Detroit City Hall Insider

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Category: Monica Conyers

Extra! Extra! Monica Conyers appears in public!

Monica Conyers has been laying low since pleading to bribery and quitting the City Council this summer, but she could be ready to paint the town again.

Snoops spotted the controversial wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers on Thursday night at the 14th Congressional District town hall meeting at Northwest Activities Center. Conyers only stayed for a few minutes, but it's the first sighting of her in several months.

Conyers has been out of sight -- and possibly out of Detroit -- while she awaits her sentencing on a federal bribery conspiracy charge. A date hasn't been set.

The Insider doesn't want to get our hopes up, but could this mean Conyers is ready to reclaim her weekly call-in show WHPR-TV 33? She dropped from the airwaves not long after vowing to not only keep the program but change its name from "Ask the Councilwoman" to a title suggested by Insider readers -- "Just Sayin' with Monica Conyers."

We'll be watching Tuesday with our fingers crossed.

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Category: Monica Conyers

Monica Conyers delays return to airwaves

Where's Monica Conyers?

It's a question that arises every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., when the City Hall Insider trudges to the TV, crosses our fingers, rubs our lucky rabbit's foot and tunes into WHPR-Channel 33 hoping for the long-awaited return of "Ask the Councilwoman with Monica Conyers."

It's a question they're also beginning to ask at the Highland Park station that saw the fledging, low-budget affair became its most talked-about show.

The charismatic, controversial and convicted ex-councilwoman told viewers and station brass she was taking a respite in early July, not long after she pleaded guilty to bribery, resigned from the council and suspended her re-election campaign.

"I'm not sure where she is," admitted R.J. Watkins, CEO of the station. "She said she was taking a break for three weeks. It's been about that and then some. We haven't heard from her at all."

The station, which sells blocks of air time, has filled in the slot with a show from council hopeful Mohamed Okdie. Like Conyers' program, Okdie features a spartan set, single camera and calls from viewers. Unlike Conyers' program, Okdie lacks the flying-without-a-net, devil-may-care, don't-stop-watching-for-an-instant je ne sais quoi that made "Ask the Councilwoman" must-see TV.

They don't track ratings at WHPR, but Watkins knows when he has a hit on his hands. And Conyers did.

"We got a lot of phone calls and mail," Watkins said. "From the city. From the suburbs. Good and bad. People who didn't think she should be on the air. People thanking us for putting her on there... She could handle her own. I'm not saying I agreed with everything she said, but it was (good TV.)"

Conyers is reportedly in Washington D.C., snoops tell the Insider. Meanwhile, her hubby, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, was spotted getting his latte on Tuesday at a Starbucks on Woodward and Mack.

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Category: Monica Conyers

From MacBook to wing dings, Conyers' final days of spending

Former Councilwoman Monica Conyers was back in the news last week when Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. claimed $21,000 worth of equipment is missing from her office. He has since called the cops and they are investigating, although her lawyer denies Conyers pocketed anything.

Records obtained by the City Hall Insider shine more light on Conyers' final spending before she resigned July 6.

Two laptops were ordered about three weeks before she resigned. The first was an Apple MacBook with a 13 inch LED screen for $1,443 and Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac "Special Media Edition" for $494. The bill was paid using a petty cash fund. The second laptop was an HP 6530 Intel with HP Microsoft Office and carrying case for $1,245.

Here are other spending highlights:

* $888.20 for airfare to Washington D.C. April 24 for a "meeting with First Lady Obama". It's not clear if that meeting ever happened.

* $408.20 for airfare to Washington D. C. March 2 for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee 2009 national conference. In January, Conyers traveled to the Middle East on the group's dime for a seven-day educational trip to learn about the country and its conflicts. But in March, the city would foot the bill for the conference.

* $7322.07 for Conyers and two of her staffers to attend the Mackinac Policy Conference.

