Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. at church on Sunday
On Sunday, a day before his 52nd birthday, Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., a candidate for Detroit mayor, addressed recent media reports about a conviction for assaulting his first wife in 1993 at age 19.
Before a welcoming and enthusiastic Triumph Church congregation, he said, according to Detroit Free Press investigative columnist M.L. Elrick and the YouTube video below:
"But when you do open your mouth, you want to go back and talk about something that happened more than 30 years ago when I was a 19, stupid, undeveloped and immature young man? I ain’t never said I was perfect."
"But I’m not the only one in this race that's imperfect. But I’m not playing dirty politics. And I’m not going back digging up stuff on them like they’re digging up stuff on me. I never said I was perfect. … I’m a second chance, so I tried to give as many second chances as I could give."
"I've used my lessons as a mesage for ministry...If you want to talk about some, let's talk about the lack of affordable housing, let's talk about the homelessness and the hungry people that are still living and wrestling with a food desert who got to eat out of liquor stores and who got to eat out of gas stations. Let's talk about the issue of truancy that's going on in education and the social ills and obstacles and opposition that keep our children from showing up in class in a healthy and wholesome way."
"It’s dirty political politics. They’re trying to use intimidation and bullying tactics by hiring surrogates and operatives to throw rocks and hide their hands. I didn't ask for the fight, but if you want one, you going to get it. Ain't no punk in this pulpit."
"If you ain't intimidated by me, why you still shooting at me?"
According to polls, Kinloch is one of the top three candidates in the race for mayor. The two top candidates square off in the general election on Nov. 4.
Early voting has already started for the Aug. 5 primary.
