Cocktails & Popcorn: Arnold Reed, Attorney For John Conyers, Enters The Stage

I have popcorn. Want some?

I wonder if the DOJ OIG Report is about to be declassified.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Perkins Coie Sucks.

#perkinscoiesucks

Marc Elias Of Perkins Coie Sucks & So Does The FEC

Learn more: BEVERLY TRAN: Marc Elias Of Perkins Coie Sucks & So Does The FEC http://beverlytran.blogspot.com/2017/10/marc-elias-of-perkins-coie-sucks-so.html#ixzz5Kiw2nDU6
Stop Medicaid Fraud in Child Welfare 

Arnold Reed, 'lawyer on the side of the people'

When his beloved father fell ill, Arnold E. Reed didn't hesitate. He swapped the cloistered halls of law school for Chicago's south side, where his dad owned a barbershop. To keep the business going, Reed, who'd learned the craft from his father, spent the next few months cutting hair.

Meanwhile, a classmate would mail Reed homework, and he studied when he could.

In the end, not only did the University of Iowa College of Law student graduate, he did so on time.

"I read the books and taught it to myself," said Reed, 54, whose Dad lived to see him graduate.

"Really, there was never a question that I would finish. Some things ought to be a given."

That kind of decisiveness, devotion and determination would mark his career as one of the state's pre-eminent trial lawyers, specializing in criminal, personal injury, civil litigation, medical malpractice and entertainment law, plus damage control for high-profile clients, such as now-retired Congressman John Conyers and Aretha Franklin. This year, he was cited by Michigan's Lawyers Weekly as one of 30 Leaders in the Law Class of 2018.

While the widely respected trade newspaper is mum on how it culls from a pool of nominees, its website says winners are honored for significant accomplishments in law practice; outstanding contributions to the practice of law in Michigan; seeking improvements to the legal community and their communities at large; and setting an example for other lawyers. In its current form, the award has existed for the last decade.

In many ways, it's an improbable achievement for the Southfield-based legal firebrand, known for dogged representation and an outsize courtroom presence.

In his office, attorney Arnold Reed, founding partner of Arnold E. Reed & Associates, P.C., talks about notable cases, awards and being the "smartest S.O.B. (Son of a Barber)" in Southfield. (Photo: Brandy Baker / Special to the Detroit News)

Reed was the first in his family to graduate college, let alone law school. While his father operated the barbershop, his mother took two trains and a bus each way to a factory job to help support the family, which included Reed and his older brother.

At age 9, Reed saw someone gunned down on the street. While fleeing, the killer had looked right at Reed, too petrified to move. That’s when Reed decided he needed to be fearless, a mindset that defines his approach to law.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Deborah Thomas described Reed's courtroom manner as a cross between a bulldog and a chihuahua.

"I've watched him since he was a baby lawyer," Thomas said. "He is always prepared, and he will not let go. He is always focused, and he will work that case. He's also a good family man, and what you would like to see in the community and in the profession."

While his childhood community had its share of scofflaws, most of his neighbors were honest blue-collar types. Time and again, he’d see them falsely accused by police, or unable to retain proper representation. Reed decided that knowledge was power and he needed to get it.

In the sixth grade, he ran for class president — and lost. “That made me angry, so I started learning about the Constitution and how to impeach somebody,” said Reed, who is married to a lawyer, has a son in law school and a daughter pursuing graduate studies.

Reed received his undergraduate degree in journalism and political science from Indiana University in Bloomington. After law school at Iowa, he worked as chief law clerk for former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Conrad Mallet Jr., who remembers him as being the strongest member of his team.

"He would consistently present their work in a way that allowed for uncomplicated digestion of whatever argument they helped craft," said Mallet, now chief administrative officer for the Detroit Medical Center. "He's a very, very, very good lawyer."

Attorney Arnold Reed speaks about Congressman John Conyers' health and the latest accusations of sexual harassment in front of the congressman's home in Detroit. Daniel Mears, The Detroit News

That stint as a law clerk was followed by corporate work and a job in Detroit with the public defender's office. Because the fledgling lawyer couldn't convince his boss to give him a capital case, Reed, with no money to speak of, went out on his own, setting up a law practice in Detroit and winning his first multimillion-dollar verdict, in a police misconduct case, at just 29 years old.

Since then, the member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. has represented former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Conyers, Franklin and an upstart vocalist named R. Kelly in the mid-'90s.

Reed recalled meetings early on with the Queen of Soul, who he successfully represented about five years ago in a case involving misappropriation of her name and likeness.

"She's a woman who tends to be formal with people she doesn't know or have a relationship with, so it was always, 'Ms. Franklin' and 'Attorney Reed.' After I won the case for her I said, 'Now can I call you Aretha?' She didn't say anything, so I took that to mean she was still 'Ms. Franklin,'" he said, chuckling.

