Archive: Tim Craig
Same-sex marriage opponents file lawsuit
Bishop Harry Jackson, represented by attorneys from a conservative legal organization, filed suit today against the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics over its refusal to allow an initiative to ban same-sex marriage. Attorneys for the Alliance Defense Fund said the suit was filed today in D.C. Superior Court. On...
By Anne Bartlett | November 18, 2009; 01:16 PM ET | Comments (47)
D.C. Council agrees to vote Dec. 1 on same-sex marriage
The D.C. Council officially agreed today to vote on the bill legalizing same-sex marriage on Dec. 1, clearing the way for the measure to head to Congress for its review around New Year's. Before the council put the bill on its December agenda, council members reiterated they are not likely...
By Anne Bartlett | November 17, 2009; 12:22 PM ET | Comments (14)
Wells, Bowser seek to extend autism coverage
D.C. Council members Tommy Wells and Muriel Bowser will introduce legislation Tuesday requiring health insurers in the District to broaden coverage for autism patients. The plan by Wells (Ward 6) and Bowser (Ward 4) comes as advocates make a state-by-state push to make it easier for families to diagnose and...
By Tim Craig | November 17, 2009; 09:13 AM ET | Comments (1)
Norton Pledges Support for New Gay Newspaper
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) said Monday night she and other local leaders should help the staff and editors of the now defunct Washington Blade form another newspaper to serve the city's gay community. "I know that many will agree that we should do whatever we can to help Blade...
By Tim Craig | November 16, 2009; 09:52 PM ET | Comments (4)
Catania goes after law professor on same-sex marriage issue
Council member David A. Catania is taking aim at a Washington & Lee School of Law professor who has taken a leading role in trying to carve out more exemptions in the bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Professor Robin F. Wilson was one of five professors who sent a letter...
By Anne Bartlett | November 12, 2009; 02:38 PM ET | Comments (0)
Kwame Brown's rim-rocking injury
At Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray's birthday fundraiser Tuesday tonight, one Council member could only hobble his way through the crowd. Kwame Brown (D-At Large) broke his ankle on Sunday and says he will be having surgery today. How did it happen? Well, decide for yourself whether you believe Brown's...
By Tim Craig | November 11, 2009; 10:03 AM ET | Comments (3)
D.C. council committee approves same-sex marriage bill
A DC Council Committee voted 4 to 1 this afternoon to send a bill legalizing same-sex marriage to the full council for debate. Council member Phil Mendelson, chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary, said the legislation was "both simple and monumental." With the committee vote, the full...
By Anne Bartlett | November 10, 2009; 02:02 PM ET | Comments (16)
Committee unveils changes to same-sex bill
A D.C. Council committee will probably approve major changes Tuesday to the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District, including a provision that will make it easier for churches to avoid having to participate in gay weddings and receptions. In preparation for the "mark up" hearing before the Committee...
By Gene Fynes | November 9, 2009; 03:39 PM ET | Comments (8)
Marion Barry's mother dies
D.C. Council member Marion Barry's mother, Mattie Cummings, died early Sunday morning in her hometown of Memphis, Tenn. She was 92.
By Washington Post Editor | November 9, 2009; 05:56 AM ET | Comments (11)
D.C. youth agency names interim director
The board of the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation announced Friday that Ellen London will be the organization's interim president and CEO while it undertakes a national search for a permanent director. London replaces Millicent Williams, who has been nominated by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to serve...
By Anne Bartlett | November 6, 2009; 05:09 PM ET | Comments (0)
Local politicos react to Tuesday's election
Political activists in the District are responding to Tuesday's elections that saw the GOP win the governorships in Virginia and New Jersey, while voters in Maine supported a referendum to repeal that state's gay marriage law. Robert Kabel, chairman of the D.C. Republican Committee, said Governors-Elect Robert F. McDonnell of...
By Gene Fynes | November 4, 2009; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (1)
Words Matter in Hartsock Feud
In the battle over whether Ximena Hartsock remains interim director of the parks and recreation department, words matter. First, Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) insulted Latinos by stating Hartsock didn't understand "black and brown" culture. After the council voted 7 to 5 to reject Hartsock, she responded to Barry...
By Tim Craig | October 28, 2009; 04:15 PM ET | Comments (15)
Religious leaders say Washington Post undercounted rally
Several local religious leaders are furious with the Washington Post for reporting that about 150 people attended their rally on Sunday demanding a public vote on whether same-sex marriage should be legalized. The crowd estimate came from a Washington Post reporter who attended the rally. One of the rally organizers,...
By Tim Craig | October 28, 2009; 01:25 PM ET | Comments (15)
Council will send delegation to meet Fenty
The D.C. Council plans to send a five-member delegation to meet with Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to discuss how the two sides can end the showdown over the reappointment of the director of parks and recreation. Fenty reappointed Ximena Hartsock on Friday as interim director, three weeks after...
By Tim Craig | October 27, 2009; 06:56 PM ET | Comments (19)
Council meets behind closed doors
The D.C. Council is having a meeting in Chairman Vincent C. Gray's (D) conference room, but members will not let reporters view the discussions. When a Washington Post reporter opened the door to try to enter, citing the open meetings law, Gray told the reporter to leave. Gray said the...
