WDET News
- Conyers "Shrek" Comment Leads Council to Consider Sanctions
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Apr 29, 2008Metro Desk
The Detroit City Council could reign in rowdy council members in the future.
Earlier this month, city council woman Monica Conyers got into an argument with city council president Kenneth Cockrel, who was trying to maintain order during a special session of council. She felt he was being disrespectful. This started a tirade by Conyers who told Cockrel “you’re not my daddy” and called him “Shrek” – after the green animated ogre.
Now, city council woman Barbara Rose-Collins wants to make the penalties for city council people getting out of line tougher.
Currently, under parliamentary procedure, council members can be censured. A censure is a written reprimand.
Council President Kenneth Cockrel agrees that tougher penalties should apply but it’s too early to say what they might be.
“Too early to say right now… but you know… here’s one example, a financial fine. People always feel it when you hit ‘em in the pocketbook. I think that’s something that needs to be looked it. Some sort of financial penalty… that you feel.”
Cockrel expects the council’s rules committee to review the penalty question.
In the meantime, video of the incident between Conyers and Cockrel has been posted on You Tube. It recently made it into an Esquire Magazine on-line article entitled “The Five Biggest Embarrassments to American Democracy”.