Scandals complicate wholl head powerful D.C. Council committee

The deadline for D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown to relinquishhis control of the powerful economic development committee is fastapproaching, but chosing which council member will take over hasbeen complicated by a series of corruption scandals.

Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. stepped down last month as thecommittees chairman after being accused by the D.C. attorney generalof pocketing city cash meant for kids. Brown then pushed through aresolution that put him in charge of the committee that plays a keyrole in directing billions of dollars in development projects acrossthe District. The resolution also set a deadline of July 15 forBrown to find a new committee chief.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh, who serves as the councils secondin command, said the chairman is trying to sort out the committeeassignments. Theres a domino effect when you change committeeleadership.

Brown did not respond to a request for comment.

Who gets the assignment could be determined, in part, by the toneThomas set in his resignation letter.

I make this request so as to allow the economic functions of thecouncil to go forward free of any scrutiny that may be caused by theallegations raised against me by the Attorney General, Thomas wrote.

In that light, the following members would likely have a toughpolitical argument to make for the committee:

Ward 7 Councilwoman Yvette Alexander, who is being investigatedby the campaign finance office for allegations that she misspentcash meant for constituents.

Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham, whose former chief of staff wasrecently sentenced to prison for taking bribes in a scheme thatcould have ensnared Graham, but he turned down a cash-stuffedenvelope.

Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry, who just got a committee backafter having it stripped from him for passing city contracts to hisgirlfriend.

At-large Councilman Michael Brown, who is facing concerns that hepushed through an Internet gambling scheme without public inputbecause of ties to the industry.

That leaves seven possibilities, excluding Brown and Thomas. Butfive Jack Evans, David Catania, Phil Mendelson, Tommy Wells andCheh arent likely to give up the committees they have, councilstaffers said. So that leaves two: Ward 4 Councilwoman Muriel Bowserand at-large Councilman Vincent Orange.

Bowser heads the parks and recreation committee. Orange doesnthave a committee.

Hours after Thomas resigned, Orange said in a statement, There isno better person to lead this committee than me, Vincent Orange.

fklopott@washingtonexaminer.com