Comments on: $20K in D.C. Council Contracts for Barry Stalkee

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:22:42 +0000

Found this also: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/012709-DC_to_consider_electing_its_attorney_general.html

Seems like it might be better to elect the AG in the nonmayoral election years, to increase independence.

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:15:39 +0000

First I've heard of it, Bob, but it sounds like an interesting idea. Looks like we're out of step with the vast majority of states (though of course in line with the federal government): "Forty-three states have elected attorneys general; in two others, the AG is named by either the legislature or the courts. Only five states have a system of gubernatorial appointment."
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/03/09/attorney_general/print.html

By: DCBob

DCBob — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:05:24 +0000

Downtown Rez nd KCinDC, I hope that you will both support Phil Mendelson's proposal for an elected Attorney General. This won't solve all the problems, but it would give more independence to the person that is supposed to investigate both the Mayor and the Council.

This is different than David Catania's proposal which would also take over the prosecutorial functions of the U.S. Attorney's office. That proposal got hung up by over reaching, although I think we should control our own prosecutions.

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:51:27 +0000

DCBob indicates that the contract probably isn't illegal, though it should be. If it isn't, then all we have is a fishy smell and a need for changes to the law. I'm not sure what else can be done. But I'm all in favor of a recall effort if the people of Ward 8 have finally tired of the embarrassment.

By: downtown rez

downtown rez — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:42:35 +0000

KC: By all means, investigate away. But to draw an equivalence between your suspicion of Fenty and the evident facts of Barry... Well, I'll check my sense of smell if you check your sense of judgment. :)

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:37:40 +0000

Downtown Rez, if you don't smell anything fishy about a secretive donation of emergency vehicles to a town used as a vacation hangout by Fenty cronies, then you need to get your nose checked. I want *all* suspicious behavior investigated, whether it's associated with the legislative or the executive branch (judicial too, while we're at it). I'm not necessarily expecting that to happen in the case of Barry (though the more media coverage, the more likely an investigation is), but I'm certainly not calling for less scrutiny of Fenty, and I don't see what that has to do with this case.

By: Skipper

Skipper — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:23:01 +0000

But KCinDC - Do you really expect Gray, Cheh or anyone else on the Council to say a single thing about Barry's admission of unethical behavior with taxpayer money?

Forget about them bothering to ask for an investigation. They won't even say Barry's actions were improper. It's a great double standard they use, when it comes to protecting one of their own.

By: Angry Al Gonzales

Angry Al Gonzales — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:19:57 +0000

Fenty "earmarks" millions of dollars every year that goes straight to his friends like Ron Moten. Fenty is as guilty as Barry for wasting my taxpayer money.

By: downtown rez

downtown rez — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:17:06 +0000

KC: Fenty's never even been accused, let alone evidence produced, of anything remotely similar to this. Giving baseball tickets to school kids and government workers? Donating excess firetrucks? Yawn. Wake me when there's evidence of pay for play or sex or some conflict of interest.

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:09:46 +0000

StopthePlaya, I don't see why we shouldn't expect ethical behavior, accountability, and lack of cronyism from *both* the executive branch and the council. By all means, we should look into Barry's activities, but that doesn't mean we have to ignore those of Fenty and his associates.

By: StopthePlaya

StopthePlaya — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:38:00 +0000

I'm sure Gray and Cheh and the rest will get right on that, Skipper. Once they're all done gossiping about how Fenty spends his personal time, and holding depositions on vital matters like baseball tickets and fire trucks. I'm sure they'll roll around to the stank on Council real soon. Let's set our watches.

By: Barry Press Conference: Political Science 101 For Ex-Girlfriend’s Daughter - City Desk - Washington City Paper

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:37:22 +0000

[...] At a little past 11 p.m. yesterday night, Marion Barry’s spokesperson Natalie Williams had assembled the media throng for a quickie press conference to address allegations concerning the councilmember giving lucrative contract work to ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt.The payments amounted to at least $20,000. [...]

By: Skipper

Skipper — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:20:15 +0000

I expect the DC Auditor and the Inspector General will be getting a flood of requests from the City Council to immediately open investigations on this matter.

Right?

By: Skipper

Skipper — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:19:28 +0000

Just imagine if DC had a Board of Ethics that would investigate scuzzy deals like this....

By: StopThePlaya

StopThePlaya — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:37:43 +0000

BobinDC raises a v-e-r-y interesting question: if Barry had walking around money right around the time he did a 180 on marriage equality, where did that money come from? We know that the leader of the anti-marriage equality campaign lives in a lavish home, and was also unethical in explaining his alleged residency in the District. So, did Jackson or entities under his control give money to Barry? If so, were they cloaked as campaign contributions? If so, it would have been illegal to spend it on gifts for his girlfriend. If the funding existed and was not a campaign contribution, what are the rules there?

Like that old saying, follow the money, folks.