Detroit Mayor's Aide Quits in Steamy Text Scandal

Councilors call for probe into $8.4M payout
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 28, 2008 5:45 PM CST
Detroit Mayor's Aide Quits in Steamy Text Scandal
Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy addresses the media in her office in Detroit, Friday, Jan. 25, 2008. Worthy said she has opened an investigation following a newspaper report that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his top aide exchanged sexually explicit text messages that appear to contradict the pair's...   (Associated Press)

A Detroit official quit today after steamy text messages linked her to the mayor in an ongoing sex scandal, the Detroit News reports. Christine Beatty regretted "the devastation that the recent reports have caused" and wrote "that I can no longer effectively carry out the duties of chief of staff.” Two city council members quickly demanded a probe into the scandal that has already cost Detroit $8.4 million, the Detroit Free-Press reports.

Three ex-cops won the payout in a suit charging that Beatty and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick punished them for investigating their amorous texts. Kilpatrick kept mum today, but critics claimed he owes Detroit the full $8.4 million. His general counsel said she would be "awfully surprised if there are any criminal charges" against him. "This is going to be a blip on the screen of all the wonderful things that he's done." (More Kwame Kilpatrick stories.)

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