Detroit Mayor's Chief of Staff resigns
DETROIT (AP) - January 28, 2008 In a letter to Kilpatrick that was released by his office,
Beatty said she believes she can no longer effectively carry out
her duties. Her resignation takes effect Feb. 8.
"I painfully regret the devastation that the recent reports
have caused to the citizens of Detroit, to my co workers, to the
Mayor's family and to my family and friends," Beatty wrote in the
letter.
Kilpatrick spokesman James Canning said the mayor's office had
no comment.
There was no immediate response to messages seeking comment from
Elliott Hall, a lawyer for Beatty.
A prosecutor launched an investigation last week into the
allegations, which came to light when the Detroit Free Press
reported details of steamy text messages between Beatty and
Kilpatrick.
A conviction of lying under oath can bring up to 15 years'
imprisonment.
Both Kilpatrick and Beatty testified in a trial last summer that
they did not have a physical relationship in 2002 and 2003, when
the messages were reportedly sent. The 14,000 messages examined by
the newspaper reveal the two carried on a flirty, sometimes
sexually explicit dialogue about where to meet and how to conceal
their numerous trysts.
"I'm madly in love with you," Kilpatrick wrote on Oct. 3,
2002.
"I hope you feel that way for a long time," Beatty replied.
"In case you haven't noticed, I am madly in love with you, too!"
On Oct. 16, 2002, Kilpatrick wrote Beatty: "I've been dreaming
all day about having you all to myself for 3 days. Relaxing,
laughing, talking, sleeping and making love."
Kilpatrick is married with three children. Beatty was married at
the time of the messages and has two children. She has served as
the Kilpatrick administration's chief of staff since the mayor took
office in 2002.
The two, both 37, have been friends since they attended the same
Detroit high school. Kilpatrick also appointed Beatty as his chief
of staff when he became state House minority leader in 1999. She
was his campaign manager during his campaigns for state House and
the mayor's office.
The pair testified in a case involving a lawsuit filed by two
police officers who alleged they were fired for investigating
claims that the mayor used his security unit to cover up
extramarital affairs.
The lawsuit ended with the jury awarding $6.5 million to the two
officers. The payout eventually grew to more than $8.5 million.
The Free Press did not explain exactly how it obtained the
messages. The newspaper said it cross-referenced the messages with
the mayor's private calendar and credit card records to verify
events in some of the notes.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)