Loose Lips Daily: The Kiss of Death Edition
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Kwame Brown: The Adrian Fenty of Media Strategists? Liveable, Walkable Libraries
Good morning sweet readers! LL's bean is now sleeping through the night, which ought to be a celebrated with a national holiday. News time:
"I Know It Was You, Tommy! You Broke My Heart. You Broke My Heart!": How do you turn something as inside baseball as committee assignments into a big news story? Simple, sprinkle on some revenge, and voila! Council Chairman Kwame "Fully Loaded" Brown's decision to strip Ward 6 Councilmemeber Tommy Wells of his beloved transportation committee is now leading the news cycle, getting big play in the papers, radio, and on TV (complete with b-roll of Lincoln Navigators, which LL suspects wasn't what Brown had in mind). Brown says the move wasn't motivated by Wells' investigation of Navigatorgate, but that denial is having little effect on how the story is being told. The Post is now even describing Wells as Brown's "nemesis." (LL would like to welcome back Postie Tim Craig from a reporting tour in Baghdad. Enjoyed the tweets abroad, Tim.) The Post notes perhaps the most important part of yesterday's drama: "As Brown tries to jump-start his agenda while fending off what he views as unfair media attacks on his character, he appears to be working to guarantee that he can count on a veto-proof majority. 'He needed some realignment to get things done,' said Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), a Brown ally." Boom! Locking down his seven votes. Who is going with him?
AFTER THE JUMP: More on Committeereassignmentgate; Guns, cigars, taxes; Economic Development Irony...
More Kwame v. Wells: Postie Mike DeBonis has a smart take on the politics behind Brown's move, that includes stabs at why Wells might have had it coming, how he might now become the a lone crusader for good government, and what this means for Brown's political future. The story also features a quote from Brown ally, Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh, that illustrates why her and Wells' relationship will likely be described as "strained" in the days ahead. "Told this morning that Wells and his “livable, walkable” philosophy have a devoted following among young progressives, Cheh said, 'That’s a slogan. ... Where’s the record?... I’ve passed major legislation. I’ll say ‘livable, walkable.’ If I say it enough, will that be OK?'" Good thing she's got a park and half the city between her ward and Wells, eh? Wells self-expresses via Twitter. And the Post editorial board continues to beat the living crap out of the council, with another blistering editorial that calls Wells' colleagues "the too gutless to stand up to the petty politics of Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown." Man, if this were the olden days such a declaration would have to be settled via a dual. Nobody, calls me chicken.
Also from the council meeting yesterday: the District won't be a gun dealer; cigar smoking at fight night shall not be denied; Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser gets Wells' spot on Metro board; Cheh acted like she wanted to raise income taxes on the wealthy (but didn't); and the council dipped into its reserves to fund a one-year "reprieve" on the new muni-bond tax.
Irony: Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. lost the economic development committee in part because he's under investigation by the feds. Brown added a good chunk of the that committee to his own portfolio even though he's also under investigation by the feds.
In Other News:
- Jonetta says CFO Nat Gandhi, Mayor Vince Gray and Councilmember Michael Brown "conspired" to bring online gambling to the District, says there are better ways of raising money.
- House committee to take up D.C. budget.
- Some big names included on list of those owing the city property taxes.
Gray sked: Baseball camp at 8:30 a.m.; Presser at 10 a.m.
Council: COW, at noon.
9:55 am
Can we get an investigation into the H Street Co-Op and Englert's bars. DC money supporting Happy Hours and a Booze cruise shuttle bus? Whats Tommy "Town Drunk" Wells relationship to H St Co-Op? With Englert? Did Tommy have a flash pass on Booze Bus?
Alan, can we get some answers?
10:09 am
RealDC is a scumbag.
10:12 am
Posted before I finished. You know RealDC, you keep posting these libelous comments about Wells. Are you from Kwame Brown's office or are you employed by one of Wells' opponents or something? Geez.
10:29 am
Iou-shut up! Just questions that should be answered.
Can you answer the questions? Do you work for Wells? How about one of the bars on H St.?
10:34 am
You know it wasn't too long ago that the same "who put baby in the corner crowd" was just fine when ole boy Fenty use to do the same "retaliation" tactics before.
What was the rational? Oh yeah he was the Mayor and he could was allowed do what he wanted .
Let’s go back and look an example in the dc crystal ball. Ahhhh do you see that poor parks and recreation worker?