As for Conyers, Reed represented him last year after the congressman became embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment. Conyers ultimately retired.

Reed remembers encountering Conyers years earlier after a particularly long community event. Reed had asked him why he devoted so much time and effort to so many causes when he could find more lucrative work elsewhere.

"He looked at me, smiled and said, 'Arnold, money has never been my motivating factor. I have the best job in the world. I can help people.' So when he needed my help, I answered the call."

Reed's legal battles often extend into the court of public opinion. For instance, he took a lot of heat for representing Kilpatrick in a case stemming from the former mayor's conviction for lying under oath about an affair with his chief of staff.

 "It took me aback a bit," he said of the criticism. "Everyone deserves a right to representation no matter the allegation. Also, I've been in this game over 25 years, and I'd be lying if I said I weren't ever discriminated against based on my color, because I have been.

"When I put my suit and tie on every day and I go out, there are some people who look at me like I'm Kilpatrick simply because I'm African-American. I have to explain to people that when I represent Kwame Kilpatrick, I represent you, I represent your son.

 "In any case, I have a social responsibility not to shy away from cases merely because of allegations."

Reed's brazen style, however, leaves some cold, said Solon Phillips, in-house counsel for Southfield Public Schools.

"I have a great deal of respect for his zeal and tenacity in terms of what he does for his clients, but he is aggressive, so I can see how he could rub people the wrong way," said Phillips, who has known Reed for about 15 years.

"In his younger years, for example, he would press opposing counsel when he saw them by asking them why they weren't working, asking them whether they were working as hard as he was.

 "If you're on the receiving end, I can see where he might make some folks uncomfortable."

 His high-profile client roster notwithstanding, Reed is a self-described "lawyer on the side of the people." Everyone, he says, deserves representation under the law.

"I'm always around rich and powerful individuals, but I know my upbringing," said Reed, who often rides to work on his motorcycle, the back of his leather jacket emblazoned with "Not Guilty."

The voracious reader prides himself on going all out for his clients, often spending days and nights with them. He leans on his journalism background to do his own investigative work and visualizes courtroom plans.

“The major thing is having belief in your cause,” Reed said. “If you don’t believe, you’re not going to convince 12 others.”

He has a fan in Donna Pope, for whom Reed won a $4.2 million judgment in an unlawful termination whistleblower case in 2009.

“He’s very thorough and very patient, very poised and convincing,” said Pope, who lives in western Michigan. “This was one of the hardest things I had to go through in life, and he made it manageable to survive it.”

Mary Chapman is a Detroit-based freelance writer.

Arnold E. Reed: “The major thing is having belief in your cause. If you don’t believe, you’re not going to convince 12 others.” (Photo: Brandy Baker / Special to The Detroit News)

Arnold E. Reed

Age: 54

Occupation: Owner, Arnold E. Reed and Associates, Southfield

Education: Bachelor's degree, Indiana University; Juris Doctorate, University of Iowa College of Law

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CONYERS Retired, Resigned Or Is It A Federal Investigation?: Michael Gilmore Wants A Special Election

He is going to do the dramatic Hollywood style ceremonial "filing of the complaint" on the courthouse steps.

I am excited to see the video and what he is going to do with it for his campaign, because you know he is going to use the federal litigation for his campaign.

Well, the days of the political drama have been, oh, let us just say, have been placed under the lens of the cyber community, so all eyes shall be watching this case, in real time.

To begin, let us exam the reason why Michael is filing this lawsuit.

On second thought, that would be a waste of time so I am just going to identify his motivation to file the lawsuit in the title of the article, below.

He is filing to launch his campaign, and not for the greater good of society.

I say this because a congressional seat does not belong to a man nor is it an American title of nobility; it belongs to all people of the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, not just a targeted population of Detroit.

Can one use federal resources, in this case, the federal court, for a political campaign, particularly if the suit of law is for the seat you are attempting to sway to public to win?

This is a questionable way to kick off a political campaign.

This is also the part that where I defenestrate my reservations and remain consistent.

There is a formal process for a Member of Congress to resign and it is my belief that process was executed in a fraudulent manner.

The following is copy of the Congressional Letter of "retirement" of John Conyers, Jr. which was found published with media outlets.

Congressional Retirement Letter of U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr., signed December 5, 2017 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

That does not look like his signature to me and I should know.

How could he sign a letter dated December 5, 2017 and enter it into public record when it was reported that he was hospitalized, medically incapacitated, November 30, 2017 in Detroit?

Hmmmmm....

According to media reports, Conyers' "retirement" was lobbied by a non-governmental, unlicensed attorney, and other Members of Congress, despite the fact that Arnold Reed was retained to represent Mr. Conyers.

Hmmmmm....

Date of signature: December 5, 2017

Date of signature: July 7, 2007

Date of signature: November 18, 2017

Date of signature: December 16, 2016

Only one of these signatures from United States Congressional Letters, is the real signature of John Conyers, Jr.

