A deliberative roundup of one city’s local politics. Send your tips, releases, stories, events, etc. to lips@washingtoncitypaper.com. And get LL Daily sent straight to your inbox every morning! IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Kwame Brown Wants HTJ To Do Something Wanted: New Elections Boss
Good morning sweet readers! Debt ceiling, debt smeiling, there’s a football season. Go Cowboys! News time:
The Harry Thomas Freedom Fund: The Examiner’s Freeman Klopott is first out of the gate with the news that Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. has one less thing to worry about: legal fees. Thomas’ attorney Fred Cooke Jr. is setting up a legal defense fund, says another of Thomas’ lawyers, John Ray. The fund will most likely help pay the expenses services of superlawyer Abbe Lowell (who TWT points out has represented Jack Abramoff and Puff Daddy.) Thomas says he knows nothing about said fund. In related news, if any developers and lobbyists want to create a fund that pays LL’s bills, please feel free; working at Washington City Paper sure doesn’t!
AFTER THE JUMP: Step Down; Don’t Step Down; Cheating is Bad, M’Kay?…
Mr. Thomas, Step Aside: Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells has become the third councilmember to ask Thomas to resign. Says Wells, on his website: “Although in my conversation with Council Member Thomas about the settlement he continued to deny any wrongdoing, he offered no explanation for the diversion of $300,000. In fact, he has not refuted the facts laid out by the attorney general in the civil complaint beyond asserting that they ‘are not true.’ We need better than that from public officials who oversee a city budget of more than $10 billion.” Meanwhile Council Chairman Kwame “Fully Loaded” Brown put out a statement that says nothing and there are petitions calling for a Thomas recall circulating in Ward 5.
In other news:
- Harry Jaffe: While D.C. pols talk about creating jobs, AYT Institute makes them happen.
- Former D.C. cop sentenced to seven months in prison for attempted burglary.
- MetroAccess growth slowed as fares raised, rules tightened.
- DCPS chancellor Kaya Henderson: “It’s not in my interest to hide cheating.”
Gray sked: 11 a.m. 9th street bridge dedication; 1 p.m. Col. Charles Young Monument Agreement Signing Ceremony at UDC; 6:30 p.m. Board and Commissioners Swearing-In.
Council sked: Recess.