Detroit City Council member Gabe Leland is pleading guilty to misconduct in office. He’s resigned from this seat as part of a plea agreement.
Federal and state officials charged the former councilman with various counts of felony corruption.
They allege the District 7 councilman accepted $7,500 dollars in cash for his campaign in exchange for his vote of support in a property dispute.
The Monroe County Prosecutor’s office filed its own related misconduct charges in 2020. Leland admitted to his crime in front of a circuit court judge on Monday.
“I accepted a campaign contribution in cash. At the time I accepted the cash contribution I knew it was against the law to do so, which makes it misconduct in office.”
As part of his plea deal with the state, Leland will avoid jail time and have his charges in federal court dismissed.
Leland remained in office for nearly three years following his federal indictment, and continued to vote on numerous city contracts and proposals.
Government transparency activists have called on Leland to resign ever since his federal indictment in 2018.
He was Detroit’s only white city council member.
