Mayor Vincent Gray ran on a motto of “One City,” but accusations of Gray for Mayor campaign impropriety have led to a congressional investigation that might only serve to further divide it. Gray has called for investigations into the allegations by former mayoral candidate Sulaimon Brown that members of Gray’s mayoral campaign passed Brown cash-stuffed envelopes so he could stay on the campaign trail and continue his attacks on then-Mayor Adrian Fenty. But when the Rep. Darrell Issa-chaired House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced a probe into Brown’s claims, Gray was quick to push back, saying a U.S. attorney assessment of the claims should be enough.
“Congressional involvement is not likely to illuminate any additional issues or information,” he said.
Gray has been trying to rally District residents to join him in a campaign to win the city’s independence from federal oversight. But if he chooses that route, he may only push away residents who want to get to the bottom of Brown’s claims.
“Vilifying Republican efforts to investigate the city will appeal to the diehard voting rights groups out there,” said political consultant Chuck Thies. “For people paying close attention, though, there’s a real concern for justice.”
D.C. Vote is already taking the opportunity to use the House investigation to galvanize residents for statehood and push its message for the District’s freedom across the country, executive director Ilir Zherka told The Washington Examiner.
“To have people like Issa and others interfering with local affairs has the affect of making people eager to have full home rule and voting rights,” Zherka said. D.C. Vote, he said, is planning to reach out to Issa’s constituents in San Diego to inform them of their representative’s involvement in local D.C. affairs.
“I think people in San Diego will be shocked to hear their representative is taking his attention away from pressing national and San Diego issues to dabble in District affairs,” Zherka said.
But Thies said initiatives like that “could be kicking a beehive — that’s what challenging Issa is.”
Raising the intensity of Issa’s ire might only make things worse for Gray and the city, said political consultant Terry Lynch, who has been critical of the Gray administration.
“The investigation will continue to cast a pall on the District and hinder Gray’s ability to move forward with critical issues,” Lynch said.
