Attorney General Bill Schuette/file photo from Deadline Detroit
Allegations of public corruption reared its head -- once again -- in Detroit on Thursday.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced at a morning press conference corruption charges against seven city building inspectors who are accused of taking bribes, Matt Helms of the Detroit Free Press reported.
“These inspectors perpetrated a culture of corruption in Detroit that pout the health and the safety of Detroit families at risk,” he said. “That’s unacceptable.”
The Freep reports that the inspectors were involved in such shenanigans as ignoring a wiring issue that violated code and posed a fire hazard and phony inspections.
The allegations come on top of the number of city hall convictions in recent years including Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Derrick Miller, a top aid of his.
Mayor Dave Bing issued a statement saying:
"When I became Mayor, one of my first priorities was eliminating corruption and restoring integrity and ethics to city government. Today’s announcement of bribery allegations issued against seven current or former inspectors in our Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) is another step toward eradicating unethical and illegal behavior. I want to thank the FBI and State Attorney General’s office for their diligence in pursuing these allegations. "