Yeah the one over there who said that Fenty’s boys were too old to be playing on the basketball. And look over there as the smoke clears. He’s removed from his duties to another position where he is eventually fired.
Too bad he didn’t have a blog or advocates or folks like the citypaper who would have written 99.9 stories within one week on the same subject.
And yeah I check the records and LL...one story was done and one follow-up....THE NEXT WEEK and to be fair yest it was Deboins at the time.
10:35 am
Leading the parade of this year’s scofflaws was local commercial real estate magnate and developer, Douglas Jemal, whose many limited liability partnerships owed over $1.5 million on 41 different parcels. Surprisingly, Douglas Development, the contractor that built several Harris Teeter Stores in the District, is steadily receiving contracts for other city-partnered projects.
Unreal. What a scam artist this guy is.
10:47 am
Agree Drez!
11:11 am
Mary Cheh is a disappointment, but really, all of them are disappointments, even Tommy Wells. Who among them is prepared to introduce tough, enforceable ethics reform legislation in the Council? Crickets.
I'll be looking for a reform slate next April, and then another one two years after that. I'm ready to vote all of those grandstanding, do-nothing, bra-stuffing clowns into political oblivion.
11:15 am
It still blows my mind that the Williams-era deputy director at OPM was convicted of accepting bribes from Jemal, but Jemal was not convicted of bribing him. It really said something to me that so many of DC's political and social elite wrote letters to the judge on Jemal's behalf. This city is a cesspool.
11:31 am
The FULL Tommy Wells story needs to be told, and that's why I'm reposing the following:
A press release was sent to my office (with the FOIA'd documents attached to substantiate the claims) that revealed Tommy Wells unethical and discriminatory practices on H St NE.
During the 3+ years of construction on H St for the streetcar, Tommy Wells gave Joe Englert almost 500K to help his businesses and a few of his friends businesses on H St. It's been reported in City Paper, that Englert owns about 7 or 8 bars, restaurants and clubs just on H St.
Englert received the taxpayers' subsidies (in 2008., 09 & 10) via his fake non-profit-- H St Cooperative-- which he and two Atlas Theater employees founded just 3 months prior to receiving Wells' earmarks. The press release also report that one of the founders was a member of Wells' 2010 re-election committee and their so-called non-profit, H St Coop, was not in good standing with the District.
I live in the neighborhood and knew something was not copacetic when the minority businesses that have been on H St for decades were failing, while the newbies were flourishing under a chaotic situation.
The new, gentrifying businesses on H were benefiting from hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars to sustain their businesses, while Tommy Wells left the long-established, minority businesses to be ravished by the construction on H St.
Councilman Tommy Wells, I guess you learn this ain't no got damn Alabama, boo!
12:08 pm
@ Lou, RealDC comments about Tommy Wells are not slanderous, but FACTUAL and the progressive media has written and aired several stories about Tommy Boy and his funneling of taxpayers’ dollars to his good ole boy network on H St NE.
Lou, if you really want the dirt on ALL of DC’s politicians, and not just the Black ones, you got read beyond the City Paper, Wash Post and Examiner.
12:20 pm
I love how the local blacks are hammering on Wells' for his supposed drinking problem but they're all about a scumbag like Kwame Brown pissing the city's tax dollars down the toilet on multiple fully loaded SUVs. No wonder this city has so much baggage to overcome.
12:32 pm
@DCnative-exactly!
@lou- scumbag??
Other questions that need to be asked:
How many fundraisers for Wells were hosted by Englart or his cronies? How about campaign expense reports from Wells, who catered the events? Is this the good government that Wells speaks of?? It is time to clean house at city hall!
12:45 pm
@SW-they both are bad. But the self righteous teetotaler is getting a little full of himself.
12:47 pm
@SW, I haven't read ONE comment in support of a Black politician’s unethical or corrupt dealings.
What I have read is you people-- including the City Paper--being dismissive of the FACTS when it a negative TRUTH about Tommy Wells.
You people are now residing in the Nation's Capital, not your hometown, Hicktown USA, so stop playing the damn race card; it's not about black or white, it’s about holding all DC politicians ACCOUNTABLE- period!
1:21 pm
Doug Jemal and his relatives all maxed out in political contributions to Gray. Both this and last election cycle.
Hey Vince, how about kicking in that 20 or 30k to help satisfy Jemal's tab to DC? At the very least, it sets a bad example to take money from convicts who owe the city money.