Can you guess which one is his?

The reason why I question the validity of the "retirement" letter signature, is not from the poorly written congressional letter of "retirement", but from the eleventh grade written so-called legacy letter read, on the Floor of the House, by U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, into the congressional record.

Mother Superior Augustine would have had a heart attack if she bared witness to the reading of this letter with just about every sentence commencing with first person pronoun, "I", giving me every indication that the Gentlelady Jackson Lee was in rather a pressurized bind by a few unsavory characters.

See, I know what Nancy Pelosi did last summer, and the summer before that, and so on, with Bitch Boy, which is another reason why I speculate the legality of the process, because Nancy has been terribly mean to my Sweetie for quite some time.

I challenge the veracity of Mr. Conyers' voting record and policy positions because people have been forging his signature on congressional letters, for a long time, which is why I did this.

Original signature of John Conyers, Jr.

I was quite shocked when I found out how much individuals were getting for his forged signatures on congressional letters.

Quintessentially, if there are relevent questions raised surrounding the legitimacy of the "retiring" of Mr. Conyers, perhaps, this is the real reason why there will be no special election, as there are multiple, ongoing federal investigations.

Maybe Michael could attempt to validate his racist theories in discovery, or he could just do a basic internet search.

It is just a jurisdictional issue that would immediately halt any state "retirement" process.

But, hey, what do I know?

Candidate says he'll sue Gov. Snyder to move up election for Conyers' seat

A candidate for the U.S. House seat vacated by former U.S. Rep John Conyers filed a lawsuit against Gov. Rick Snyder demanding that the election be moved up to an earlier date.

On Dec. 8, Gov. Snyder had announced that Conyers' congressional seat would remain empty until the regularly scheduled November election, leaving it vacant for nearly a year. What's more, political observers have pointed out that since the post will be listed twice — once in the August primary and again in the November general election ballots — the office could be held by two different people before January is out.

In short, the move would leave Detroiters without effective representation for 11 months — and perhaps even longer.

Michael Gilmore

As the Associated Press noted earlier this month judging by a review of roughly 100 vacancies and successors listed on the House website for the last 20 years, it is unusual for a congressional district to stay vacant for so long. Eleven months would be the longest time a House seat stayed empty during that period.

Gov. Snyder had said his decision would both save money and give candidates ample time to campaign. But given his role in establishing Emergency Management in Michigan, this situation calls another lawsuit to mind — namely one filed by the Detroit Branch of the NAACP against Gov. Snyder that Emergency Management has violated the voting rights of the state's African Americans, effectively stripping representation away from residents in majority-minority cities and school districts. By some estimates, more than half of the state's blacks had their representatives overruled by Snyder-appointed viceroys.

None of this is lost on candidate Michael Gilmore, who has announced his intention to sue the governor over the scheduling of this election:

"Gov. Snyder continues to treat residents of urban areas across the state as second-class citizens and is violating a laundry list of constitutional laws in doing so," Gilmore said in a statement released today. "By holding this congressional seat vacant for 11 months, he is denying minority residents of the 13th Congressional District the right to vote and the right to be represented in Congress. This is yet another attempt to further silence the voice of minorities in the state and disregard their views. From putting emergency managers only in minority school districts and city halls to signing off on the Flint water crisis for fiscal benefit, Gov. Snyder has historically cited cost-saving measures as his reason for denying civil and human rights to urban areas. Here, he is once again attempting to balance the state's budget on the backs of Black people, in the name of 'cost savings.'"

Gilmore says he will discuss his lawsuit against Gov. Snyder at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, at the Fort Street entrance of the Theodore Levin United States Courthouse, Detroit.



One man hoping to win an empty congressional seat is suing the governor for waiting until November to fill the seat. Most residents have a representative in Congress until the next election.

However, because Congressman John Conyers resigned in 2017, and Gov. Rick Snyder set an election to fill his seat starting in November, residents of the 13th congressional district will not have a representative in Congress for 11 months in 2018.

"Governor Snyder continues to treat residents of urban areas across the street as second class citizens," Michael Gilmore said. Governor Snyder has historically cited cost saving measures as his reason for denying civil rights and human rights to urban areas," he said.

The governor does believe setting the date for the special election in August and November on the same dates as the regular general election will save local taxpayers up to $2 million.

"Divide $2 million by the 658,000 residents, that totals roughly $3 per person," he said.

Gilmore calls this systemic discrimination in the 13th congressional district, which he says is composed of over 62 percent minority residents.

"He is once again attempting to balance the state's budgets on the backs of black people in the name of cost savings," he said.

Gilmore is also a candidate for this seat. Might his lawsuit be self-serving?

"I don't believe this is self-serving, in fact I'm actually quite ashamed that I'm the only one talking about it," he said. "Donald Trump has already begun to illuminate important social programs that we need in this area, and no one else is talking about it?"

