Detroit Public Library Faces Takeover Attempt From Councilman Benson Whose Home Was Raided by FBI

Описание: Detroit City Councilman Scott Benson, whose home was raided by the FBI in 2021 in a federal corruption investigation, is pushing to change the governance structure of the Detroit Public Library amidst the financial challenges of the independent public educational institution. Benson introduced resolution last year for the Board of Library Commissioners to be appointed by members of the Detroit City Council. Currently library commissioners are selected by the Detroit School Board of Education.

Russ Bellant, a former library commissioner appeared for an interview on Sunday, Jan. 29 on "Sunday Nation with Bankole Thompson," which airs every Sunday from 1pm-2pm on MyTV38 WADL-Detroit, to discuss Benson's move against the library.

The Sunday public affairs program is hosted by Bankole Thompson, the distinguished and nationally renowned Black journalist, author and cultural critic, whose work is known for probing uncomfortable issues of race, freedom and justice. He is the executive dean and editor-in-chief of The PuLSE Institute, a prestigious national anti-poverty think tank, headquartered in Detroit, the nation’s largest African American city.

Considered Detroit’s columnist of conscience, Thompson, is an opinion columnist at The Detroit News, where he writes a twice-a-week column on presidential politics, culture, diversity, leadership, equity and socioeconomic issues. His column appears on Mondays and Thursdays in the newspaper. He is Michigan’s leading Black opinion columnist, whose work pricks the conscience of the powerful.

He is the host of "REDLINE with Bankole Thompson", a daily two-hour radio program on 910AM Super Station-Detroit, which is broadcast 11am-1pm weekdays, and is the most influential and only daily Black talk radio in the state with a focus on the issues affecting Black Michigan.