DETROIT – Kwame Kilpatrick's wife is asking for public donations to help fund their three sons' private education.
The request came to light when Kilpatrick turned over a letter to the Michigan Department of Corrections that Carlita had written to friends and family.
The Kilpatricks are required to report any gifts they receive to the MDOC as part of the former Detroit mayor's long road of restitution to the city.
Kwame Kilpatrick released the following statement Friday in an attempt to offer an explanation of his wife's request:
"In my efforts to fully cooperate with the MDOC investigation, I provided this letter along with an explanation of its substance. Our children were presented with an opportunity to attend one of the best schools in the country. The letter was sent to two (2) individuals. We decided, as a family, that our children would not attend the school. We called the 2 individuals and told them of our decision, to not have our boys attend the school. No donations were needed at that point. No donations were received. This explanation was also sent to the MDOC, as an attachment to the letter when it was voluntarily provided. Unfortunately, the explanation was apparently not released with this item from the MDOC 'internal' investigation."
In 2008, Kilpatrick was ordered to pay $1 million to Detroit as part of a conviction for lying under oath in a police whistleblower case. He still owes the city more than $800,000.
MDOC spokesman Russ Marlan said the solicitation does not violate Kilpatrick's probation but must be reported.
The school in Texas, where the Kilpatrick family now lives, costs more than $17,000 a year for high school students.
Kilpatrick failed to disclose thousands of dollars
Kilpatrick has been ordered by the MDOC to wear a tether and remain in Detroit while he stands trial on federal corruption charges after violating his probation when he failed to report $2,000 he received from a Chicago pastor. Kilpatrick was caught on surveillance cameras at a metro Detroit Walmart picking up the wired cash.
Kilpatrick has been on parole for an obstruction of justice conviction.