By Gene Fynes | October 27, 2009; 04:21 PM ET | Comments (7)
Another vote for same-sex marriage
There may be another vote on the D.C. Council in support of a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. Nine council members are co-sponsoring council member David A. Catania's (I-At Large) same-sex marriage bill. Council members Yvette M. Alexander (D-Ward 7), Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) and Harry Thomas...
By Gene Fynes | October 27, 2009; 11:36 AM ET | Comments (15)
Brown wants Nickles to apologize to Cheh
Did D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles take his political battle with the D.C. Council a bit too far when he referred to council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) as an "angry woman?" Council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large) thinks so. Brown, a potential candidate for mayor next year,...
By Tim Craig | October 26, 2009; 12:06 PM ET | Comments (14)
Hundreds plan to testify at same-sex marriage hearing
More than 250 people have signed up to testify for or against a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in the District, setting the stage for what may be one of the biggest hearings ever conducted by the D.C. Council. So many people have signed up to testify that the hearing,...
By Tim Craig | October 23, 2009; 03:36 PM ET | Comments (8)
Graham gives up taxicab industry oversight
D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) is giving up his oversight of the city's taxicab issues after his chief of staff was arrested last month for allegedly taking a bribe from a member of the industry. Graham sent council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) a letter Monday asking that...
By Gene Fynes | October 19, 2009; 05:31 PM ET | Comments (3)
Evans: I'll Run for Chairman if Gray Runs for Mayor
Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) confirmed today he plans to run for council chairman if incumbent Vincent C. Gray (D) decides to run for mayor next year. Evans, who has held ambitions to ascend to the chairman's office since his unsuccessful mayoral bid in 1998, made his remarks during...
By Anne Bartlett | October 15, 2009; 06:18 PM ET | Comments (31)
Brown Confronts Nickles Over Tone of Hartsock Debate
D.C. Council Kwame Brown (D-At large) confronted Attorney General Peter Nickles on the steps of city hall this evening and accused him of needlessly fanning racial tensions surrounding the council's decision not to confirm Ximena Hartsock as the director of Parks and Recreation. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Brown...
By Tim Craig | October 14, 2009; 06:42 PM ET | Comments (31)
Celebrating Release From Hospital Lands Barry Back in Hospital
For the second time in less than 24 hours, D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) has been released from Howard University Hospital. This time, he and his doctor, say, it's for good -- so long as he avoids seafood. After spending the week hospitalized for dehydration and a...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | October 13, 2009; 02:43 PM ET | Comments (7)
Marion Barry Released From Hospital
Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward) 8 was released from Howard University Hospital Monday after a week of treatment for dehydration and a "mild infection," a Barry spokeswoman said. Barry, 73, who had a kidney transplant in February, drove himself to Howard last Monday because he was not feeling well and...
By Vanessa Williams | October 12, 2009; 06:16 PM ET | Comments (4)
Unspun: Post Mag Interview With D.C. GOP Chair
The Washington Post Magazine's "Unspun" interviews take a look at the person behind the position in local government and politics. See excerpts of this Sunday's edition below or read the full article. Name: Paul D. Craney Age 28 Home: McLean Gardens, Washington Occupation: Executive director, D.C. Republican Committee Tell...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | October 9, 2009; 05:34 PM ET | Comments (0)
Barry Remains in Intensive Care
D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) remains hospitalized in intensive care at Howard University Hospital. Barry, who underwent a kidney transplant in February, was admitted to the hospital early Tuesday for dehydration. His condition was initially described as stable, but he was transferred to the intensive care unit Tuesday...
By Anne Bartlett | October 8, 2009; 03:52 PM ET | Comments (2)
Excerpts: Post Reporter Discusses Gay Marriage Bill
Washington Post staff writer Tim Craig was online earlier today to discuss the gay marriage bill to allow same-sex couples to wed in the District, which was introduced by City Council member David Catania (I-At Large) on Tuesday. Read the full transcript here. Excerpts: Washington, D.C.: Why do you think...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | October 8, 2009; 02:29 PM ET | Comments (0)
Graham Aides Won't Be Testifying After All
The two staffers for D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) who were subpoenaed as part of the federal investigation of the city's taxicab industry will not be testifying before the grand jury, according to sources in Graham's office. David Vacca and Steve Hernandez, both of whom work for the...
By Gene Fynes | October 8, 2009; 12:55 PM ET | Comments (0)
Local GOP Leaders Support Same-Sex Marriage
Two leading Republicans leaders in the District announced their support Tuesday for efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. Robert J. Kabel, the chairman of the D.C. Republican Committee, and Patrick Mara, an unsuccessful Republican council nominee last year, both pledged to lobby Republicans on Capitol Hill to stay...
By Anne Bartlett | October 6, 2009; 04:33 PM ET | Comments (1)
Council Rejects Hartsock Nomination
The D.C. Council voted Tuesday afternoon to reject Ximena Hartsock as the next director of the department of parks and recreation, delivering a setback to Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D). After nearly an hour of debate, the council voted 7 to 5 in support of a disapproval resolution. Council Chairman...
By Anne Bartlett | October 6, 2009; 02:43 PM ET | Comments (24)
Graham E-mails Constituents
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), who is facing intense political pressure after his chief of staff was arrested on bribery charges last week, sent a note to his constituents late last night explaining why he once paid for a woman to have an abortion. Graham said in the e-mail...