Gilmore says that typically vacancies are filled within a few months and he has asked the federal court to make a quick ruling hopefully by the end of February. There's been no formal response from the governor's office. 

http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/candidate-for-conyers-seat-suing-governor-for-waiting-to-fill-vacancy

UPDATE: I am impressed with the finess of Charlie Langton.

Stay tuned.

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Awan Transfers $300,000 To Pakistan Under Grand Jury Indictment For Mortgage Fraud

Now, why would the FBI allow a $300,000 overseas wiretransfer to Pakistan from the federal credit union when he was under Grand Jury indictment GPS monitor order for federal credit union for mortgage fraud?

Hmmmm....

Me thinketh my #Superfans monitor the "Legal Geniuses" (trademark pending).

U.S. v. Imran Awan, et al. Motion To Oppose Request To Remove GPS by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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Day 49.7. Theresa Grafenstine -Did the Awans Do the DHS Hack On MicroPACT

oigVoting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Day 49.5. Manafort and Awan Surveillance

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NADLER STATEMENT ON WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTS AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN

Today, CNN reports that candidate Donald Trump, his son Donald Trump, Jr., and others inside the Trump Organization received an email in September 2016 offering a decryption key and website address for hacked documents—weeks before WikiLeaks began publishing the contents of those documents online.  Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) of the House Judiciary Committee issued the following statement in response:

“This email is yet another sign that senior Trump campaign officials—including Donald Trump, Jr., and perhaps the President himself—may have accepted assistance and valuable information from the Russian government and its partners.  It is, of course, a crime to participate in a conspiracy to influence an election through the illegal misuse of various computer systems.  It is also a crime for a foreign national to give anything of value to a campaign for federal office.  At the very least, this email shows us that the Trump Campaign understood enough about these stolen documents to have immediately reported a crime to the FBI.  They did not, and now Donald Jr. refuses to answer questions about his extensive back-and-forth with WikiLeaks.

“It is unconscionable that that House Judiciary Republicans want to relitigate long-debunked Hillary Clinton conspiracy theories instead of this direct threat to our election system. This is part of a coordinated effort—spearheaded by the White House—to undermine and discredit individuals and institutions, such as Special Counsel Mueller and the FBI, which are investigating the President and his associates. I once again call on Chairman Goodlatte to begin the committee’s oversight work in this space without delay.”

House Judiciary Democrats have sent more than 20 letters to the Committee and GOP Leadership, and more than 40 letters to the White House and Department of Justice seeking oversight of Trump Administration misconduct, without any meaningful response. It is high time the House Judiciary Republicans join us in investigating obstruction of justice and related charges.

CNN offers correction, rewrite for Wikileaks-Trump story

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Day 49.1 Melissa Hodgman, Peter Strzok, and Andy McCabe

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Day 48.6. Jordan Highlight of the Day

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Day 48.4. Five EB5s, Four FISA Warrants, Three Wiretaps

Judge presiding over Michael Flynn criminal case is recused

(Reuters) - The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia judge presiding over the criminal case for President Donald Trump’s former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has been recused from handling the case, a court spokeswoman said on Thursday.

According to a court filing, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, who presided over a Dec. 1 hearing where Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about his contacts with Russia, will no longer handle the case.

Court spokeswoman Lisa Klem did not say why Contreras was recused, and added that the case was randomly reassigned.

Reuters could not immediately learn the reason for the recusal, or reach Contreras.

An attorney for Flynn declined to comment.

Now, Flynn’s sentencing will be overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan. Sullivan was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton.

Flynn was the first member of Trump’s administration to plead guilty to a crime uncovered by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s wide-ranging probe into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election and potential collusion by Trump aides. Russia has denied meddling in the election and Trump has dismissed any suggestion of collusion.

Flynn has agreed to cooperate with Mueller’s ongoing investigation.

A sentencing date has not yet been set, but the parties are due to return to court on February 1 for a status report hearing.

Contreras was appointed to the bench in 2012 by former Democratic President Barack Obama.

He was also appointed to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in May 2016 for a term lasting through 2023.

That court issues warrants that allow Justice Department officials to wiretap individuals, a process that has been thrown into the spotlight amid the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the U.S. election.

The most recent controversy related to FISA warrants involves Peter Strzok, a senior FBI agent who was removed from the Russia investigation for exchanging text messages with a colleague that expressed anti-Trump views.

At a hearing on Thursday at the House Judiciary Committee, Republican lawmaker Jim Jordan pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray on whether a former British spy’s dossier of allegations of Russian financial and personal links to Trump’s campaign and associates was used by Strzok to obtain a FISA warrant to surveil Trump’s transition team.

Judge Sullivan previously served on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals under appointments by Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, respectively.

