Jonetta Rose Barras: Walking the ethics line
By: Jonetta Rose Barras
Examiner Columnist
October 1, 2009
It's not $90,000 in a freezer (a la former Rep. William Jefferson, D-La.). It's not a yacht on the Potomac (invoking images of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif.). Still, no one should dismiss the recent arrest of D.C. Council staffer Ted Loza on charges of taking a bribe. Nor should anyone ignore media reports that his boss, Ward 1's Jim Graham, is under scrutiny by investigators who are probing the taxicab industry in the District and the government agency charged with regulating it.
Those allegations are serious. But, Chairman Vincent C. Gray and other members don't seem to get that.
The council passed a Code of Conduct that among other things admonished officials not to do anything directly or through appearance that could affect "adversely the confidence of the public in the integrity of the government." In less than a week, events conspired to challenge the legislature's commitment to its new standards.
When I asked Gray and other members whether they believed the allegations warranted stripping, even temporarily, the taxicab commission from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, chaired by Graham, the council's pledge was half-hearted.
"Councilmember Graham has not been accused in this investigation. [I] will monitor the developments very closely and will take appropriate action when appropriate circumstances are presented," Gray said through his spokeswoman Doxie McCoy.
"The councilmember has committed no wrongdoing, so there is no need for him to recuse himself from taxi issues overseen by the committee or step down from the committee," said Brian DeBose, Graham's press spokesman.
Legislators have been quick on the draw when an allegation involves the executive. Earlier this year, it threatened to take Mayor Adrian M. Fenty to court after media reports disclosed he had approved donating a firetruck and ambulance to a town in the Dominican Republic. Council members hammered him when he allowed a friend to drive a city-owned car. He was badgered about his trip to Dubai -- who paid for it, why did he go.
Now, with federal law enforcement officials closely scrutinizing the actions of one of their own, mum's the word.
Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells, Ward 4 Councilwoman Muriel Bowser and at-large Councilman Kwame Brown -- all on Graham's committee -- did not return my calls for comments.
Phil Mendelson did: "I think it's premature to ask him to step down because of mere allegations or speculation.
"But I do have some discomfort in dealing with taxicab issues. I don't think there will be any issues in the short term," Mendelson added.
Members are prepared to either stop the business of an entire industry or allow someone whose past actions have raised suspicions of federal officials to preside over important matters -- not the least of which may be legislation for which his staffer is alleged to have taken a $1,500 cash bribe.
So much for towing the ethics line.
Jonetta Rose Barras, host of WPFW's "D.C. Politics with Jonetta," can be reached at rosebook1@aol.com.
