Barras: The mayor lacks moral authority

The most devastating statistics from the recent Washington Post poll on Mayor Vincent C. Gray are these: Sixty-one percent of the people surveyed believe Gray is not honest or trustworthy; 63 percent believe he is not running an ethical administration.

Integrity is the basis of trust. It’s probably the most critical element in politics. The faith people have in an elected official provides fuel for implementation of his vision while sealing his collaboration with residents. If citizens’ confidence — the cohesive of the collaboration — declines, things fall apart. Gray’s relationship with District residents is in the ditch.