The markup of legislation designed to open District meetings to the public was held up Thursday as three members of the D.C. Council met in secret behind closed doors discussing how they’d handle the bill.
Meanwhile, Ward 5 Council Member Vincent Orange, chairman of government operations committee, opened the session just after 10 a.m. By 10:40 a.m., he noticed his colleagues had not come.
“I found out later they were in Graham’s office doing exactly what the bill would prevent them from doing,” Orange said.
Council members Phil Mendelson, Carol Schwartz and Jim Graham say they sent repeated word from Graham’s office that they were on their way to the meeting.
Orange, a candidate for mayor, said he tried to reach each member in their offices and received “no communication whatsoever” that they were coming.
The three arrived in the committee room late and waited 20 minutes before leaving.
Orange could not be found.
The bill, Mendelson said, is a “crudely written and poorly drafted proposal.”
Orange said he will call another markup next week.