By Washington Post Editors | October 2, 2009; 05:24 PM ET | Comments (2)
Ministers Meet With Council Members, Urge Vote on Same-Sex Marriage
With Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large) scheduled to introduce his same-sex marriage bill at Tuesday's council meeting, a group of ministers traveled to city hall today to step up their campaign to force a public vote on the legislation. The ministers were spotted in the John A. Wilson...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | October 1, 2009; 02:18 PM ET | Comments (8)
Cabdrivers Vent Anger at Graham, Fenty
D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) withdrew his taxi industry reform bill on Wednesday, but that didn't stop about 50 cabdrivers from picketing City Hall on Thursday morning. A coalition of taxicab associations also called today for Graham's resignation. The protestors, who gathered in Freedom Plaza across from the...
By Gene Fynes | October 1, 2009; 12:39 PM ET | Comments (4)
Moten, Gray Meet on Budget Cuts
Ronald Moten, a co-founder of Peaceaholics, is continuing his campaign to get the D.C. Council to restore earmarks for some social services and anti-crime organizations. Moten has showed up, often accompanied by high school students, at the John A. Wilson Building for three consecutive weeks demanding to speak to council...
By Anne Bartlett | September 30, 2009; 06:52 PM ET | Comments (5)
Graham Withdrawing Taxicab Bill as FBI Probe Continues
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) said today he is withdrawing his legislation to overhaul the city's taxi industry, a proposal that is at the center of an ongoing FBI investigation into alleged corruption within the industry and at City Hall. But Graham said his decision to pull the bill...
By Gene Fynes | September 30, 2009; 12:57 PM ET | Comments (18)
Two Graham Staffers Receive Grand Jury Subpoenas
Two staffers for D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) have been subpoenaed to appear next week before a federal grand jury investigating the city's taxicab industry. David Vacca and Steve Hernandez, both of whom work for the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, are scheduled to appear before...
By Gene Fynes | September 29, 2009; 02:59 PM ET | Comments (12)
SCLC Leader from L.A. Speaks Out for Same-Sex Marriage in D.C.
The Rev. Eric P. Lee, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will be in the District most of this week to try to drum up support for same-sex marriage within the African-American community. Lee, who is heterosexual, has become a leading black advocate for...
By Anne Bartlett | September 28, 2009; 05:05 PM ET | Comments (6)
Fenty: I Can't Comment on Loza Case
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said today he is under orders from Attorney General Peter Nickles not to discuss or publicly comment on the FBI investigation into the taxi industry, which resulted in last week's arrest of Council member Jim Graham's chief of staff. After a public event this morning,...
By Anne Bartlett | September 28, 2009; 12:52 PM ET | Comments (14)
Fenty Praises Graham for Work on Columbia Heights
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) praised D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) at a public event in Columbia Heights this morning, even as Graham continues to be battered with questions over last week's arrest of his chief of staff. Fenty and Graham both attended the grand opening of...
By Gene Fynes | September 28, 2009; 12:40 PM ET | Comments (12)
GOP Happy to Tell Ward 1 About Graham Office Raid
That didn't take long. The D.C. Republican Committee sent a robo call to about 10,000 Ward 1 residents Friday afternoon seeking to implicate Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) in the legal controversy swirling around his chief-of-staff, Ted G. Loza. Loza was arrested Thursday morning on bribery charges after he...
By Anne Bartlett | September 25, 2009; 05:36 PM ET | Comments (2)
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...
By Anne Bartlett | September 24, 2009; 03:45 PM ET | Comments (4)
Graham Chief of Staff Arrested on Bribery Charges
The chief-of-staff to D.C. Council Member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) was arrested Thursday morning by federal agents on bribery charges, according to a source familiar with the investigation. Ted G. Loza, 44, was taken into custody at his home. He is due to appear in the District's federal court Thursday...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | September 24, 2009; 12:01 PM ET | Comments (12)
Council Passes -- and Barry Praises -- New Ethics Code
D.C. Council member Marion Barry said today the new ethics code for council members is "a step forward" that demonstrates Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray's "progressive thinking.' In an unanimous vote, the council approved emergency legislation that establishes the city's first "Code of Official Conduct" for council members. The proposal,...
By Anne Bartlett | September 22, 2009; 02:06 PM ET | Comments (10)
11th Street Bridge Plans Gets Go-Ahead
By Tim Craig Washington Post Staff Writer The D.C. Council approved a plan Tuesday to accept property from the federal government so the city can begin construction of the 11th Street bridge. The project, slated to cost $365 million, will be the largest capital improvement project ever undertaken by the...
By Gene Fynes | September 22, 2009; 01:39 PM ET | Comments (20)
Compromise Hammered Out on School Board Hires
The State Board of Education will have the authority to hire three staffers selected from a list given to members by the superintendent under a compromise hammered out by D.C. Council members Monday. The education board, stripped of most of its power after the mayoral takeover in 2007, would have...
By Gene Fynes | September 21, 2009; 06:27 PM ET | Comments (8)
Council Open to Compromise on Ed Board Funding
The D.C. Council appears to be backing away from its plans to attempt an override of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's veto of funding to the State Board of Education. At a press conference this morning, Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) said members will work with the administration today to...
By Anne Bartlett | September 21, 2009; 12:51 PM ET | Comments (3)
Gray Proposes Ethics Code in Response to Barry Controversy
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray unveiled a proposed unified "Code of Official Conduct" for council members today as he and other members begin work on implementing new ethics policies. Under Gray's proposal, the first step in responding to ethical questions that swirled around Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8)...
