DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is speaking out following the resignation of Mayor Pro-Tem Dwaine Caraway.
Caraway pleaded guilty Thursday to federal corruption charges. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the IRS, Caraway accepted $450,000 in bribes and kickbacks related to a scheme that could have contributed to the demise of Dallas County Schools. Mayor Rawlings spoke publicly for the first time about the news regarding Caraway Friday morning at an event at the Dallas Regional Chamber.
“We work hard to make sure our city is represented well throughout Texas, throughout our country, and throughout our world,” Rawlings said in front of a crowd of other local leaders. “To have a blemish on it and a stain on it like this is a terrible day for us.”
Rawlings said that what happened to Dwaine Caraway is an example of why the city needs to improve what he called “economic inclusion.”
“Too often public servants that come from poor parts of our city are caught in and let themselves be caught in a trap around money, around economic inclusion, because they don’t have any money,” Rawlings said.
The Mayor said a person’s financial upbringing isn’t an excuse for crime but that economic inclusion needs to be addressed in the City of Dallas.
Caraway faces up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing date is set for mid-December.
Click below to hear Mayor Rawlings’ comments.
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