Day 48.3 Evasion, Evasion,Evasion Wray Lays an Goose Egg

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Day 48.2. It’s the Russians again - of Centreville, Maryland

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Day 48.1 Unsealed Indictments - Ft. Belvoir Smuggler's Cove?

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CONYERS Retirement Letter Read By Sheila Jackson Lee

Ik zocht naar de brief maar vond hem niet. 

Ongeloflijk. 

Blijf kijken.

READ: Rep. John Conyers' full House departure letter

Conyers announces retirement after 53 years of service

After announcing his retirement Tuesday morning, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) submitted a departure letter to the U.S. House.

Conyers, 88, served in the House for more than 50 years. His decision to retire before the end of his term comes amid sexual harassment allegations by several women. He has denied the allegations. 

In his departure letter, which was read Tuesday in the House, Conyers writes he is not being afforded due process in relation to the harassment accusations. He cites his health -- he is currently hospitalized with stress-induced symptoms -- and an effort to preserve his "legacy and good name" as reasons for retirement.

Here is Conyers' full departure letter, as read by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas):

"I came to Congress in 1964. Since then I have devoted my entire career to improving the lives of my constituents in Detroit on the behalf of justice everywhere. These years witness a profound evolution in civil rights led by millions in the street who fought for justice and people of conscience in the Congress, both Democrats and Republicans who heard them and enacted the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and other landmark reforms.

“Given the totality of the circumstance of not being afforded the right of due process, in conjunction with current health conditions and to preserve my legacy and good name, I am retiring. I’ve been in the forefront of the civil rights movement. I’ve been a champion of justice for the oppressed and the disenfranchised. I never wavered in my commitment to justice and democracy. I am proud to have been part of that rich history. I have been privileged to be a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus and to represent the United States Congress by being dean.

“I passed, as indicated, the law dealing with the Martin Luther King holiday, the Violence Against Women Act, the Hate Crimes Act, the U.S.A. Freedom and the extension of the Voting Rights Act. I have led the fight against mandatory minimums, hoping to reverse the devastating incarceration rates for African-Americans and poor people. I have tried to pass a universal health care law, H.R. 676.

“Every Congress since 1989, I have introduced H.R. 40 to study reparations for slavery and I deeply appreciate those handful of courageous colleagues who have joined me

“For Detroiters, I’m proud that we have been able to accomplish, to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in critical grants and federal funding for Southeast Michigan to revitalize our great city, attract rich talent and return to us prosperity.

“I recognize that in this present environment, due process will not be afforded to me. I was taught by my great woman, my mother, to honor women. The first employee I ever hired was Mrs. Rosa Parks, who worked in my office for 22 years. It has been my great honor to work alongside some of the most talented and honorable staff on Capitol Hill and in Detroit. I have stated my position on these allegations. I have worked with both women and men.

“I cannot allow the great work of this body to be distracted from their important work or the goals of the Democratic Party to be distracted.”

“Given the totality of the circumstance of not being afforded the right of due process, in conjunction with current health conditions and to preserve my legacy and good name, I am retiring.

“I hope that my retirement will be viewed in the larger perspective of my record of service as I enter a new chapter. I pledge to continue my commitment to a progressive vision and a better future for this country that I love. I owe that to the legacy of my father, John Conyers Sr., who integrated labor unions in this country; to my brother Nathan, who integrated business and he is my main man; and to my wife Monica and to my sons John III, who I believe offers hope to this generation of leadership and who is committed to being an advocate of fairness and justice for all, and Carl Edward, who never leaves my side.

“I cannot allow the great work of this body to be distracted from their important work or the goals of the Democratic Party to be distracted.

“It has been an honor and a privilege of my life to represent the people of Michigan in the House of Representatives, but that responsibility will now fall to my colleagues and my successor. They have my deepest support and prayers.

"Jobs, justice and peace."

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Black lawmakers resentful after Conyers resignation

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus see white politicians being treated differently after facing sexual misconduct allegations.


The stunning fall of Democratic Rep. John Conyers — who resigned Tuesday amid a growing sexual-harassment scandal — has left confusion, anger, resentment and bewilderment inside the ranks of the Congressional Black Caucus, a group that Conyers helped found nearly four decades ago.

 Many CBC members see a double standard at play. They won't say the treatment of Conyers is racist, necessarily — and all express strong support for his alleged victims — but they think white politicians accused of similar misconduct like Blake Farenthold, Al Franken, Roy Moore and Donald Trump get a "benefit of the doubt" that black politicians don't enjoy.

 Some members believe House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other party leaders moved too quickly in calling on Conyers to resign and should have let the process play out more, although they understand the pressure she was facing.

And still another faction thinks Conyers' declining health and mental acuity after more than 52 years in Congress led to the debacle, despite evidence that Conyers allegedly had been harassing female staffers for years.

 There is also significant anger within the CBC, aimed at one of their own: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas). Conyers was going to announce his retirement from Congress last Friday.

