiner & Cox. They had a good laugh at the company Xmas party last year about making money by getting around laws. It was a laugh a minute. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 688 Registered: 06-2006 |
gigantic legal firm? uh sure, if you consider an office consisting of 2 attorneys who probably bill a combined 3-4,000 hours annually "gigantic"...lmao! | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 8428 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: I thought that was a joke. That name is just classic for a legitimate business. I hope they hire another attorney with the name Richard something. They would refer to him as Dick and could have the offices of Weiner, Cox and Dick. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 692 Registered: 06-2006 |
still wouldn't be as good as the country being run by guys named Dick, Bush and Colin... | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 184 Registered: 10-2003 |
Thejesus, do you just look for my posts so you can argue with me? There are more than two Attorneys at Weiner & Cox. Not everybody gets their name in the company name. Quit pretending you know everything. Yeah I have lots of lame company loot from them with their logo on it just because it's funny. Friend of mine worked there for awhile. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 693 Registered: 06-2006 |
I wasn't going by the company name...I was going by their website and the Lexis attorney's directory... either way, they are by no means gigantic...there are at least 13 firms in Michigan with over 100 attorneys...those are gigantic... and no, I don't look for your posts as I have no idea who you are and don't remember ever seeing you here before | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 185 Registered: 10-2003 |
Gigantic was an exaggeration, I can conceed on that. They do good business. And there are DEFINITELY more than two attorneys there since I've met all of them on many occasions. Their website does not reflect that, it just discusses the partners. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 3711 Registered: 08-2004 |
Funny how that little philandering weasel didn't mention how many Detroiters died during Engler's 12 years in office.... | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 8429 Registered: 10-2003 |
I din't get the impression that he was trying to equate the timeline to Granholm's time in office. |
