Rescue 4's Waste Watchers are asking questions about a Cadillac Escalade that was reportedly donated to the city of Detroit.

Carlita Kilpatrick, the wife of Detroit's Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, was recently seen driving the Escalade, Rescue 4's Kevin Dietz reported. Dietz learned that Carlita Kilpatrick was shopping for a new family car, to be purchased with the family's money.

When Rescue 4 asked whom the Escalade belonged to, they found out that it was one of 20 vehicles donated to the city by General Motors, Dietz reported.

The answer raised a new question: If the city had 20 free cars, why did they use taxpayer dollars to lease the infamous red 2005 Lincoln Navigator? Dietz reported.

Allegations regarding the 2005 Navigator surfaced earlier this month after Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced a series of budget cuts -- including cuts in jobs and transportation -- to help reduce a projected $230 million deficit.

Kilpatrick and Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings held a press conference Saturday in an effort to explain why the Navigator was leased.

City officials claimed when questioned by Local 4 Jan. 14 that the Navigator was purchased to use in police undercover operations, but Bully Cummings said Saturday that the luxury SUV was intended to be used by the department's executive protection unit to transport the mayor and his family.

The police chief went on to say that the Navigator was never used to drive the mayor's family because Kilpatrick said it was too expensive and "to take it back." She said the new vehicle was to replace a previous Lincoln Navigator that had been used to transport the mayor and his family.

City officials said Wednesday that the 20 vehicles donated by GM were for police use. General Motors said the vehicles were to be used specifically by the violent crimes task force.

When asked if the mayor's wife should have been driving the Escalade -- which was intended for police -- GM chose not to comment, Dietz reported.

GM later called to say that the donated vehicles could be used at the police department's discretion.

General Motors said they received nothing in return for donating the cars.

City officials said they would provide copies of the contracts with GM, but Rescue 4 did not receive them as of Wednesday evening.