Then Monica Conyers, the congressman's wife, and Jackson Lee got involved and stopped it from happening, said several Democratic lawmakers and aides.

That decision dragged out the controversy for five days, although the delay ultimately allowed Conyers to endorse his son, John Conyers III, for his seat. Ian Conyers, the congressman's grand-nephew and a Michigan state senator, also may run, setting off an intrafamily battle.

"Certainly it seems as if there is indeed a double standard," said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), who was involved in Conyers' retirement negotiations last week before Jackson Lee and Monica Conyers derailed them.

"When it happens to one of us, we're guilty until proven innocent. They're just finally starting to talk about Blake Farenthold, who is a member sitting here who paid out $84,000."

 A former Farenthold aide, Lauren Greene, received that settlement payment after filing a lawsuit against the Texas Republican claiming gender discrimination and a hostile workplace, with sexual harassment a key part of that claim.

 “Do I think he was treated like everyone? No, he wasn’t. I think it was an easy call for people to talk about him,” added Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), CBC chairman. “You didn’t see Speaker Ryan calling for the resignation of Blake Farenthold, who settled a case.

Conyers denies it; Franken admits it.” Franken, a Democratic senator from Minnesota, has been accused of inappropriately touching or attempting to forcibly kiss six women. Franken is now under ethics investigation but has refused to resign.

 "It's a horrible situation, and if the allegations are true, then retirement or resignation was appropriate," Richmond added. "The problem for me was I had the congressman vehemently denying it, and I have very credible-sounding victims.”

 "When the deal goes down, John isn't well. He was beginning to suffer memory loss, and physically, he isn't well," said Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), who faced an ethics investigation and lawsuit over sexual harassment five years ago, both of which were later dismissed. "But sure, there are members of the Congressional Black Caucus who feel John was done in. I respect that, but I don't have that feeling."

 Conyers allegedly harassed several former aides, including an ex-staffer who received a $27,000 settlement using taxpayer funds.

After initially seeming to downplay the allegations against him, Pelosi quickly changed course, and by Thursday, she was calling for Conyers to resign. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking black lawmaker in Congress, also called on Conyers to resign, a huge blow to the Michigan Democrat. But Conyers — who had been hospitalized for “stress-related” symptoms — refused to leave office initially, and there were signs he intended to try to fight off an Ethics Committee investigation.

 “Congressman Conyers has served in the Congress for more than five decades, and shaped some of the most consequential legislation of the last half century,” Pelosi said in a statement. “But no matter how great the legacy, it is no license to harass or discriminate.”

 “This was as much about Pelosi’s own politics as it was about Conyers,” said a CBC member, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “I think she was forced into it, and I think it was very unfortunate.”

Pelosi has come under fire for not taking a harder line against Conyers from the start, especially amid a broader push across the country to crack down on sexual harassment and assault.

 Yet Richmond, for his part, doesn’t blame Pelosi. “I don’t think she was unfair to him,” Richmond said. “Part of it was unfortunately he got sick and went in the hospital and couldn’t defend himself.

But only he knows and the victims know what happened. Looking at the amount of victims … it was troubling, and there was no way around it.” Behind the scenes, there was an attempt to end this controversy last week, yet it fell apart under pressure from Monica Conyers and Jackson Lee.

 Conyers announces retirement and taps son as successor Conyers resigns effective immediately, endorses son as successor.

According to lawmakers and aides, Fudge had brokered an arrangement that would save some face for Conyers while removing a big problem for Democrats.

After some delicate negotiations, Fudge was going to read a letter on the House floor last Friday announcing Conyers would retire at the end of December. By calling it “retirement” and not "resignation," the move would give Conyers a “last shred of dignity,” said one source familiar with the discussions.

Conyers would have time to clean out his Capitol Hill and Detroit offices.

In return, Conyers would avoid an investigation by the House Ethics Committee that could lead to censure or expulsion.

 Then Jackson Lee and Monica Conyers weighed in against the deal, and it was taken off the table, dragging out the scandal, said the sources. “People are furious with her,” one CBC member said of Jackson Lee. “Absolutely furious.”

When asked about her interactions with Monica Conyers, Jackson Lee said she “cannot comment on anything involving Mr. Conyers. I am not Mr. Conyers.” Jackson Lee added: “I have not spoken with Mr. Conyers. I have nothing to do with his decision.” Jackson Lee would not discuss any conversation with Monica Conyers, who has emerged as a key player in the saga.

 Monica Conyers was seen by CBC members and Democratic aides as the driving force behind Conyers' refusal to resign.

Some lawmakers even speculate that Monica Conyers was trying to position herself or one of her sons to run for the seat, which is what eventually happened.

Monica Conyers berated reporters staking out the family home in Detroit last week. “Do you all go and stalk other people’s houses?’’ she asked reporters, according to the Detroit Free Press. “Do you go and stalk white people’s houses or just come to the black neighborhoods and stalk our houses?” 

