DETROIT – Despite admitting to taking bribes and resigning from her position on the Detroit City Council, Monica Conyers showed up Tuesday for her weekly television show.
"Ask the Councilwoman," which aired at 3:30 p.m. on local WHPR, began with Conyers saying she would take any calls except those related to her court case.
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"I don't want to get my judge mad at me," she said.
Conyers did, however, hint at a possible political comeback. During the show, she referenced Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Berry, who was re-elected after serving time in prison for a federal drug conviction.
"They (Washington D.C. voters) knew outside of him (Berry) the city and the people weren't going to be served. The people weren't going to be served," Conyers said. "So, you know, (in my case) I just put that out there for food for thought."
Several callers to the TV show said they still support Conyers but other voters were not willing to give her a second chance.
"Why should I vote for someone who takes money and then satisfies themself," said Detroit resident Jeremiah Avery. "It doesn't make any sense. I'm tired of the City of Detroit being run by that type of leadership."
Detroit Elections Director Daniel Baxter said Conyers' name will be on the ballot during the primary election in August because the ballot printing process has already started.
"There is a state law that says in the event a candidate is convicted of a felony during an election, their election shall be void," Baxter said. "That is an issue we're looking at (in Conyers' case)."
During Conyers' TV show she also addressed the media, asking for privacy and threatening to sue if any more cameras "came up the middle of her driveway."
Several callers thanked her for her service and said their families were praying for her.
"With all the bad news, I figured I would talk about some of my accomplishments," Conyers said.
She talked about her time on city council and her work of voting against water rate hikes, getting scholarship money for Detroit students and cutting the garbage fee in half for seniors.
She addressed her staff, saying they should ignore City Council President Ken Cockrel Jr.'s order about when to leave the office.
"To my staff, I do feel bad that Mr. Cockrel chose to just tell you that you have to leave on Thursday," she said. "You don't have to on Thursday. You leave on Monday at the close of business ... at 5 o'clock when I leave."
Conyers mentioned the city election in November and said if she could pick two people to stay on the council they would be JoAnn Watson and Martha Reeves.
She did not have kind thoughts for fellow councilwoman Sheila Cockrel.
"When she is gone, Detroit is rid of her," Conyers said.
Conyers closed her show with an apology to Detroiters, saying she's sorry if she "offended" them.
"I love Detroit, I've been here all my life," Conyers said. "There's a lot of things that are going on right now and I just thank you for your support."
Conyers added that she wants to continue her show but might change the name.
Conyers, 44, is the wife of a Democratic congressman, and pleaded guilty Friday to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She resigned from office Monday.
Prosecutors said Conyers accepted two payments in late 2007 from a Synagro Technologies official in exchange for supporting a 20-year, $47-million-a-year, contract that November to have Synagro recycle wastewater sludge and build a modern incinerator in a poor Detroit neighborhood.