DETROIT (AP) -- Detroit electrician Tim Morton said Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick could've been the next Barack Obama even before Obama and his message of hope became prominent.
But after Monday, his hope was gone. As he grabbed his Starbucks cup, he shook his head in disbelief and sadness over how the day had unraveled.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy on Monday filed perjury and other charges against Kilpatrick, a Democrat, and his former top aide following the disclosure of racy text messages that appear to contradict the mayor's sworn denials during a whistle-blower trial of an affair with Christine Beatty, his ex-chief of staff.
"If he would've just kept his nose clean," Morton said.
City Council President Ken Cockrel Jr., who would succeed Kilpatrick as mayor if he steps down, told reporters that he believes he and the other council members are of the same mind.
"We still have our regular daily duties and responsibilities. We're going to continue to do that," Cockrel said. "It wasn't something that was totally unexpected to me, except for the number of charges. However, certainly, it doesn't lessen the impact. This is a tragic day for the city."
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, a fellow Democrat, called it "a sad day for the city of Detroit and the entire region."
Kilpatrick said he will not resign, which Ficano said will make it hard for him to properly perform his mayoral responsibilities.
"The mayor must personally weigh how difficult it will be to work with the stakeholders in this region while he is facing these serious charges," he said in a written statement.
L. Brooks Patterson, the Republican executive of neighboring Oakland County, called the charges a 21st-century rerun of a classic Greek tragedy: fallen heroes, lost opportunities, unfulfilled promise.
"With tens of thousands of jobs lost, plants closing and people being forced out of their homes, it is the responsibility of us in leadership roles to stay focused at this hour on the important work before us."
Detroit taxpayers spent at least $845,282 for outside attorneys representing Kilpatrick in the whistle-blowers' trial, a second whistle-blowers' lawsuit and their settlement agreement.
State Rep. Brian Calley said legislation is needed that would allow municipalities to sue elected officials responsible for losing taxpayer dollars.
"This secret deal is even more of an outrage when you consider that Detroit is in such desperate need of funding to help its residents and children," Calley said.
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