Kwame Malik Kilpatrick, the mayor of Detroit, has defamed the post of the mayor like no one else before. On May 13, 2008, the Detroit City Council voted 5-4 to begin the impeachment process against him. In another resolution they requested that Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm eject the mayor should the impeachment fail.

Kilpatrick was born in Detroit and went to Pelham Middle School in Detroit. Later he earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and a teaching certificate from Florida A&M University. Kilpatrick was elected in 1996 to the Michigan House of Representatives after his mother, Carolyn Kilpatrick vacated the seat. Later he was elected Democratic floor leader and thereafter the House Democratic Leader, making him the first African American to lead a Michigan Legislature. His campaign staff consisted of high school classmates. Most notable amongst them was Christine Beatty, who became his legislative aide and later rose to become his chief of staff. Kalparick was elected the Mayor of Detroit in 2001. He became one of the youngest Mayors in the US.

In his term as Mayor, Kilpatrick was charged of misusing the Credit Card provided by the city to the tune of $ 2,00,000. Kilpatrick was accused by his wife Carlita Kilpatrick of having lewd parties at his official residence, the Manoogian Mansion. One of the dancers called Tamara Greene was later murdered. In January 2008 another scandal surfaced where 14,000 text messages exchanged between Kilpatrick and his chief of staff Christine Beatty were released. This suggested an extra marital affair with Christine Beatty. These charges finally lead to the 5-4 vote to begin impeachment process against him.