1:38 pm
So Ward 3 CM Cheh is described (forthrightly) in today's WaPo editorial on Kwame "Fully Loaded" Brown's shenanigans as his "most loyal enabler." Do you think she wants to be chained to THAT anchor through the next election? Kwame was defeated in the Council Chair primary by Orange by over 1,000 votes. That is AFTER CM Cheh endorsed and worked for him. Also BEFORE all this nonsense about the Fully Loaded Navigator(s) and the $275,000 in unreported revenue to his prior (unopposed) relection campaign. On the same ballot, CM Cheh pulled MORE than twice Kwame's vote total in Ward 3. That is SOME KINDA "fully loaded" anchor to chain yourself to....
1:39 pm
Defeated in HER Ward Three that is... Sorry that was not edited in...
5:08 pm
Calling someone a drunk without concrete evidence is scumbaggery to me. And you've made that accusation on almost every blog I've visited the couple of days.
About those failing businesses: it could be because they haven't altered to meet changing demographics -- ie, not retired people or housewives or whatever, but people who have to run errands on weeknights or weekends only. A lot of small downtown businesses across the US have run into that when they don't change their ways of doing business. I always try to patronize small businesses versus chains whenever possible. I will never step foot in a Walmart. but the shop has to be open when I can get to them.
8:38 pm
@Lou - I'm a native Washingtonian and live in the H St area, and I never once read or heard about so many H St businesses complaining about losing customers until the gov’t started ripping-up the streets for the streetcar construction.
From what I have read, Tommy Wells funneled taxpayers' dollars to ensure only his supporters' businesses stayed viable during and after the construction. These businesses represent a very small number of gentrifying businesses. The remaining-- majority--were left to fend for themselves.
There is a racial divide in the area, and I'm predicting it will only get worse if folks continue to condone or turn a blind eye to unethical and discriminatory behavior by an elected, government official.
Oh, in reference to your comment regarding altering their businesses to meet the changing demographics, again, from what I read and heard, the problem was their customers were denied access to their businesses due to obstructions from the construction.
Therefore, it was not a demographic thing, but the protracted obfuscation of their customers' access to their businesses.
The bottom-line is, folk want a convenient and hassle-free shopping experience, and if it not available, they’re taking their dollars elsewhere.
8:32 am
YO SEWERMAN NOW THAT YOUR CLOCK IS BACK TO NORMAL MAYBE YOU CAN PEN SOME STORIES THAT SHOW THE FULL RANGE OF YOUR COVERAGE INSTEAD OF THE SHIT YOU’VE BEEN FLOATING ON YOUR STREAM! SO YOUR EXCUSE IS ‘LACK OF SLEEP’? SLIM YOU’VE BEEN SLEEP SINCE YOU BEEN HERE!!! IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO WAKE YOUR ASS UP!
GIVEN YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE WELLS DEMOTION HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU THAT HE DIDN’T DO A GOOD JOB OR A SHAKE UP WAS NEEDED? CITIZENS AND COMMUTERS THAT RIDE BIKES IN THIS CITY SHOULDN’T BE APPLAUDING THIS DRUNKARD BECAUSE FOLK ARE GETTING HIT BY CARS AT AN ALARMING RATE AND MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE WENT WITH AN AWARENESS AND SAFETY CAMPAIGN BEFORE ALLOWING KLEIN AND ALL HIS COHORTS TO INNUDATE DC STREETS WITH BIKE LANES, OVER PRICED BIKE RENTALS, RWI (RIDING WHILE INTOXICATED) HUNKYS, UNNECCESARY SPENDING AND HEARTACHE ON THE STREECAR DEBACLE.
I THINK IT’S FITTING AND IRONIC THAT WE GOT THE DRUNKARD OFF OF THE TRANSPO COMMITTEE.
WITH ALL OF THE SHIT THAT ‘FULLY LOADED’ IS GOING THRU WITH USAG OFFICE AND THE IMPLICATIONS AND ALLEGATIONS SURRONDING HIS CHAIRMANSHIP YOU SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE 12-1 VOTE AND WHAT THAT SAYS INSTEAD OF THE EMOTIONAL, WHINING LUSH.
9:40 am
@noodlez....HollA!
3:30 pm
Once more with feeling: H street was not dug up for the streetcars -- it was going to be dug up anyway for road repairs and improvements. Since they were digging it up, they decided to install the streetcar tracks as well, which saves money. Quit blaming the street cars for the construction problems.
