The D.C. councilman accused of stealing city funds meant for youth baseball programs is negotiating a deal with federal prosecutors and has told political allies he plans to resign his council seat, according to multiple sources. Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. has advised his staff to look for other jobs, a source with knowledge of the criminal investigation has told The Washington Examiner. The deal, according to the source, includes jail time.
A law enforcement official who agreed to speak on background said a plea agreement could come as early as the end of the week but there were many moving parts to the negotiations.
| Thomas’ 2011 |
| Jan. 2: Thomas re-sworn in as Ward 5 councilman. |
| June: D,C. attorney general files suit against Thomas for using city funds to buy an Audi SUV and golf trips, asks for $1 million. Thomas steps down as chairman of the economic development committee. |
| July: Thomas reaches a $300,000 settlement with D.C., case referred to federal prosecutors. Three council members call on Thomas to resign. |
| Dec: Thomas’ home raided by FBI, Internal Revenue Service agents. Reaches a $17,000 settlement on outstanding student loan debt from the early 1980s. Misses second, $50,000 payment back to D.C. |
U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen Jr.’s office and the FBI said they could not discuss the case.
“The case remains under review and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has no comment at this time,” said spokesman William Miller.
Thomas is expected to step down once a plea deal is reached.
“My understanding is that he’s absolutely going to step down [by] next week,” said Ward 5 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner James Fournier. “And I think the question now is who is running in the special election [to fill his seat]. There are a lot of people that intend to run.” Another Ward 5 official, who asked not to be named, said Thomas told him personally that he expected to resign, and go to jail.
Thomas’ attorney, Fred Cooke, declined in an email to comment on any deal and would not say if the councilman would resign. He said Thomas would not appear in court Thursday, as had been reported by a local television news station.
Thomas was conspicuously absent from high-profile council proceedings on Wednesday as council members took up emergency ethics legislation and officials announced their trip next week to New Hampshire to lobby for D.C. statehood.
The council, including Chairman Kwame Brown, maintained throughout the day that they had not heard from Thomas. Mayor Vincent Gray, when asked if Thomas would still go on next week’s trip, said he likely wouldn’t.
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“We want to focus on the issue of self-determination, which I know he supports vitally, but frankly we want to stay focused fully on that when we get to New Hampshire,” Gray told reporters.
Thomas last year was sued by the D.C. attorney general for misappropriating more than $300,000 in city funds meant for city youth. He reached a settlement with the city last summer in which he did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay back the money. The case was then referred to federal prosecutors for the criminal probe. FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents raided Thomas’ home in December.
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Thomas’ financial problems have continued — this week he failed to pay his second installment of $50,000 back to the city and last month was ordered to pay more than $17,000 in a decades-old student loan debt.
Thomas had maintained his innocence throughout the investigation. As late as last week, one friend told The Washington Examiner that Thomas was determined to fight any charges.
Examiner reporters Scott McCabe and Jonetta Rose Barras contributed to this article.