By Anne Bartlett | September 21, 2009; 12:05 PM ET | Comments (1)
Community Activists Protest Earmark Cuts
Ronald Moten, co-founder of Peaceoholics, and nearly a dozen other community activists staked out Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray's (D) office this afternoon demanding to meet with him regarding recent budget cuts. The protest follows a series of events at the John A. Wilson Building on Wednesday where activists could...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | September 16, 2009; 05:15 PM ET | Comments (3)
Nickles Responds to Gun Suit
Attorney General Peter Nickles has filed a formal response to a lawsuit in which four gun rights activists argue they should be allowed to carry loaded handguns on the streets of the District. The individuals, backed by the Second Amendment Foundation, filed their suit last month in federal court. In...
By Anne Bartlett | September 10, 2009; 12:05 PM ET | Comments (3)
Update: Hawkins Chosen to Head WASA
UPDATE: George Hawkins, the respected head of the of the D.C. Department of Environment and a former official at the Environmental Protection Agency, has been chosen as the new general manager at the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority. The announcement by the authority, at a press conference attended by Mayor...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | September 3, 2009; 02:24 PM ET | Comments (2)
Fundraising Audit Finds Problems for D.C. Democrats
In a preliminary audit, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics has found numerous suspected campaign finance violations related to the D.C. Democratic State Committee's spending at last year's Democratic National Convention in Denver. In the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, the board's Office...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | September 1, 2009; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
Ballot Initiative Requested on Same-Sex Marriage
Eight opponents of same-sex marriage formally filed a request today with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics to hold a ballot initiative to stop efforts to allow couples in the District to marry. The one-sentence initiative reads, "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized...
By Gene Fynes | September 1, 2009; 12:21 PM ET | Comments (7)
Bishop Continues Fight Against Same-Sex Marriages in D.C.
Bishop Harry Jackson is refusing to relent from his campaign to stop same-sex marriage in the District, despite the drubbing he took before the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics this summer. Jackson sent out a statement Monday stating that he and other opponents of same-sex marriages will file an...
By Gene Fynes | August 31, 2009; 01:43 PM ET | Comments (3)
Diving Deeper Into Aquatics Director's Firing
The District's firing of aquatics director Brendan McElroy took a new twist Wednesday, with news that the D.C. Office of the Inspector General had launched a preliminary investigation of McElroy a month before he was fired, according to sources familiar with the probe The investigation, outlined in a letter the...
By Gene Fynes | August 26, 2009; 05:16 PM ET | Comments (15)
Dismissed Aquatics Director at Sea Over Firing
Former District aquatics director Brendan McElroy said Tuesday that his recent firing was "unjust and unfair," so he would like to have his job back. "I have a vision for the city and I am committed to aquatics," McElroy said in an interview. "I would love to have my job...
By Gene Fynes | August 25, 2009; 05:13 PM ET | Comments (13)
D.C. Republicans: No More "Fenty Field"
The D.C. Republican Party is calling on Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to immediately remove his name from the new turf soccer field at Harriet Tubman Elementary in Columbia Heights. "The administration has essentially created a Fenty Field," Robert J. Kabel, the chairman of the D.C. Republican committee, said in...
By Anne Bartlett | August 25, 2009; 02:49 PM ET | Comments (13)
Can't Miss Fenty's Name at New Soccer Field
Parents who take in a youth soccer game at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Columbia Heights shouldn't have any trouble remembering who the mayor is. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) held a ribbon cutting at the school today to unveil recent renovations, including a new soccer field. The field, which...
By Tim Craig | August 24, 2009; 05:45 PM ET | Comments (15)
Back-to-School Politicking
Thousands of District residents flooded local streets and sidewalks this morning to see their children off for the big day -- the first day of public school. With so many voters clustered in the neighborhoods at the same time, D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) decided to get a...
By Tim Craig | August 24, 2009; 10:24 AM ET | Comments (4)
McElroy Replaced as D.C. Aquatics Director
Brendan McElroy is being replaced as the aquatics director at the Department of Parks and Recreation, according to city officials. Numerous community sources said Ximena Hartsock, the interim director of Parks and Recreation, fired McElroy on Wednesday. McElroy was unavailable to comment today. John Stokes, a spokesman for Park and...
By Anne Bartlett | August 21, 2009; 05:20 PM ET | Comments (27)
D.C. Unemployment Declines Slightly
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's administration announced today that the District's unemployment rate nudged slightly lower in July, largely due to an uptick in hiring at federal and local government agencies. The July unemployment rate was 10.6 percent, down from 10.9 percent in June. The District continues to outpace the national...
By Gene Fynes | August 21, 2009; 11:26 AM ET | Comments (1)
Ray Ready to Make It Official in Council Race
Clark E. Ray, the former director of Parks and Recreation, is done exploring, and is ready to jump into next year's race for the Democratic nomination for an at-large seat on the D.C. Council. Ray launched his exploratory campaign in early May, a few weeks after Mayor Adrian M. Fenty...
By Tim Craig | August 18, 2009; 01:44 PM ET | Comments (15)
School Choice Advocates Step Up Campaign
School choice advocates are gearing up for a final push this week to try to get U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to reverse his decision to rescind scholarships for 216 low-income District students. The advocates, led by D.C. Parents for School Choice and DC Children First, are planning radio, newspaper...