* $200 to attend the Employment Law Conference in Dearborn thrown by the law firm, Clark Hill. According to the registration form, Conyers planned to attend several sessions, including "What to do when an employee 'blows the whistle' on you or complains to you" and "How to handle your problem employees." Conyers has been sued by two former employees. One said she was fired after being forced to perform personal errands for Conyers, like delivering dry cleaning. The other said she quit after Conyers threatened to boot her, in part, for signing Conyers' signature to a resolution in a "sloppy" manner. Conyers has denied the accusations.

* $1,150 to print 10,000 directory cards with a variety of City Hall numbers featuring a photo of Conyers behind an American flag and the title "President of Detroit City Council."

* $424 in law books. The City Hall Insider first told you in February that Conyers was creating her own law library at City Hall, spending $959 last summer on a dozen law books through Thompson West. In March she bought more, including the "Michigan Criminal Law and Procedure Deskbook Full Set".

* $440 in spaghetti and wing dings from Cutter's Bar & Grill for outreach meetings at local senior facilities and nursing homes in February and March.

* $22.08 for the city's Qualified Voter File and Nov, 4, 2008 "vote history" from the Michigan Secretary of State.

Each council member has an annual budget of about $656,000 apiece, but Conyers was also Council President from September 2008 to May 2009 and spent from the $830,705 president's budget as well.

Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers' must-see TV takes a week off

Monica Conyers weekly television show took an unanticipated hiatus Tuesday after the former councilwoman failed to show for her 3:30 p.m. time slot.

Conyers' cable audience and the news media -- camped outside the Highland Park studios of WHPR-TV (Channel 33) -- were not the only ones left disappointed.

Attorney Jeffrey Ellison was on site, ready to serve Conyers with a copy of his client's lawsuit. Shanise Robinson, who worked for Conyers for a month in January 2008, alleges the former councilwoman did nothing to stop sexual harassment from another staffer.

Ellison hasn't been able to serve Conyers since filing the lawsuit about two weeks ago and said he hoped to catch her at the taping.

It's not clear if Conyers got word of Ellison's stakeout. Ellison, in a suit and tie and minus a camera, didn't exactly blend in the grubby press corps loitering outside.

On last week's show, Conyers denied Robinson's claims, saying she never heard about the sexual harassment allegations. She instead said she felt sorry for the young mother, who quit without warning or notice then filed suit to kick Conyers when she's down.

Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers ads from back in the day

It's amazing what you can find trolling through YouTube.

Meridian Management, of course, is owned political consultant Sam Riddle, whom Conyers now says her husband warned her against hiring. Riddle, who says his fate in the federal corruption probe will become public any day now, also performs voice-over duties for this 2005 Conyers ad.

Here's one more from the 2005 campaign. Conyers, who was hardly a household name a scant four years ago, finished second in the balloting.

Category: Monica Conyers

We have a winner

Now-ex Councilwoman Monica Conyers promised last week to continue her weekly call-in show Tuesdays on WHPR-Channel 33, but as its 3:30 p.m. airing draws near, station officials admit they aren't sure if she'll show. A staffer this morning said Conyers was expected to make the trip to the Highland Park studios for the live show, but officials now say they've tried and failed to contact her.

More likely is a new name for the program, since "Ask the Councilwoman with Councilwoman Monica Conyers" became obsolete when she quit Monday. But the City Hall Insider is doing our part, forwarding to Conyers' peeps the results of our weeklong contest to rename her show.

The Insider received at least three dozen suggestions from readers and the early favorite, Patrick Fitzgerald of East Lansing, withstood a late flurry of challengers to take top prize with his entry, "The Monica Conyers Show: If You're Not Calling, You're Part of the Problem." He gets a nifty book of stickers and certificates of appreciation from former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Nice work, Patrick. Admittedly, he stacked the deck a bit by submitting 10 suggestions, including another Insider favorite, "I'm Just Sayin' with Monica Conyers." He fended off runner-up PJ Hall of Jackson, who submitted this comedic troika: "Control Your House with Monica Conyers," "You Not My Daddy and I'm Not Sure He's My Brother: Family Time With Monica" and "Do it Baby And Get Yo Self a Man, with Host Monica Conyers." PJ gets two Kilpatrick certificates and a copy of the city's audit of the Municipal Parking Department.

