White Collar Criminal Tom Barrow Claims He Would Apply Business Background To Mayor’s Job

On Thursday, the Detroit News ran an article profiling white collar criminal and perennial mayoral candidate Tom Barrow who is making another attempt at being Mayor of Detroit. Barrow first came on the Detroit political scene when he ran for for mayor in 1985 losing to then mayor, Coleman A. Young. He ran against Young again in 1989 only to lose a second time.

In 1994, Barrow, an accountant, was convicted for bank fraud, tax fraud, filing a false tax return and fraudulently obtaining a $105,000 boat loan. He served 18 months in federal prison.

Barrow claimed in 2009, an unnamed tax judge sided with him in his claim that the IRS agents who testified against him at his 1994 trial were pressured into misleading the court. Barrow tried to convince a three judge panel with 6th Circuit Court of Appeals that these facts might have changed the outcome of the case had the lower court had been aware of these opinions and discoveries made after the trial.

However, 18 months ago, the opinion of that tax judge was not compelling enough for the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to force the lower court to re-evaluate his conviction. The three judge panel said, “Barrow has not made a sufficient showing of compelling circumstances to warrant issuance of a writ,”

Barrow who as a white collar criminal ran for mayor in 2009 after he was released from federal prison lost to current Mayor Dave Bing by more than 19,000 votes. Barrow called for a recount, claiming he officially lost because of voter fraud, computer manipulation and electronic ballot stuffing. Even during his current campaign for mayor, Barrow insists he won that election, “I believe we won the last time, frankly. That needs to be made clear,”

Last month, Barrow was successful at having his chief opponent former Wayne County Prosecutor, Mike Duggan kicked off the ballot for not meeting the residency requirements as dictated under Detroit’s City Charter. This forced Duggan to launch a write-in campaign for mayor.

The mayoral race is now between between Barrow and Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon. However, it is unknown, what the outcome will be due to the sideshow last week when a Napoleon supporter encouraged Detroit Barber Mike Dugeon to enter the race as a write-in candidate to compete against Mike Duggan. Duggan was the favorite to win both the primary next week and the general election in November until the Michigan courts forced him off the ballot.