Kwame Kilpatrick, Ben Carson speak at Oakland County GOP Party Lincoln Day dinner
(CBS DETROIT) — Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was met with applause on Wednesday, giving a speech about repentance and redemption at the 132nd annual Oakland County GOP Party Lincoln Day dinner.
Kilpatrick, whose prison sentence was commuted by former President Donald Trump in January 2021, is now working in the political consultant field. According to him, it's a critical time in the country.
"I stopped thinking about people in terms of what party they're in, or what city they are from, or what race they are, and I started to understand that God wants me to do in the government. What he desires," Kilpatrick said. "Good men and women do nothing what else would the righteous do? It's your time to stand and sounding the alarm means you are going to be the weird person at work."
Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson was also a featured speaker for the evening. Carson added that the American dream is staying strong.
"People want to come here from every part of the world even though we have people who denigrate our nation. And say we are unfair to people," Carson said.
The Lincoln Day dinner comes just one day after former President Trump spoke to a crowd in Livingston County. Michigan is one of several battleground states for this year's presidential election.
"In these challenging times, it's easy to focus on what you like, but as Americans, we share love for this common nation. We can overcome any challenge," said Republican congressional candidate Nick Somberg.
Kilpatrick said he will support Trump in this year's election. He told CBS News Detroit he had met with the former president one-on-one at his Mar-a-Lago residence and was finally able to thank him in person.