Patterson Responds to Collins' Claims

DETROIT (AP) - A snarky L. Brooks Patterson responded to claims he wants Detroit's most prized public jewels by saying he was after a councilwoman's crown and a gigantic downtown sculpture of boxer Joe Louis' fist.

The Oakland County Executive tells FOX 2's Brad Edwards -- tongue in cheek -- that he's "going after Barbara-Rose Collins' tiara. ...and I want the fist. That's all I want."

The veteran councilwoman has been known to wear a tiara to public meetings.

Collins and some people attending a Thursday meeting on a state plan to transfer Detroit's Cobo convention center to a regional authority claimed Patterson's sights are on Cobo, the city's Water Department and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Collins also led the meeting in a spontaneous rendition of the hymn, "Onward Christian Soldiers."