Alarming politics
By: Jonetta Rose Barras
Examiner Columnist
April 9, 2009
I accused D.C. Council members recently of being ambulance chasers. This week, the figurative became the literal: At-large member Phil Mendelson searched multiple locations for a 10-year-old firetruck and ambulance that had been on its way to a Dominican Republic town but, after a controversy developed, was returned to the District.
The facts about the donation remain unclear: It appears someone in Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s administration attempted to donate the vehicles using Peaceoholics, a local nonprofit, as a conduit.
First reported by The Examiner’s Michael Neibauer, the transaction has created much speculation. Some people believe laws were broken. Others think someone may have received undeserved gain. Mendelson and Councilwoman Mary Cheh called in the city’s inspector. Smart move.
But on Tuesday, that logic succumbed to hysteria and politics. Even before the inspector general could start work, Cheh talked of establishing a special committee with subpoena power to examine the episode.
How many special committees with subpoena power can she handle? She has yet to close out the one investigating the board of elections. Last week, she said she would open another to probe allegations of fraud at the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. And now, she wants to subpoena everyone and their mamas who may have been associated with the firetruck donation.
Have mercy!
Special committees get special attention, which is nice for politicians seeking re-election. Mendelson, who invited a television crew on his search, is running for re-election. Cheh, Ward 1’s Jim Graham, Ward 5’s Harry Thomas and Chairman Vincent C. Gray also are seeking re-election.
The charge that the Fenty administration sought to hide the donation is questionable. As required by law, a notice of the pending action appeared in the D.C. Register. That’s where Neibauer found the item.
Why didn’t Mendelson, his council colleagues or their staff see it? Don’t they read the Register?
Don’t get me wrong. The legislature should methodically and aggressively monitor the executive to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. But they should resist creating or being pulled into a frenzy. Their actions also shouldn’t be dictated by the possibility of personal political gain.
Equally important, if council members use the bullhorn to alert the city of executive branch problems, it seems hypocritical for them to ignore issues in their own backyard. When The Examiner reported last year that Graham had twice used fire department personnel as waitstaff for his birthday party and a holiday party, neither Mendelson nor Cheh sought an investigation or blasted their colleague for the apparent misuse of government employees. Gray also was mum. And, there hasn’t been a peep from any legislator about Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry’s failure to pay local taxes while making decisions about how tax dollars are spent.
It’s critical that everyone obey District laws and ethics. Demands made on the executive should also apply to each member of the council.
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