Rep. Kilpatrick Called Before Federal Grand Jury, Says She’s Not the Target
Updated: 5:10 p.m.
Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D) has been subpoenaed for testimony before a federal grand jury, but the Michigan lawmaker’s office said she is not the target of the investigation.
Kilpatrick has been called to testify in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, according to the March 10 edition of the Congressional Record.
One day earlier, Kilpatrick’s office manager, Andrea Bragg, also reported receiving a grand jury subpoena from the same court. It is not known whether the pair has been called for testimony in the same case.
“Congresswoman Kilpatrick has been issued a subpoena to testify before the grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan,” Kilpatrick spokeswoman Tracy Walker said in a written statement Thursday. “Through her counsel, the Congresswoman has been assured by the Department of Justice that neither she nor Andrea Bragg is a target of the grand jury. Congresswoman Kilpatrick and Ms. Bragg intend to cooperate fully and answer truthfully all appropriate questions. Beyond that, as this is a grand jury matter, this office will have no further comment.”
The Congressional Record indicated Kilpatrick notified Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of the subpoena, as required under House rules, in a March 1 letter.
“After consulting with my attorney, I will make the determinations required by Rule VIII,” Kilpatrick wrote, referring to the section of House rules that addresses how Members, aides and officers should respond to subpoenas.
The Detroit News reported last month that federal investigators are preparing felony charges against former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Rep. Kilpatrick’s son, and his father, business consultant Bernard N. Kilpatrick, over allegations of corruption, including pay-to-play schemes, in the former mayor’s administration. Kwame Kilpatrick’s tenure as mayor was wracked by controversy and scandal, and he resigned in September 2008 after pleading guilty to two felony charges in an obstruction of justice case.