D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan has filed a lawsuit against Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas alleging Thomas directed to his personal use more than $300,000 in city funds meant to support youth baseball.
The lawsuit filed in D.C. Superior Court seeks to force Thomas to pay the cash back and asks for damages totalling more than $1 million. It alleges that Thomas spent the cash on an Audi, and trips to Las Vegas and Pebble Beach, among other items.
The dollars were part of a 2007 $4 million earmark from the D.C. Council to the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation. All but $400,000 of the $4 million were designated for specific groups. The last $400,000, though, was simply for a “youth baseball.”
The lawsuit alleges:
Thomas negotiated with the trust corporation to have the $400,000 be sent to Langston 21st Century Foundation, a nonprofit setup to renovate the Langston Golf Course. From there, the bulk of the cash was split between a nonprofit group and a for-profit company, both run by Thomas. He then used the cash for various personal purposes, including buying the vehicle and travel.
