Monica Conyers Sentenced to 37 Months

Monica Conyers, the wife of United States Representative John Conyers (D-MI), was sentenced to 37 months in prison and two years supervised probation. The sentence was a result of asking for and accepting bribes to influence the granting of a city contract.

Mrs. Conyers had pleaded guilty, but upon hearing her sentenced she attempted to change her mind. She attempted to withdraw her guilty plea, but her attempt was rejected by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn.

Monica is now saying she will appeal, but she may not have the legal right to. The plea agreement she signed states that if the sentence imposed was five years or less, she waived any right to appeal her conviction or sentence.

Her only hope now is that her husbands influence convinces the court to allow an appeal where none is legal, or perhaps a pardon from Governor Granholm or President Obama.

John Conyers is the second-longest serving incumbent member of the House, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and the Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus. He has quite a bit of political pull which he could use to influence his wife’s case. This is true even though he was caught illegally using taxpayer-funded congressional staff to work on his political campaign staff and also forcing them to babysit and chauffer his and Monica’s children. If John doesn’t engage in some quick Chicago-style politics, his young wife must report to prison on 1 July.