Mystery Candidate First To Decry Navigatorgate
Mystery at-large candidate Arkan Haile is trying to get some press time by decrying the $2,000-a-month lease payments taxpayers are footing for Mayor Vince Gray and Council Chairman Kwame Brown's Lincoln Navigators.
In a statement released by his campaign, Haile says was "disapointed" in Gray and Brown given the city's crummy financial situation.
"One would think that our ever-expanding budget deficit—now $600M and counting—would make our two senior-most elected officials a little squeamish about spending so lavishly on personal transportation. If not that, than our 10.2% unemployment rate,” says Haile, a Eritrean-born lawyer who lives on Capitol Hill.
Nice try Arkan, but LL doesn't think anyone is dumb enough to fall for such a bald-faced publicity ploy.
Photo courtesy of arkanfordccouncil.com
5:04 pm
What a scumbag Arkan is trying to snipe at such thoughtful stewards of our money. Loser.
5:12 pm
just look at that photo--Arkan looks like he needs to steal some public money to pay for a necktie. and I bet he doesn't even have an underwater mortgage on those houses in the background.
6:01 pm
Eritrian? Eritrean!
6:04 pm
Doesn't matter. Arkan is just a publicity hound. Nothing to see, 'cept these sweet rims at an extra $119.99 per month added to the lease.
7:29 pm
Is this guy a United States citizen?
8:20 pm
I'm impressed by how the out-of-focus background is both suggestive of a DC neighborhood and at the same time coordinates with his wardrobe and skin tone.
Did his campaign provide the photo?
8:24 pm
Oh, wait, I just saw the "Photo courtesy of arkanfordccouncil.com tagline.
Of course it did.
They've got some hired talent.
8:45 pm
Sharp eye, drez.
10:16 pm
LL, intentional irony, or is it lost on you?
3:59 pm
I'm voting for this guy. He's right about the stupid cars.
8:12 pm
Wow, so being a candidate and a taxpaying citizen excludes you from expressing concern over inappropriate spending? Interesting... Apparently LL has an agenda and supports the spending that is purely obsurd! The DC officials are rolling fater than most senior federal officials. They could have rented a more modest vehicle.
8:55 pm
Wonder if you all miss Adrian and his more affordable smart car which used less gas and didnt require such a major escort and detail.
10:23 pm
The amount spent on those cars is pennies next to the deficit, but Arkan's point is expressed well - now is not the time for DC pols to have unjustifiable personal luxuries.
I'm not sure what's wrong with a candidate seeking publicity...
9:13 am
The thing that I find shocking, is that LL criticizes the candidate for seeking publicity, but by virtue of printing the story LL gives it to him. This is really quite foolish on LL part since what's being exposed are DC Government officials who have no regard for these tough budget times. Why couldn't they have gotten Chevy Tahoes that work on alternative fuels? That's what LL should be asking? Maybe LL was riding in Gray's SUV at the time?
12:18 pm
LL was the one who broke the story about the SUVs in the first place, so if not for him, no one would be talking about any of this.
1:50 pm
Good thinking, DC Guy in SE! After your irony-induced shock subsides, please tell us how you feel about Orwell's observation that "we have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men."