Feel free to call this D.C. Council period, which began in 2007, the era of unscrupulous behavior.

Ward 1’s Jim Graham allegedly covered up domestic violence perpetrated by his chief of staff and later used city fire department employees as waitstaff at his birthday and holiday parties. Ward 8 Marion Barry gave a contract to a paramour to ensure her affections. Chairman Vincent C. Gray used his official stationery to hustle money for political activities from a company whose license must be approved by his committee. At-large Councilman Kwame Brown was sued by credit card companies for failing to pay $50,000 and later was accused of misappropriating campaign funds; the Office of Campaign Finance is investigating him for the latter.

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