Charlie LeDuff and Santiago Esparza, The Detroit News
- Political consultant Adolph Mongo this morning filed a request with the City Clerk’s Office to remove Mayor Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr.’s name from the ballot for the February special mayoral election.
Mongo, who said he is not backing anyone in the race, said Cockrel lied when he signed an affidavit stating he was in compliance with state election laws when he submitted petitions to run in the special election. Cockrel owes $42,000 in campaign finance fees, according to the Wayne County Clerk’s Office. That contradicts the affidavit, Mongo said today.
Cockrel has hired election law attorney Michael Hodge.
Mongo said Cockrel was one of the leaders of the push to remove former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from office. Kilpatrick left office after pleading to perjury stemming from the ongoing text message scandal.
