Ex-Detroit Mayor Sues Lawyer Who Gave Racy Text Messages to Newspaper

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has sued the lawyer who leaked steamy text messages to a newspaper, touching off a scandal that led to Kilpatrick’s resignation.

The lawsuit contends lawyer Mike Stefani violated a confidentiality agreement requiring him to turn over the text messages in exchange for settlement of a whistle-blower suit he had brought, according to the Detroit Free Press and the Associated Press.

The sexually explicit text messages revealed a relationship between Kilpatrick and his then chief of staff, contradicting their earlier testimony.

Kilpatrick later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the whistle-blower case and served 120 days in jail.

Kilpatrick’s lawyer, James Thomas, told the Detroit Free Press that any award in the new suit would go to the city.

Stefani revealed he provided copies of the text messages to the Detroit Free Press during a discipline case against him. The admission contradicted earlier testimony.

Stefani told the Free Press he has not concluded his testimony in the discipline case, and it will reveal he did not violate the confidentiality pact.