Mara Gets More Than Endorsement From Chamber

D.C. Wire popped into the campaign office of at-large council candidate Patrick Mara yesterday and found that the phone bank was being manned by Barbara Lang, president and chief executive officer of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber has endorsed Mara in his bid against incumbent Council member Carol Schwartz in Tuesday's Republican primary. The chamber is also stewing over Schwartz's push of legislation that requires employers to provide workers paid sick leave.

Lang led the fight against the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act, which was finally approved unanimously by the council after several amendments, many made by Schwartz herself.

Schwartz has said that her efforts to compromise with the business community have been forgotten. Meanwhile, Schwartz has won the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union for shepherding the bill, and she still has the support of the Hotel Association of Washington, D.C.

Yesterday, Lang was assisted by her husband, Gerald, who was also volunteering. Lang said she normally doesn't get so involved in a campaign that she makes phone calls to potential voters. "But this is special," she said.