Other notables include: "Do It, Baby - I'm Taking Calls" from Big Al in Birmingham, "The Monica Conyers Show: You Got the Dime, I Got the Time" from Dianne in Copperas Cove, Tex., "The Monica Conyers Show: If You ARE Calling In To Support Me, You Too Are Part Of The Problem" from Richard in Farmington, "Detroit-Onward and Upward" from Carolyn in Roseville and "Ask the Con-yers," "Ask the Jailbird" and "Ask the Felon" from multiple readers.

Those who emailed their addresses will get freebie certificates of appreciation in the mail soon. In the meantime, the Insider will be watching WHPR with bated breath.

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Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers TV show contest update

The entries are flying fast and furious, less than two days into the City Hall Insider's contest to rename "Ask the Councilwoman with Monica Conyers." The TV show needs a new title since she's quitting Monday amid her plea to a felony bribery conspiracy charge.

The Insider has received two dozen suggestions, and so far, the favorite for the call-in program on WHPR-TV 33 is "The Monica Conyers Show: If You're Not Calling in, You're Part of the Problem," a play on her infamous one-liner last month about people praying for her. Just for playing, Patrick Fitzgerald from East Lansing gets a tip of the cap and collectible "Certificate of Appreciation" and "Commemorating Your Retirement" certificate signed by ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. They are handsome and treasured keepsakes suitable for framing.

Other contenders: "I'm Just Sayin'!", "Ask the Jailbird", "Attitude Talkin'" and numerous plays on the councilwoman's last name and her status as a convict.

The Insider also received a handful of emails that went something like this Tsk, tsk, tsk! Have you no shame? and You are not as funny as you think. While we welcome the feedback, those are kinda long for TV show titles.

It may be tough to top "If You're Not Calling in, You're Part of the Problem," but the Insider is daring to dream and sweetening the pot. The winner of the contest not only will get the Kilpatrick certificates but also a rare, six-page book of stickers from the Mackinac Policy Conference. Many jab the City Council, including one depicting Conyers trying to get back into the Office of the City Council President.

So keep those entries coming by e-mailing the Insider. Make sure to include your address. We're feeling mighty generous and have drawers full of junk cherished souvenirs.

Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers got $64,012 for falling in Cobo

On Tuesday, Monica Conyers told viewers of her weekly TV show on WHPR-TV that leading efforts to kill a plan to turn over Cobo Center to a regional authority was one of her proudest moments as a council member. She likened it to giving away vital assets for beans or pennies.

But records show Conyers was injured at Cobo Center in 2003, leading to a prolonged fight with Detroit Public Schools over a worker's compensation claim she filed while an attendance officer and substitute teacher, according to records from the Workers' Compensation Agency. The district initially balked at the claim, but paid her $64,012, according to records obtained by The Detroit News through the Freedom of Information Act.

On Dec. 4, 2003, she slipped and fell while at a seminar in Cobo Center and damaged her right knee, according to the claims. Then on June 3, 2004, that knee gave out, causing her to fall and hurt her left knee. Then on June 24, 2004, she fell again, injuring both knees and tearing her rectum, according to the records.

And since the Insider is strolling down Memory Lane -- and because Conyers told TV viewers she only wanted "cute" photos of her -- here's a couple from the vaults of the Galaxy, her yearbook at Henry Ford High School.

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Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers' TV show needs a new name

Monica Conyers surprised many in the Detroit press corps today by lifting her head, putting the key into her city-owned Crown Victoria and driving herself to the Highland Park studios for her weekly gabfest "Ask the Councilwoman with Monica Conyers."

