DETROIT, May 19 (UPI) -- Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox Monday said he will investigate alleged criminal wrongdoing by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilkpatrick and two members of his security staff.
Kilpatrick, 32, has denied a wild party was held at Manooglian Mansion, the official mayoral residence, and allegations of cover-ups of drunken driving and accidents involving the mayor's police detail between December and February.
The head of the Michigan State Police removed himself from the attorney general's investigation after his name surfaced in connection with rumors of the alleged wild party. Col. Tadarial Sturdivant Sunday night categorically denied attending any wild party at the mayor's residence.
"I don't even know if there was a party," Sturidivant said. "It's false. I've never even been in the Manoogian Mansion." He said he had taken and passed a lie detector test.
"It would be easy for those who wish to politicize this process to later claim he had a conflict of interest and taint the entire investigation and any possible ensuing prosecution," Cox told a news conference.
The Detroit Free Press said investigators also would examine allegations of payroll fraud involving overtime. A state police inquiry is under way into alleged drunken driving by officers on Kilpatrick's security detail.
The potential scandal erupted May 9 when Kilpatrick fired Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown, the head of the department's internal investigations division. Brown was heading a police inquiry of the allegations and said he believes he was fired because he was "getting too close."
Cox said Gov. Jennifer Granholm asked him to conduct an inquiry.
Last Thursday, Kilpatrick called for an investigation, telling reporters gathered outside the mansion he had not disgraced his office and that the allegations were sensational nonsense.
"It never happened. It never happened. It never happened," he said. "When you're a 32-year-old with an earring in your ear, some people will believe anything will happen."
