Gray Comments on Loza Arrest
Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray said in a statement today he plans to meet with the Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) in the coming days to determine whether the arrest of Graham's chief of staff Ted Loza "will have any bearing on the broad operations of the council."
Gray added he was not given advance notice of today's FBI raid on Loza's office.
"Consistent with the standard practice in criminal investigations not to reveal in advance the issuance or execution of an arrest warrant or a search warrant, I was not made aware of the arrest of Mr. Loza nor the search of his office in the John A. Wilson Building before that happened," Gray said.
"I will leave the criminal investigation in the hands of law enforcement authorities and let the justice process take its course."
By Anne Bartlett |
September 24, 2009; 3:45 PM ET
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Posted by: demostheneswashdc | September 24, 2009 4:40 PM
The mayor no more abides by ethics and rules than anyone else on the council. He should be included as a person of concern as well.
Posted by: southyrndiva | September 24, 2009 7:53 PM
I can answer that question. Yes it will have a bearing on the operations of the council. Ask the people looking at you, that pay you too much money and in return we are forever embarrassed by the image you are creating for this city, from the mayor, council, chancellor and the attorney general. A bunch of lawless, ego tripping clowns is the best we have.
Posted by: candycane1 | September 25, 2009 8:03 AM
Ted Loza sat on the Board of Fiesta DC and his wife worked for the organization, which received a $200,000 Council earmark. Mr. Graham is an honorary board member.
This is a good time to put some substance in the Council's new ethics code by banning all Council earmarks. It is a recent practice, and a corrosive one.
Posted by: MikeLicht | September 25, 2009 9:07 PM
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Just this week, we have seen the Council Chairman introduce and immediately pass an ethics code with no period for public review and comment. What is most disturbing is that this new code lacks any enforcement or sanctions measures. Councilman Barry has already stated repeatedly that the new code has nothing to do with him, demonstrating once again that at least one member feels that there are no restraints on his personal "enrichment."
Councilman Graham has not been arrested, but we need to have a higher standard of conduct for Members and staff, unless we are going to rely on FBI criminal investigations as our only enforcement mechanism.
We must have a meaningful enforcement and sanction regime as soon as possible. How can the code be "emergency" legislation, but its enforcement can be left for later?