Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi, at-large Councilman Michael Brown and others have made a mess of the lottery contracting process and their apparent scheme for Internet gambling. The District’s only ethical choice is to void its agreement with Greek-based gaming corporation Intralot. Perhaps the third time will be the charm. According to recent testimony before the D.C. Council’s Committee on Finance and Revenue and an inspector general report, the process was fraught with contract irregularities and questionable behaviors. Gandhi modified the contact after it was signed, violating District procurement rules. Further, Digidoc’s joint venture, a legitimate District business, was denied certification while Veteran Services Corp., which “was not a local business enterprise,” was certified. Brown withheld information about his law firm’s relationship with the gaming industry. Councilman Jim Graham told one bidder he would support his lottery proposal — if the bidder relinquished an unrelated Metro project.
Those facts make laughable Gandhi’s assertion the process was “transparent” and “adhered to all laws.”
