The D.C. mayoral race degenerated into mudslinging Thursday, with D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray asking federal officials to investigate vote-buying allegations against Mayor Adrian Fenty, while Fenty dismissed the charges as a political stunt.
“Few things are more sacrosanct than the voting process,” said Gray, Fenty’s challenger in Tuesday’s Democratic primary as he spoke to a pack of reporters and campaign volunteers Thursday. “We are deeply concerned and we have asked this to be investigated by both the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and the FBI.”
Fenty bristled at the accusation and accused Gray of trying to “steer” the campaign with groundless claims. “For the next five days, unless someone gives me a name, let’s talk about the issues that affect this city,” Fenty said. “I can’t keep talking about unspecific allegations.”
Fenty spokesman Sean Madigan told The Washington Examiner, “We have found no evidence of anything at this point. If someone has more information — we’d love to see it.”
WJLA (ABC 7) on Wednesday quoted three people saying representatives of the Fenty campaign offered them $100-a-day jobs for 10 days through the Sept. 14 primary if they cast ballots for Fenty during early voting. The trio said they voted for Fenty, but that the jobs never materialized.
Rudolph Williams, 19, said in the report that he was given a number to call about the job, and when he placed the call it was answered by someone at Fenty campaign headquarters.
Madigan cited a code of conduct agreement that all Fenty campaign staffers, canvassers and volunteers are required to sign.
“We have made it very, very clear that anyone who represents our campaign should never, ever make an offer like that,” he said. “I think the person making the allegation wanted to trade a vote for a job — take that for what it is.”
Lloyd Jordan, Gray’s attorney, confirmed he sent letters to the D.C. elections board and FBI formally requesting investigations into Fenty’s campaign conduct. “He said the campaign had received information indicating vote buying was “a widespread practice” involving not just students, but homeless people.