By Tim Craig | August 17, 2009; 11:13 AM ET | Comments (8)
D.C. Council Nearing Budget Decision
Update 1:48 p.m.:: Read the full article. Update 12:10 p.m." The council has just voted unanimously to approve the budget changes. There was very little debate D.C. Council members and their aides are scrambling this morning to put the final touches on their proposal to slash spending and raise the...
By Tim Craig | July 31, 2009; 01:48 PM ET | Comments (9)
FOP Warns Police May Flee City Force
The Fraternal Order of Police is warning there will be an exodus of sworn officers if the budget currently being considered by the D.C. Council is approved tomorrow. Kristopher Baumann, chairman of the local FOP labor committee, predicted hundreds of officers would leave this year because of proposed changes to...
By Tim Craig | July 30, 2009; 03:43 PM ET | Comments (4)
Barry, Catania Really Don't Like Each Other
The tense relationship between Council members Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) and David A. Catania (I-At Large) is getting worse. At yesterday's closed-door budget negotiations, Barry and Catania frequently sparred. When Catania raised concerns about Barry's proposal to divert some of the savings from the Summer Youth Employment Program to job...
By Tim Craig | July 29, 2009; 01:46 PM ET | Comments (14)
Gray Pushes to Remove All Earmarks from Budget
The D.C. Council is moving forward on a proposal to eliminate all earmarks from the 2010 budget, which would deny city funding to dozens of arts and nonprofit social organizations. At a closed-door meeting this morning, Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) said he wants to remove the remaining $8...
By Tim Craig | July 28, 2009; 11:44 AM ET | Comments (10)
Council Gets Testimony from Dominican Official
The D.C. Council deposed Vladimir Cespedes, the mayor of Sosua, Dominican Republic, last night as part of its widening probe into why a surplus city fire truck was donated to the town earlier this year, according to a source. Cespedes appeared at a closed-door hearing before Council members Mary M....
By Tim Craig | July 28, 2009; 11:26 AM ET | Comments (5)
Barry Ex-Girlfriend Seeking Lawyer
Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, the woman at the center of the ethical questions swirling around Marion Barry, said today that federal investigators have not yet approached her as part of their preliminary investigation into the council member. Watts-Brighthaupt, Barry's ex-girlfriend who was awarded a city contract last year, pledged she would cooperate...
By Tim Craig | July 27, 2009; 01:29 PM ET | Comments (2)
Ray Adds to List of Supporters
The Draft Clark E. Ray for D.C. Council Committee announced today 30 residents and community leaders were joining the committee. Ray, the former director of Parks and Recreation, appears likely to challenge Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) in next year's Democratic primary. Ray's newest supporters include Carlene Cheatam, founder...
By Tim Craig | July 27, 2009; 01:26 PM ET | Comments (1)
Council Leaders Appear Unfazed by Beg-a-Thon
The D.C. Council held a six-hour - and counting - beg-a-thon today so 133 witnesses representing dozens of organizations could plea for leniency when it comes to looming budget cuts. The council hopes to finalize next Friday a plan to close a $666 million revenue shortfall over the next two...
By Tim Craig | July 24, 2009; 04:39 PM ET | Comments (2)
Better Late Then Never?
Council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) plans to file his constituent service fund report with the Office of Campaign Finance today - 23 days late. The reports were due July 1, but Thomas's never made it to the office. After he missed the deadline, Sonya Lake, a spokeswoman for...
By Tim Craig | July 24, 2009; 03:29 PM ET | Comments (0)
Bowser Letter Included Second Grant
In addition to expressing concern about a $300,000 city earmark to the National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America, Council member Muriel Bowser is also asking investigators to look into a $200,000 grant made last year to Cease Fire...Don't Smoke the Brothers. In this morning's paper, the Washington...
By Tim Craig | July 22, 2009; 10:50 AM ET | Comments (0)
Barry's Legal Counsel Resigns Today
Essita Holmes, who worked in Council member Marion Barry's office as his legal counsel, resigned today. Holmes dealt with legal issues in Barry's office, but did not represent him personally. Holmes resignation comes as Barry is facing mounting questions about his staff contracts and the role he played in directing...
By Tim Craig | July 21, 2009; 04:44 PM ET | Comments (4)
Will D.C. Residents Be Forced to Pay More?
Some members of the D.C. Council are sending out signals that they will consider higher taxes or fees to help close a $666 million revenue shortfall over the next two years. The latest council deliberations on the budget are just now getting started but members hope to approve a new...
By Tim Craig | July 20, 2009; 05:52 PM ET | Comments (3)
Graham Says Council Can Override Code to Rename Park
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) says the city law prohibiting a public space from being named after a living person won't hinder his proposal to rename Girard Park in Columbia Heights "Barack Hussein Obama" park. Graham offered up his proposal for the name change at Tuesday's council meeting. If...
By Tim Craig | July 20, 2009; 01:01 PM ET | Comments (9)
Police Release More Details on Evans Aide
D.C. Council member Jack Evans' communications director, Desi Deschaine, was last seen about 10:30 p.m Sunday at the Baltimore Harbor but was not reported missing until 12 hours later, Baltimore police said today. Deschaine, 30, was pronounced dead earlier today after he was discovered floating in the Inner Harbor. Baltimore...
