Another Lawsuit to Be Filed Against Detroit Mayor

The Detroit Free Press reports:

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick says he wants to shelve questions about his personal life so he can focus on rebuilding Detroit while his lawyers appeal his defeat in a whistle-blower case.

That may be wishful thinking.

On Sept. 28, less than a month after having accusations of infidelity aired in court in the Gary Brown-Harold Nelthrope civil case, another whistle-blower lawsuit, filed by another former bodyguard, will be in court for a hearing. It's not clear when the case might go to trial.

And if there's a major difference between the two cases, it's that the new case contains even more salacious accusations.

In fact, mayoral infidelity is the central theme of the lawsuit former cop Walt Harris filed against Kilpatrick and the City of Detroit.

It accuses the mayor of cheating on his wife in Detroit and on the road with his chief of staff Christine Beatty, and with other women during late-night outings.

Kilpatrick has acknowledged going out solo after hours, but denied having affairs.

But there may be more at stake for Kilpatrick with the Harris case than just another round of speculation about his character.

Going to trial could cost the city money and the mayor political clout that neither can afford, said Sam Riddle, a political consultant and chief of staff to Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers.

The personal becomes the political when lawsuits start costing the taxpayers money.