The couple met when Monica Conyers was an aide on his campaign in the late 1980s.

They were married in 1990 and have two children.

She was elected to the Detroit City Council in 2005. In 2009, Monica Conyers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with a Detroit sludge-hauling scandal.

As a member of the City Council two years earlier, she cast the deciding vote in favor of awarding a $1.2 billion contract to Synagro Technologies. She ended up serving 27 months in federal prison in West Virginia.

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Day 47.3. John Wilkes Phone Booth Revisited

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Someone Said Sources Said Conyers Will Not Run Again

Any wagers on the next angle of attacks?

People are working really hard, knowing indictments are coming down, to prevent asset forfeiture and incarceration.

They already threw in a pinch of senility, but I did not feel like posting it.

Stay tuned.  This is just getting started.

Sources: Rep. John Conyers won't seek re-election in wake of sexual harassment claimsSources say Conyers will not resign



DETROIT - The controversy swirling around Michigan Rep. John Conyers has intensified this week as former staff members accused him of sexual harassment.

 Sources told Local 4 that Conyers will not seek re-election for a new term in the wake of the scandal, which continues to grow. Two sources close to the Conyers situation told Local 4's Rod Meloni that the congressman won't resign.

It's his intent to announce in January that he won't run for re-election in 2018.

 His attorney said the allegations are not true, but Conyers is under increased scrutiny, and his family is rallying around him.

 Conyers caught a bit of a break Wednesday as the Congressional Black Caucus met in Washington and Chairman Cedric Richmond disputed the stories saying he is pushing for Conyers to resign. 

Among the former staffers accusing Conyers of sexual harassment is Deanna Maher, who claimed Conyers sexually harassed her three times, including undressing to his underwear in her bedroom while she was in a nightgown.

 The Michigan Democratic Party has not yet responded to a request for comment about the sources' information that Conyers won't run again.

The situation could change depending on the pressure brought to bear in Washington.

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Statement from CBC Chairman on Meeting with Conyers

WASHINGTON – Today, the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), released the following statement after his meeting with Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI-13) about the sexual harassment allegations against the most senior member of Congress and his recent decision to resign as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee:

 “Today I met with John and we had a very candid conversation about the seriousness of the allegations against him, which he vehemently denies.

I told him that I agreed with his decision to step down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee at this time.

I also told him that I encourage and expect him to fully cooperate with the ethics investigation.

He said he would.

 “Any decision to resign from office before the ethics investigation is complete is John’s decision to make."

 “The Congressional Black Caucus calls on Congress to treat all members who have been accused of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other crimes with parity, and we call on Congress and the public to afford members with due process as these very serious allegations are investigated.”

 The CBC supports mandatory sexual harassment training for members and staff, as well as proposed changes to the sexual harassment complaint process in Congress. On Monday, November 20, the CBC held a sexual harassment training for CBC chiefs of staff and will hold the same training for CBC members this week.

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Why U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva Called For Conyers To Step Down

The list continues to grow.

Stay tuned because Ethics has been very, very busy the last three years.

I did not stutter when I typed "three years", either.

Top House Democrat Took $50K From Taxpayers To Keep A Former Staffer Quiet

The top Democrat on the House Committee on Natural Resources used taxpayer dollars to pay off a former staffer who threatened to sue, claiming the lawmaker was often drunk and created a hostile workplace.

Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva’s secret deal with a former female staffer was revealed by The Washington Times on Monday. The payout was negotiated by the House Employment Counsel, the body’s attorney, and cost taxpayers $48,395.

The settlement, however, may have violated House rules, The Times reported. It’s against House rules for a lawmaker to retain “an employee who does not perform duties for the offices of the employing authority commensurate with the compensation such employee receives.”

Grijalva’s payout also should have been handed over in a lump sum, not paid out in monthly installments, The Times reported. Taxpayers paid Grijalva’s disgruntled staffer five month’s severance. The female staffer left her job after just three months, and didn’t pursue the matter after leaving Grijalva’s employment.

“On the advice of House Employment Counsel, I provided a severance package to a former employee who resigned,” Grijalva told The Times in a statement.

“The severance did not involve the Office of Compliance and at no time was any allegation of sexual harassment made, and no sexual harassment occurred,” Grijalva said.

“Under the terms of the agreement, had there been an allegation of sexual harassment, the employee would have been free to report it,” he said. “Regrettably, for me to provide any further details on this matter would violate the agreement.”

News of Grijalva’s payout comes amid debate over the $17.2 million in taxpayer funds used to settle 264 complaints of sexual harassment and other issues in Congress. The settlements are kept secret.

Grijalva is only the latest lawmaker to come under fire for paying off staffers for workplace issues. Michigan Democratic Rep. John Conyers paid a former staffer more than $27,000 after allegedly firing her for spurning sexual advances.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken has been accused of sexual harassment by four women — two of them anonymous. Franken has apologized, though he has refused to resign from office.