By Tim Craig | July 14, 2009; 12:22 PM ET | Comments (6)
Aide to Jack Evans Found Dead in Baltimore
Desi Deschaine, communications director for D.C. council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) has died after apparently drowning in Baltimore's Inner Harbor over the weekend, Evans said. "I am very sad as I'm sure you all are,'' Evans said during the Council's regularly scheduled breakfast meeting this morning. Council members paused...
By Tim Craig | July 14, 2009; 10:38 AM ET | Comments (1)
Barry Accuses Catania of 'Disrespect' as Feud Grows
Is Council member David A. Catania (I-At large) out to get Marion Barry because Barry was the only council member to oppose the legalization of same-sex marriages performed in other states? Barry (D-Ward 8) thinks so. In an unusually personal and public letter from one council member to another, Barry...
By Tim Craig | July 13, 2009; 07:58 PM ET | Comments (9)
City Asked Not To Pay Barry's Ex-Girlfriend
The D.C. Council Secretary's office was served with a court order yesterday asking it to withhold $3,938 from any future payments it makes to Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, who is Council member Marion Barry's ex-girlfriend. The writ stems from an unpaid judgment against Watts-Brighhaupt, according to court records reviewed by the Washington...
By Tim Craig | July 10, 2009; 01:04 PM ET | Comments (4)
Barry Will Address Controversy At Noon
Council member Marion Barry will hold a press conference at noon in front of the John A. Wilson Building. It will be Barry's first public comments since his arrest on stalking charges July 4. Last night, prosecutors dropped the misdemeanor stalking charge against Barry, who had been accused of "bothering"...
By Tim Craig | July 9, 2009; 11:02 AM ET | Comments (0)
Campaign Manager: Barry's Ex-Girlfriend 'Didn't Do Any Work'
Marion Barry's former campaign manager said today that he is furious the council member used campaign funds last year to pay his former girlfriend a $500 contracting fee. Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, who is at the center of recent stalking charges against Barry, has been telling reporters she worked as a political...
By Tim Craig | July 8, 2009; 03:24 PM ET | Comments (8)
Barry Says Ex Was Unstable; Gave Her Job Anyway
So Natalie Williams, Council member Marion Barry's spokeswoman, calls a press conference for 11 p.m. last night to respond to the Washington Post story that Barry hired his ex-girlfriend as a city contractor two months after they began dating. Williams requested that television news stations carry her remarks live...
By Tim Craig | July 8, 2009; 10:31 AM ET | Comments (2)
Barry's Ex-Girlfriend Receiving City Funds
D.C. Council member Marion Barry hired ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt to work on his city staff shortly after they began dating last year, according to city records. Watts-Brighthaupt has been paid at least $10,000 to work as a contractor for Barry's Council office and was hired in October, two months after...
By Tim Craig | July 7, 2009; 03:46 PM ET | Comments (0)
Excerpts: Post Reporters on Barry
Post reporters Tim Craig and Nikita Stewart were online earlier today to discuss D.C. city councilman Marion Barry and his weekend arrest. Here are some excerpts from the discussion: Arlington, Va.: This is Barry's third run in with the Park Police since 2002 (suspected drug use in his car, driving...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | July 6, 2009; 02:49 PM ET | Comments (0)
Two D.C. Residents Challenge Bishop Jackson
Two District residents are challenging Bishop Harry Jackson's qualifications to lead the fight against a D.C. Council bill that legalizes same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. Cary Silverman, president of the Mount Vernon Association, and Martin Moulton claim Jackson was ineligible to seek a referendum on the bill because he is a...
By Tim Craig | June 24, 2009; 02:17 PM ET | Comments (6)
Gray Warns of Tough Budget Cuts in Coming Weeks
Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) will meet with City Administrator Neil O. Albert this afternoon to begin plotting a strategy for closing the District's revenue shortfall. The meeting, which will include Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's (D) budget team, comes as Gray is sending signals he doesn't want the city...
By Tim Craig | June 24, 2009; 12:43 PM ET | Comments (2)
D.C. Will Expand Legal Guns
The D.C. Police Department announced emergency regulations today that will greatly expand the models of handguns that District residents can own, a victory for opponents of gun control. The changes mean District residents can legally obtain at least 1,000 additional types and models of handguns that had previously been banned....
By Tim Craig | June 19, 2009; 02:03 PM ET | Comments (0)
Deal Near on Convention Center Hotel
City officials are close to finalizing a deal to build a new convention center hotel without having to secure an additional hundreds of millions of dollars in public financing, officials said today. Under the framework of the agreement, the city and the convention center authority will put up an additional...
By Tim Craig | June 18, 2009; 03:57 PM ET | Comments (0)
Council wants von Brunn Charged with Hate Crimes
An overwhelming majority of D.C. Council members got behind a resolution today calling on federal prosecutors to charge James W. von Brunn with violating the city's hate crime statue in addition to his federal charges. Federal prosecutors have charged von Brunn, the 88-year-old white supremacist accused of killing a security...
By Tim Craig | June 16, 2009; 11:19 AM ET | Comments (14)
FOP President Blasts Council Before Crime Bill Vote
Even before the D.C. Council takes up Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's crime bill at today's Council meeting, the chairman of the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter is taking aim at Phil Mendelson (D-At Large). Kristopher Baumann, the head of the FOP Lodge 1, said he's convinced that Mendelson has...
