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Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick sat down and opened up for the first time on the Gimlet Media podcast “Crimetown” about his extramartial affair with former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty that ignited a national scandal.
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“I’ve always been fascinated with Christine Beatty,” Kwame told Crimetown reporter John White from federal prison. “She had an electric personality that kind of drew people to her.”
Beatty also sat down and gave her side of events about her relationship with Kilpatrick.
“It wasn’t some random affair, you know, I was in love with him,” she said. “He loved me. Again, I never speak for him, I speak for me, but I know that he loved me. It’s not stupid.”
Kilpatrick spoke with the producer in a number of telephone interviews from prison to detail the disgraced mayor’s full story of his rise and fall from grace. He resigned from office after pleading guilty to perjury in 2008. He was later found guilty on 24 of 30 counts, including racketeering.
Part of that seedy history of Kilpatrick includes the tale of a tryst between him and Beatty.
The segment, titled “The Affair” is in Episode 14.
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Kwame’s ex-wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, reportedly declined be interviewed for the podcast.
Kilpatrick is scheduled to be released from jail on Aug. 1, 2037. He is also ordered to pay millions back to the city of Detroit in restitution.
Former Mayor Seeks Trump Pardon
In a lengthy Facebook post last June, Kilpatrick laid out all the reasons why Donald Trump should commute his prison sentence.
Kilpatrick has been incarcerated for seven years total between his stints in county, state and federal prisons on various charges and now sits in a New Jersey prison. His Facebook post asking for clemency highlights his faith and what he has endured since being imprisoned.
Excerpt:
“I accepted Christ as my Lord, my Savior, and my Redeemer that day; June 9, 2014. And everything in my life changed! Not just in my life, but also in the lives of my parents, my siblings and my sons.
“Yes, I have been punished severely. I have been chained like a wild animal, shacked around my ankles, waist and wrist, with a black box to keep my hands at my side many times. I have spent more than 5-Months in Solitary Confinement at different periods in this journey because they wanted to do that to me. I have experienced ridicule, scorn, and disrespect from prison staff that you couldn’t imagine.
He says he’s been taking lots of courses (literally every course he could) and now teaches his own courses in public speaking, employability skills, and Bible study. He is also a worship leader for the prison’s church services. Basically he’s saying he’s a model prisoner and he’s even copping to his own bad behavior.
“Yes, I have made some very bad decisions in my life. Yes, I betrayed my wife and family because of my own lust and sin. Yes, I failed to deliver on the promises and opportunities that was given to me by the people of Detroit, Michigan. And yes, I have been severely punished for it.”
Ultimately he’s making the claim that Detroiters, his family, and even Jesus have forgiven him and Trump should too.
“My family has forgiven me. I have asked the people of the city of Detroit for forgiveness many times. And most Detroiters have forgiven me as well…
By God’s grace, I have received a pardon from Him, through Christ Jesus. I pray that I will receive the opportunity for Pardon/Clemency from the President of the United States as well.”
Trump recently commuted the sentence of a Black woman named Alice Marie Johnson who was serving a life-sentence for non-violent drug offenses. He has also granted clemency to his supporters Dinesh D’Souza, Joe Arpaio, and Scooter Libby.