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And Another Former Staffer Accuses Conyers

Another former staffer accuses Rep. John Conyers of sexual misconduct

Veteran congressman John Conyers is facing a fresh round of sexual misconduct allegations after a former staffer said he made unwanted sexual advances toward her.

Deanna Maher, 77, said she decided to come forward with the allegations after Conyers, the longest-serving member in the House of Representatives, agreed to step down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee amid as Congress looked into separate claims of sexual misconduct against him.

The House Ethics Committee announced earlier this month that it would investigate allegations of sexual harassment and age discrimination against the Michigan Democrat, 88, involving his staff. Conyers, who has denied those allegations, said he would fully cooperate with the investigation.

Maher, who served as Conyers’ deputy chief of staff between 1997 and 2005, said Conyers touched her inappropriately on at least three occasions, including once in 1999 when he allegedly placed his hands underneath her dress.

“There are so many victims that passed through Conyers, and he was so cruel,” Maher told ABC News in a statement. “Everyone knew what was going on but no one did anything.”

“It’s been a long journey and a very painful one,” she added.

Maher said she decided to keep quiet about her experience because she “needed to earn a living.”

“Back when this was happening to me, I had to keep a job,” Maher said. “I was going through a divorce, and I had no money, and I had to have a job, and it’s hard to be employed especially at that time in my life. I was 57 at that time.”

Now, she says she hopes to be a champion for other victims of sexual harassment.

“At that time I could find my way out of circumstances, and he never succeeded with me, never -- I finally gave up and was able to move away. I survived it,” Maher said. “People would ask me how I was years later, and I would say I survived. I’m surviving. That’s the best you can do.”

“I’m doing this for all the other victims. Before I die, I will be happy to think that I did my part in helping all of the other staff members,” she added.

Maher said she was “absolutely amazed” when Conyers agreed to step down from his role as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.

His decision to step aside came after BuzzFeed News reported last week that Conyers' office paid a female aide over $27,000 to quietly settle a wrongful dismissal complaint.

ABC News also obtained court filings referencing a federal complaint filed by Conyers’ longtime scheduler, who alleged "sexual advances in the form of inappropriate comments and touches.” The case was later dropped after the judge denied her request to keep the complaint sealed to protect her privacy.

Separately, Melanie Sloan, a lawyer who worked with Conyers on the House Judiciary Committee, accused Conyers of being “increasingly abusive” to her, behavior she says wasn’t “sexual harassment” but “sexual discrimination.”

Conyers has acknowledged that his office settled a harassment complaint involving a former staffer but denies the allegations against him.

Conyers’ attorney, Arnold Reed, said Maher’s allegations were uncorroborated and that his client denies wrongdoing.

“At the end of the day, he’s confident that he will be exonerated because he maintains that he has not done anything wrong,” Reed said in a statement to The Detroit News, which first reported the story on Monday.

“Any female or male that comes forward and says anybody harasses them, that is serious. Those things are not to be taken lightly. But we have to be able to at least have some corroboration if we’re going to be saying my client did something wrong,” Reed added.

Conyers’ office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment on these latest allegations.

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Former Conyers Staffers Come To The Defense

Former aides defend Conyers after harassment allegations

Washington (CNN)Twelve former female staffers of Rep. John Conyers say he "never behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner" in front of them as the Michigan Democrat faces an ethics investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him.

"While we do not pass judgment on the specific allegations reported in the press or the women who brought them, our experiences with Mr. Conyers were quite different than the image of him being portrayed in the media," the former staffers wrote in a joint statement that circulated on Sunday. "Mr. Conyers was a gentleman and never behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner in our presence. He was respectful, valued our opinions, challenged our thinking, and treated us as professionals."

Conyers, 88, faces a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that he sexually harassed or discriminated against members of his staff. Conyers has denied any wrongdoing but has indicated that he will cooperate with the ethics probe.

Earlier Sunday, Conyers said he would step aside as the top Democrat on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, but would fight the allegations.

"I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family before the House Committee on Ethics," Conyers wrote Sunday in a letter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat.

Pelosi said she supported his decision.

"Zero tolerance means consequences," Pelosi said in a statement. "Any credible accusation must be reviewed by the Ethics Committee expeditiously. We are at a watershed moment on this issue, and no matter how great an individual's legacy, it is not a license for harassment."

BuzzFeed News reported last week that Conyers settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 after allegedly sexually harassing a staffer. Court documents also revealed that a second former aide to Conyers accused him of sexual harassment.

New York Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice has called on Conyers to resign his congressional seat over the allegations. Two other House Democrats, Reps. Gregory Meeks of New York and Raul Grijalva of Arizona, had called on Conyers to step aside from his judiciary post.

I will do a special honor of Raul Grijalva.

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