By Tim Craig | June 16, 2009; 09:49 AM ET | Comments (4)
Elections Board Blocks Marriage Referendum
The D.C. elections board blocked an effort today to hold a referendum on whether the District should recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, handing gay rights advocates a major victory. The decision by Board of Elections and Ethics removes one of the last remaining hurdles to the legislation that...
By Tim Craig | June 15, 2009; 04:26 PM ET | Comments (113)
Council Committee Accepts PERB Nominees
A Council committee voted this morning to confirm all five nominees to the Public Employees Relations Board, likely ending the Council's feud with Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) over the issue. Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), chair of the Committee on Government Operations and the Environment, said the...
By Tim Craig | June 15, 2009; 11:20 AM ET | Comments (2)
Can The D.C. Rap Be Far Behind?
Before you sign off for the weekend, check out Remy's latest hilarous video chronicling the lives of our neighbors across the Potomac River in Arlington. Remy's rap could also apply to any number of gentrified District neighborhoods. Thank's to Virginia's Not Larry Sabato blog for uncovering the video. Note: YouTube...
By Tim Craig | June 12, 2009; 11:53 AM ET | Comments (2)
Brown, Evans Push For Public's Help to Build Hotel
Council members Kwame Brown (D-At large) and Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) teamed up today to announce they will hold a joint hearing later this month to consider public financing of the proposed convention center hotel. In their statement, Brown and Evans both indicated they were likely to get behind the...
By Tim Craig | June 10, 2009; 06:08 PM ET | Comments (3)
Hearing on Same-Sex Marriage Vote Under Way
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics is holding a hearing today on whether the City Council bill to recognize same-sex marriages performed in others states can be put to a referendum. The hearing room is packed with both supporters and opponents of the proposed referendum. At the hearing, which...
By Tim Craig | June 10, 2009; 11:01 AM ET | Comments (63)
Just When You Thought Budget Season Was Ending
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's legislative team and the D.C. Council budget team are trading accusations over the recently approved 2010 budget. Bridget R. Davis, director of the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs, fired off a memo yesterday to Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) asking why the mayor's office...
By Tim Craig | June 4, 2009; 02:51 PM ET | Comments (5)
Council Irons $20 Million Deal With Boys & Girls Clubs
Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) and 10 of his colleagues announced today they have agreed to spend $20 million in taxpayer dollars to purchase three recreation centers from the financially-strapped Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. After the purchase is completed later this year, the city will own...
By Tim Craig | June 3, 2009; 03:55 PM ET | Comments (3)
Attacks on Homeless Could Become Hate Crime
Council member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) introduced a bill today that would add the homeless to the District's hate crimes statue. Cheh, who appeared to garner at least a half-dozen co-sponsors for her proposal, noted there have been several unprovoked attacks on the homeless in the District in recent years....
By Tim Craig | June 2, 2009; 12:38 PM ET | Comments (0)
Gray, Rhee Prove They Can Still Work Together
Council chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) has largely backed away from his threat to withhold $27 million from the city school system due to a dispute over enrollment figures. After a meeting with Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Gray agreed to restore most of the money but still plans to ask the...
By Tim Craig | June 2, 2009; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (28)
Gray Stays Silent on Marriage Referendum
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) is steering clear - at least for now - of the debate over whether to put the same-sex marriage issue on the ballot. Last week, Council member Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) said she favored holding a referendum to ask voters whether the Council...
By Tim Craig | June 1, 2009; 12:40 PM ET | Comments (7)
Gray, Rhee Work Toward Compromise on School Funding
Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) will be engaged in another round of high-stakes negotiations with Chancellor Michelle Rhee today over the Council's threat to withhold $27.5 million from the city school system because of a dispute over projected enrollment figures next year. When the Council preliminarily approved the 2010...
By Tim Craig | June 1, 2009; 12:16 PM ET | Comments (5)
Group Asks for Referendum on Same-Sex Marriage
A group of ministers and same-sex marriage opponents filed a request today calling for a citywide referendum on whether the District should recognize gay marriages performed in other states. The group, Stand 4 Marriage, said it will begin collecting signatures to try to force the issue onto the ballot. Earlier...
By Tim Craig | May 27, 2009; 03:52 PM ET | Comments (32)
With Ward 6 on Board; Ward 1 Targeted in Marriage Fight
There is little doubt that Democratic activists who live on Capitol Hill are solidly behind an effort to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. The Ward 6 Democratic Committee voted 73 to 3 last night in support of a resolution calling on the City Council to approve a same-sex marriage...
By Tim Craig | May 20, 2009; 11:15 AM ET | Comments (0)
Ward 5 Democrats Reject Same-Sex Marriage
The Ward 5 Democratic Committee voted overwhelmingly last night to oppose a resolution supporting same-sex marriage in the District, becoming the first local committee to reject efforts to legalize such marriages, according to people who attended. The vote occurred after a group of ministers and same-sex marriage opponents decided that...
By Tim Craig | May 19, 2009; 11:28 AM ET | Comments (7)
Shifting Answers on Same-Sex Marriage
Are some D.C. Council members delivering different messages to different audiences on the question of same-sex marriage? The Washington Blade published a story today that reported 10 of 13 council members have told reporter Lou Chibbaro Jr. they would support a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. The...
By Tim Craig | May 15, 2009; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (0)
Nickles Slows Down Probe into Fire Truck
Two D.C. Council committees were scheduled to hold closed-door meetings today to depose two Fenty administration officials as part of the ongoing Council investigation into how a surplus fire truck ended up, temporarily, in the Dominican Republic. But Attorney General Peter J. Nickles, following through on a promise he made...