One day after announcing her resignation and four days after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery, Conyers heeded the old vaudeville call about no business being like show business and parked in front of cameras at WHPR-TV in Highland Park.

Conyers began by saying she couldn't say much, lest she annoy a judge who now controls her freedom. Conyers then talked for an hour, twice the show's usual length. It was vintage "Ask the Councilwoman with Monica Conyers" and reiterated why the Insider's TiVo finger gets itchy whenever it comes on every Tuesday at 3:30.

Conyers mixed a diatribe against the media and enemies including her former aide Sam Riddle and City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. with apologies for unspecified acts that may "disappoint" voters, her love of God and thanks for numerous supporters, pastors and even a few hunky members of the media (yes, the Insider received a shout-out for being part of that Sluggers' Row of Detroit Journalism that also includes Hot 102.7 personality Reggie Reg and Mix 92.3 host Frankie Darcell.)

Smiling and even dabbing a tear after a slew of "keep-that-chin-up" calls from viewers, Conyers announced that, like they say in the Catskills, the show will go on -- conviction and all. It just needs a new name, since "Ask the Councilwoman ..." will be obsolete come Monday.

As a public service, the Insider is taking suggestions. Winner gets a leftover commemorative Certificate of Appreciation from Conyers' onetime chum and fellow wrong-side-of-the-law official, former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Click here to email the Insider your suggestions. We'll pass them on to the programming gurus at WHPR who are also behind such hits as "Ladies, Can We Talk?"

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Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers talks spirituality, not Synagro

Councilwoman Monica Conyers' "I'm Not Talking About That" media tour continued way up the broadcast dial Thursday, stopping by Christian Television Network to chat about God but not about Synagro.

Two days after proclaiming that "If you're not praying for me, you're just adding to the problem" on her talk show on WHPR, Conyers opted for spirituality over specifics with Pastor Glenn Plummer.

Conyers didn't mention a looming federal indictment or plea deal, but compared her current situation to a "fire" or spiritual test she is relying on her faith to survive.

"God doesn't give you more than you can handle...so I'm good," she said. "I'm fine. I do my job, I go to work, I'm going to clean up my house... I really don't have time to worry about things I can't control. ...What is going to happen...is going to happen. Only God knows what is in store..."

Conyers has drawn a lot of criticism for name-dropping God so often these days, but in fairness, she was never shy about doing so before the current crisis.

And give Plummer credit. For a pastor, he showed some chops, asking Conyers if she was "going through anything" and rebutting her when she claimed that she's "never confrontational" during public meetings -- except for that teeny-tiny thing with Ken Cockrel in which she called him Shrek, said "You're not my Daddy" and the shouting match was watched by hundreds of thousands on YouTube.

Plummer reminded Conyers about a shouting match this year with Cockrel's step-mother, Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel. Plummer didn't drop details, but Conyers told her to "shut the (bad word) up" and asked if she "needed a man."

Conyers retorted that she said she'd never upbraided anyone in public. That was a private curse-out, Conyers said.

"What happens behind closed doors...is no one's business," she said. But she added her job is "stressful" and "it can wear on you."

Later in the show, Conyers agreed to field questions from callers, but only "as long as we're talking about God."

Several supported her and offered to pray for her, but some criticized her behavior on the City Council, and one person left a message saying, "The FBI doesn't investigate people for no reason." Another accused Conyers of being "mean," prompting this one liner: "I'm not mean... But if I have to be the mean person to move this city forward, I have to accept that."

Plummer also pressed Conyers on her marriage, asking why her hubby, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, isn't close by for support as scrutiny continues. Conyers replied, "What would that do to his constituents?" She said an absence might make critics and colleagues question his ability.

In honor of Conyers' appearance on the show, here's some Run-DMC kicking it old-school, reminding folks that if the "G-O-D be in me than a king I be."