Why are we not surprised? Detroit mayor vetoes ouster resolution

Both of Detroit's major dailies, The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News are reporting this morning that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has vetoed the city council's resolution asking Governor Jennifer Granholm to remove him from office.

The mayor's veto message warns that removing elected officials is "irresponsible" and thwarts the will of the voters. Kilpatrick claims the council can remove him only if he's convicted of a felony or lacks qualification to serve in office.

The initial responses from attorney William Goodman, retained by the city council to investigate the text-message scandal, to Kilpatrick's veto message arguments: "brainless" (Detroit News) and "lunacy" (Detroit Free Press).

"[I]t's an inherently preposterous concept that the mayor would have the power to veto the outcome of a City Council investigation (into him)," fumed Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel.

"The veto message speaks for itself," says Kilpatrick spokesman James Canning.