By Tim Craig | May 15, 2009; 07:06 AM ET | Comments (3)
Gray Wants His Tickets; Says Fenty Took Them
One month after Opening Day, Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) is renewing his hunt for those missing baseball tickets. Gray sent Mayor Adrian M. Fenty a letter yesterday asking him to turn over the Council's allotment of tickets. "You have 67 tickets for your use. The Council has just...
By Tim Craig | May 14, 2009; 02:45 PM ET | Comments (3)
Rhee Fires Back at Council; Warns Teachers Will Be Cut
Chancellor Michelle Rhee has quickly responded to the Council's decision this morning to reduce the schools budget by $27.5 million until enrollment projections for the 2009-2010 school year can be verified. In a letter to Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D), Rhee said the decision will "negatively impact school opening...
By Tim Craig | May 12, 2009; 02:43 PM ET | Comments (19)
School Enrollment Figures Don't Add Up, Council Says
The D.C. Council voted today to strip, at least temporarily, $27 million from the city school system budget for next year because it has been unable to justify enrollment projections. According to Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D), the city schools budget was predicated on its enrollment increasing by about...
By Tim Craig | May 12, 2009; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (15)
Cheh Demands Fifth Name From Fenty for Board
D.C. Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) said today she's still contemplating whether to push to override Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's (D) veto of a bill that would allow the Public Employee Relations Board to operate with one member. Due to longstanding vacancies on the board, the Council approved...
By Tim Craig | May 11, 2009; 11:36 AM ET | Comments (3)
Barry Warns of "Civil War" Over Gay Marriage
D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), the only council member to vote against the bill today to legalize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, predicted today there could be a "civil war" in the District if the Council decides to take up a broader gay marriage bill later this year....
By Tim Craig | May 5, 2009; 02:26 PM ET | Comments (258)
D.C. Council Votes 12-1 to Recognize Other States' Gay Marriages
UPDATE 2: After further debate, a second vote was taken, with D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) deciding to vote against the proposal. The final count is 12-1 in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states. Read the full story. UPDATE: D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | May 5, 2009; 11:11 AM ET | Comments (116)
Gray Defends Earmarks
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) today defended efforts on the Council to load up the budget with millions of dollars of earmarks, despite efforts last year to restrain the practice. In response to questioning from community activist and blogger Dorothy Brazile, Gray said he's hopeful the earmarks in...
By Tim Craig | May 4, 2009; 11:48 AM ET | Comments (3)
Despite Tax Trouble, Marion Barry Bids High
D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) hasn't been able to pay his taxes on time, but that didn't stop him over the weekend from shelling out $800 for a new opera jacket for his girlfriend at an auction. According to a tipster, Barry was at the George Washington University...
By Tim Craig | April 28, 2009; 12:31 PM ET | Comments (6)
No Plans to Legalize Pot, Barry Says
Does D.C. Council member Marion Barry want to legalize marijuana in the District? He says no, but Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws, said a caller who identified themselves as being from Barry's office called him last month to inquire how...
By Tim Craig | April 22, 2009; 04:08 PM ET | Comments (4)
Nationals Won't Talk Tickets
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) isn't the only one who has been sidestepping questions about what happened to the D.C. Council's allotment of season tickets to Nationals Park. For the third consecutive week, the Washington Nationals is declining to comment on the controversy or say who it believes is the...
By Tim Craig | April 21, 2009; 02:25 PM ET | Comments (1)
Council Bypasses Fenty on PERB Board
The D.C. Council voted today to veto Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's nominees for the Public Employee Relations Board. The council then enacted emergency legislation to allow the five-member board to operate with a quorum of one because of longstanding vacancies. The Council enacted the legislation even though Fenty, according to...
By Tim Craig | April 21, 2009; 12:49 PM ET | Comments (5)
Selling Council, Fenty Nats Tix Could Net $500,000, Brown Says
With the standoff between the D.C. Council and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty over tickets to Nationals Park continuing, Council Member Kwame Brown (D-At large) introduced legislation today to auction off both the Council and the mayor's season's tickets to the park to the highest bidder. Brown is calling his legislation...
By Tim Craig | April 21, 2009; 10:01 AM ET | Comments (8)
Gertrude Stein Club Backs Gay Marriage
The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club voted last night to endorse same-sex marriage in the District, clearing the way for a broader debate within D.C. Democratic State Committee over the issue in the coming weeks. Jeffrey Richardson, the club president, said it is believed to be the first time that the...
By Tim Craig | April 21, 2009; 07:31 AM ET | Comments (1)
Gay Democrats Blast Fenty
The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club approved a resolution tonight condemning Mayor Adrian Fenty for firing Clark Ray, who had been the openly gay director of the District Department of Parks and Recreation. The members of the club, made up of politically active gay Democrats, called Fenty's decision to fire Ray...
By Tim Craig | April 20, 2009; 08:45 PM ET | Comments (3)
Tim Craig
Tim Craig is the D.C. Council reporter. Prior to coming to D.C. in the spring of 2009, Tim spent nearly three years covering Virginia politics for The Post from Richmond, and also spent three years covering state and local politics in Maryland. Tim's journalism career began at the Baltimore Sun,...
By Christopher Dean Hopkins | April 1, 2009; 05:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
