Local
Close call, but Nickles confirmed as the District's attorney general
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
November 19, 2008
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| The D.C. Council voted Tuesday to confirm Peter Nickles as the District’s attorney general. Despite a lengthy debate, Nickles won by a 7-5 vote. (Examiner File) |
Nickles won confirmation by a 7-5 vote. Chairman Vincent Gray, whose relationship with Mayor Adrian Fenty has teetered on collapse, broke the logjam.
“We are extremely pleased with the Council’s decision to approve the nomination of Peter J. Nickles as Attorney General for the District of Columbia,” Mayor Adrian Fenty said in a statement. “His impeccable legal knowledge and ability coupled with his unrelenting desire to serve the residents of the District, makes him an excellent choice for the position.”
Nickles’ aggressive advocacy over a 40-year legal career on behalf of D.C.’s most vulnerable was the deciding factor, Gray said. He is “eminently qualified,” the chairman said, “an excellent attorney.”
“He is not nearly as politically evolved as he is legally evolved,” Councilman David Catania said. “But to say he is not qualified is absurd.”
Joining Gray and Catania approving Nickles were Council members Jack Evans, Muriel Bowser, Jim Graham, Tommy Wells and Carol Schwartz. Council members Phil Mendelson, Mary Cheh, Marion Barry, Yvette Alexander and Harry Thomas Jr. voted “no.” Councilman Kwame Brown voted “present.”
With his confirmation, Nickles, a Virginia resident, has 180 days to move into the city or else forfeit his D.C. job. He has said he will meet the residency requirements.
A frantic lobbying campaign on Nickles’ behalf was launched Monday, moments after a council panel rejected the nomination. Fenty was personally involved.
Most mayoral nominees are confirmed as a matter of course in deference to the executive. But Nickles has lost legislative allies with his defense of the Trinidad police blockades, his support for an e-mail deletion policy, his involvement in personnel terminations and his disregard for council subpoenas.
He is “rude, irascible and dismissive,” Alexander said. Cheh accused Nickles of “twisting laws to carry out political objectives,” of fierce personal loyalty to the mayor and a “blinding conviction that one is always right.”
“There’s no question ... that the nominee is not independent,” Mendelson said. “He serves as, continues to serve as, the general counsel to the mayor in practice.”
Nickles started in the Fenty administration as the mayor’s general counsel. He was named acting attorney general Jan. 6.
Over two years, his backers said, he has negotiated a deal to save Greater Southeast Community Hospital, admirably defended the District in court, challenged slumlords to fix their properties and successfully sued numerous organizations on behalf of the city.
“I believe we need someone who knows how to build a law firm,” Evans said. “I believe Peter Nickles is the man for the job.”
Nickles did not return calls for comment.
