By Debbie Schlussel
In the wake of the Monica Conyers bribery scandal in Detroit, several parties connected to Congressman Conyers’ convicted felon wife are under the microscope.
One of those is Sam Riddle, whom I’ve met. Riddle, a political consultant, is a clever and colorful person. And he’s a very likable guy, who, as a Black political advisor, was one of the few with the guts to speak out against the Williams sisters when they gave sanction to the United Arab Emirates’ anti-Semitic apartheid policy during the recent Dubai Open tennis tournament.
But, now, Riddle is embroiled in the federal investigations that are going on. And some of the things he’s saying are very, very interesting. He says the Michigan Democratic Party paid him off to keep quiet about Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm as she sought re-election.

Sam Riddle:

Dems Paid Me $50K to Keep Quiet, FBI Asked Me About Dem Gov
As you read this, keep in mind that Michigan Republican Attorney General and all-around sleazebag candidate for Governor, Mike Cox, was also an ally and political crony of Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and deposed Detroit ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s father, Bernard, when they worked together for another sleazy Detroit political figure.

Riddle said the Democrats paid him not to say negative things about Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who faced a challenge from Republican businessman Dick DeVos in the November election that year.
FBI agents also questioned Riddle about connections between Granholm and business consultant Bernard N. Kilpatrick, the father of then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, said Riddle, the former chief of staff to Councilwoman Monica Conyers.
Granholm and Bernard Kilpatrick worked together in the administration of the late Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara in the 1990s. Federal agents have been investigating payments made to Bernard Kilpatrick’s consulting firm, Maestro Associates LLC, by companies seeking contracts with the city of Detroit while his son was mayor.
Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, said the $50,000 contract with Riddle’s Meridian Management Systems of Flint was for media consulting and was not specifically related to the gubernatorial campaign.

Uh-huh. Sure.

Liz Boyd, a spokeswoman for Granholm, said the governor had no comment on what Riddle said. . . .
As for the FBI asking questions about ties between Granholm and Bernard Kilpatrick, “it is not unreasonable to assume that if the FBI is investigating someone, they might ask questions about someone they might have once worked with or known,” Boyd said.
Federal Election Commission records show the Democrats paid Riddle’s company the money in five $10,000 installments on July 15, July 29, Sept. 6, Oct. 10 and Nov. 5. The election was Nov. 7.
Granholm’s links to Bernard Kilpatrick were also an issue last July, when . . . Granholm spoke to a top official in the U.S. Attorney’s Office about whether it was possible to have a joint resolution of the ongoing federal investigation of Detroit City Hall– in which Bernard Kilpatrick was a major focus– and her review of then-Mayor Kilpatrick’s conduct in office, which was then pending.

Shhhh . . . Sam. Be quiet. And, by the way, here’s $50K for a “media consulting contract.” Nod, nod, wink, wink.