PrintFebruary 12, 2009
In Detroit, crime pays
In Detroit, crime pays.
How else to explain recently released convict and ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick being hired by Compuware chairman Peter Karmanos, Jr., to a post with the latter's affiliate company in Texas? The company, Covisint, develops networking systems enabling large computers to communicate. Apparently Mr. Karmanos is impressed with his newest employee's resume and experience in this area; the former mayor was convicted as a result of his own particular networking system with his former chief-of-staff.
When then-mayor Kilpatrick was clinging to his post like a pit bull, Mr. Karmanos was his one of his most vociferous defenders in urging the mayor not to resign, at one point bizarrely stating that only Mr. Kilpatrick could revive the city, that he was "the best we have." Has a more damning indictment of a city ever been uttered?
With thousands of IT professionals out of jobs and Compuware having recently eliminated 300 employees, Mr. Karmanos has not merely chosen to stand by his friend in a time of trouble, but to prop him up financially and give him a fresh start in a new place, away from all of those meanies who wanted to see -- just once -- a public official held to account.
Noble as that may be in theory, Mr. Karmanos must be prepared to face the consequences of his actions and be taught that turning loose hard-working professionals with qualifications in the field is ignoble when hiring a reprobate ex-con who defrauded a dying city of millions in a display of hubris the likes of which has rarely been seen in American politics.
If I had stock in Compuware, I would sell it. Rapidly.
