We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
Mayor Vince Gray sent a letter to Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry today kindly asking him: what the shit is this?
Barry has long made it a habit of issuing disapproval resolutions, a legislative stalling tactic that any councilmember can do to put the breaks on all kinds of legislation and city functions. Most recently, Barry introduced a disapproval resolution to halt $1.5 million in funding for security upgrades at New Beginnings, the city’s troubled juvie jail operated by the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services.
“These security upgrades are necessary for DYRS to protect the health, safety and welfare of the youth within the care of the Department and the greater community,” writes Gray in his letter to Barry. “By virtue of this disapproval resolution you introduced, we already have lost more than a month in achieving the upgrades everyone, including you, agrees are important.”
Barry wasn’t immediately available for comment. This summer, he voted against the confirmation of Gray’s pick, Neil Stanley, to lead DYRS. Stanley’s still on the job anyway, so maybe Barry’s still unhappy with the pick. Or maybe he just wants attention.
The full letter:
[scribd id=64311330 key=key-1fot9pd7ysvy2863o8ha mode=list]