Michael Jackson and father Joe |
LOS ANGELES -- A new controversy is swirling around Michael Jackson's death.
This time, the patriarch of the family, Joe Jackson, is at the center of an uproar over allegations that he was paid to attend a Jackson memorial tribute in Indiana.
At issue is a memorial concert last month in the city of Gary, where Michael Jackson grew up.
Over the last few days reports have surfaced that Joe Jackson, who is now living at the family's Encino compound, received a payment to attend the concert.
According to records released by the city, Joe Jackson and 1970s soul group The Chi-Lites were paid $5,000 from a fund of donations set up by Mayor Rudy Clay for the show.
Jackson's memorial at The Steel Yard baseball park drew more than 6,000 people to the city 30 miles southeast of Chicago and featured performers singing and dancing to Jackson's hits. Joe Jackson appeared on stage with Clay and others.
But Clay says the money was only for Joe Jackson and the band's airplane tickets from California.
"Joe Jackson came in here for one reason: for his son, and he wanted to be with his 31 other family members who live in Gary," he said.
"There was no fee for Joe Jackson to appear. Absolutely not."
Clay said he did not know the details of whether the city directly paid the airlines or whether the money was given to Jackson to cover those costs.
News of the city's air travel expense angered the leader of one Gary neighborhood group, who said it came not long after the city halted trash collection for 11 days until the city council approved a fee hike.
Kevin Carr, president of the Glen Ryan Neighbors Organization, called the city's $5,000 payment a "travesty" in the face of Gary's financial woes.
He criticized both Clay for offering to pay and Jackson for accepting.
This time, the patriarch of the family, Joe Jackson, is at the center of an uproar over allegations that he was paid to attend a Jackson memorial tribute in Indiana.
At issue is a memorial concert last month in the city of Gary, where Michael Jackson grew up.
Over the last few days reports have surfaced that Joe Jackson, who is now living at the family's Encino compound, received a payment to attend the concert.
According to records released by the city, Joe Jackson and 1970s soul group The Chi-Lites were paid $5,000 from a fund of donations set up by Mayor Rudy Clay for the show.
Jackson's memorial at The Steel Yard baseball park drew more than 6,000 people to the city 30 miles southeast of Chicago and featured performers singing and dancing to Jackson's hits. Joe Jackson appeared on stage with Clay and others.
But Clay says the money was only for Joe Jackson and the band's airplane tickets from California.
"Joe Jackson came in here for one reason: for his son, and he wanted to be with his 31 other family members who live in Gary," he said.
"There was no fee for Joe Jackson to appear. Absolutely not."
Clay said he did not know the details of whether the city directly paid the airlines or whether the money was given to Jackson to cover those costs.
News of the city's air travel expense angered the leader of one Gary neighborhood group, who said it came not long after the city halted trash collection for 11 days until the city council approved a fee hike.
Kevin Carr, president of the Glen Ryan Neighbors Organization, called the city's $5,000 payment a "travesty" in the face of Gary's financial woes.
He criticized both Clay for offering to pay and Jackson for accepting.
