Rep. John Conners caught up in wife's bribe schemes?

Via Detroit Free Press.

Before U.S. Rep. John Conyers was for it, he joined with a colleague who was against it. In 2003, the influential husband of Monica Conyers appeared at a public hearing in Romulus, standing with fellow Michigan Democratic Rep. John Dingell, who was dead set against a planned hazardous waste injection well in that city. “We’re trying to keep the God-given resources that this area is blessed with as healthy and as clean as possible,” Conyers told an audience on April 21, 2003. On Monday, John Conyers wasn’t talking about why he sent a letter several years later — on July 17, 2007 — to the Environmental Protection Agency in support of Greektown businessman Dimitrios (Jim) Papas’ efforts to transfer permits that would restart the controversial, leak-prone well. What accounts for John Conyers’ apparent shift on the well project? His office did not offer an immediate comment Monday. But Sam Riddle, the one-time political consultant and aide to Monica Conyers, has told the Free Press that Monica Conyers had indirectly benefitted from Papas in 2007, before the EPA letter. It’s unclear whether John Conyers then knew of any financial ties between his wife and Papas. The Free Press also has learned that Papas was a political supporter of Monica Conyers. He contributed $1,500 in 2005 to her successful run for City Council. He also cohosted a fund-raiser that brought $12,250 to her campaign, records show. Riddle, who spoke exclusively to the Free Press for Monday editions, said the 2007 EPA letter from John Conyers was generated by Monica Conyers after she arranged a $20,000 consulting contract for Riddle with Papas. One of Papas’ companies — Environmental Geo-Technologies — had contracted with the Detroit Police and Firemen’s Retirement System to operate the deep-injection well, in which the system had invested millions. Riddle said Monica Conyers demanded $10,000 from Riddle as a finder’s fee.