5:49 pm
@lou-SO ASSWIPE HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE NORMAL STREET REPAIRS VERSUS ADDING RAILS TO A MAJOR CROSSTOWN ROAD TO SUSTAIN SEVERAL MULTI-TON VEHICLES (THAT W.D.C. DOESNT NEED BTW) THAT HAS TO COMPLY WITH 2011 SAFETY STANDARDS ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER COSTLY DELAYS?
SAVES MONEY FOR WHAT? TO GIVE TO THE WHITE FOLK COOPERATIVE FOR THE BUILD UP OF THEIR LIL' DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH. CHILD PLEEZE~!
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THE STREETCARS ARENT TO BLAME. COUNCILMEMBER WELLS IS!
7:18 pm
and LOU is a douchebag!!!
LMBAO at how certain TRUTHS bring the bigots out full force like roaches when the lights go out, LLS!
This is getting interesting because certain posters are picking up steam and momentum and applying a certain "pressure" that seems to be working!
There is the TEA PARTIERS and there are the SAND BAGGERS, which consists of common sensical folk who are a little ruff roun' D edges, HIGHLY intelligent, resourceful, balanced, REAL and unpretentious and have no prollem laying it on HEAVY!
I am a proud member of D SAND BAGGERS, who is with me in this NEW and necessary movement roun' here!????!!!
7:20 pm
"it was going to be dug up anyway for road repairs and improvements"
SUMMBEEOTCHES HAVE an excuse for just about any and everything that suits they fancy....
oh you fancy huh???????
7:30 pm
Ayy NOODLEZ slim you be leaning on em, LLS.......
#21 is priceless in its ENTIRETY!!!!
11:14 pm
HEY lou YOU WRITE LIKE YOU FELL FOR THE BANANA IN THE TAIL PIPE.
9:05 am
Reconstruction including utility upgrades on a major corridor can take years. Look at Sherman Avenue, which is much much less complex than H Street NE.
These sorts of projects are necessary and really only happen every 50 years or so. Suck it up.
9:06 am
Or 18th in Adams Morgan.
10:26 am
Drez-YOU LOST ME AT "Reconstruction including utility upgrades on a major corridor can take years." WHERE THEY DO THAT AT? EVEN IF THAT IS THE CASE I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD TAKE IT BLOCK BY BLOCK AS NOT TO AFFECT ALL THE BUSINESSES ON THAT PARTICULAR CORRIDOR.
UNLESS THERE IS A BRIDGE/OVERPASS INVOLVED OR THEY ARE GOING DOWN TO THE GRADE OR THIS PARTICULAR ROAD PROJECT IS MILES LONG NO ROAD WORK OF ANY KIND WITH ALL THE NEW TECH WE HAVE SHOULD TAKE YEARS ESPECIALLY IN A MAJOR CITY.
IF BY UTILITY YOU MEAN STORM DRAINS AND CURBS THAT’S DIFFERENT. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY REPAIR ANY KIND OF MAINS LIKE GAS AND WATER WHEN THEY CEASE FUNCTIONING AND NOT ON A PREVENTIVE SCHEDULE.
AS FOR H ST NE I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPLIED THAT BY INSTALLING RAILS IN STREET THAT EXTENDED LENGTH OF TIME FOR ROAD PROJECT?? CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG!
6:32 pm
@ Lou, get your facts straight, boo!
The H St corridor--including sidewalks and the street-- was unpaved, dug-up, tore-up, screwed-up, messed-up, and f@#K-up for YEARS for the STREETCAR AND STREET IMPROVEMENT CONSTRUCTION, and there ain't a damn thing you can post that will change what is now a historical fact.
6:37 pm
noodlez
full reconstruction including utilities means water, gas, electric, and telecom all get a crack at removing their old infrastructure and installing their new stuff prior to DDOT coming in and redoing everything that people normally see and think of when they think of a streetscape.
And because of conflicts they come in sequentially.
It takes a hell of a long time, but needs to be done that way lest the street need be dug up again in a few years. It's hard but when it's over it's over. That's how it's done in the industry.
7:43 pm
@ Lou, get your facts straight, boo!
The H St corridor--including sidewalks and the street-- was unpaved, dug-up, tore-up, screwed-up, and messed-up for YEARS for the STREETCAR AND STREET IMPROVEMENT CONSTRUCTION, and there ain't a damn thing you can post that will change what is now a historical fact.