Councilman pleads guilty to bribery charge (Pontiac)

ap ^ | 9-3-03

[Dan from Michigan]

Councilman pleads guilty to bribery charge

The Associated Press
9/3/2003, 8:04 a.m. ET

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — City Councilman Ray Alexander is expected to spend at least two years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal bribery charge.

Alexander, 42, admitted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit that he took $5,000 from a man in exchange for helping get a liquor license approved. The man turned out to be an undercover FBI agent.

"The FBI and the Department of Justice take violations of the public trust very seriously and hope by this prosecution it sends the message that we will not tolerate officials selling their offices," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn A. Helland.

Alexander would not say if he planned to resign his position as councilman.

"One judgment in error is not who Ray Alexander is," Alexander told The Daily Oakland Press.

"People know who I am and what I'm about. I would hope that one mistake would not cloud all the good I have tried to do in my community on behalf of the citizens I represent."

Pontiac City Council President Everett Seay said his prayers were with Alexander and his family. But he was hopeful that the second-term councilman would resign for the sake of the council.

Council by-laws prohibit members from missing five consecutive meetings.

In exchange for Alexander's guilty plea, three other felony charges were dismissed. Under the terms of the plea, his sentence will range from 24-27 months in prison, Helland said.

"It was in my client's best interest to resolve this short of trial," said attorney Steven F. Fishman.

Alexander will be sentenced Jan. 15.

[Dan from Michigan]

Pontiac is 80% Democrat, so likely, this guy is a Rat.

[Pest]

Councilman - Ray Alexander District 1
Education:	Pontiac Central
	Pontiac Business Institute
Profession:	Pontiac Schools - Title I Assistant
	Jefferson/Whittier Jr.High School - Basketball Coach
	Webster & Washington Elementary School - Soccer Coach
Affiliations:	Newman AME Church
	NAACP
	National Black Churches Association
	Male Responsibility Network
	Jefferson/Whittier Jr. High PTA
	Honorary Member of Golden Opportunity Club
Term of Office:	January 1999-2001; 1st elected January 1998
Contact:	Councilman Alexander by email ccouncil@pontiac.mi.us

[Pest]

I still can't find out what party he is. I guess it doesn't matter.

[Theo]

It used to be that articles contained information, like what party a politician was a member of. I've studied journalism in college. Either this writer is no journalist, or the editor is no editor. What terrible reporting that they not include basic information. Agenda? Hmf.

[Dan from Michigan]

City Council members are usually "non partisan", at least in Michigan.

[Theo]

All right. I grew up in Michigan and went to undergrad in the UP, but didn't realize that. Thanks, Dan. :-)

[Pest]

I think the fact that he belongs to the NAACP is a pretty good indicator that he's a Dem.

[ThomasPaine2000]

The city of Beaumont, Texas just sent their former mayor and a city councilman to to the federal lock-up for very similiar charges. Sometmes there is justice.