(WXYZ) — While former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had his sentence commuted overnight in the final hours of Donald Trump's presidency, he still couldn't hold state or local office for about 13 more years.
Related:
Because Kilpatrick was not pardoned, only had his sentence commuted, his conviction still stands.
Related: What is the difference between a pardon and a commutation?
Under federal law, pardons remove the restrictions a convicted person has, including on the right to vote, right to hold state or local office, or sit on a jury. That does not stand for a commutation.
Because of that, Michigan law prevents anyone convicted of a felony to hold local or state office for 20 years. Kilpatrick was convicted in March 2013, which means he couldn't hold office until March 2033 at the earliest.
