Washington Post Makes Me Laugh

I pulled out the special Election section of the Washington Post this morning to read this teaser in the bottom right corner:

The District: Vincent Gray was elected mayor in a landslide, while Kwame Brown was chosen to succeed Gray as D.C. Council Chairman. Council races remained too close to call early Tuesday night. A29.

Vincent Gray, Democrat 96%

Carlos Allen, Independent 2%

Can we rewrite that as:

The District: Vincent Gray held off a write-in effort and beat token opposition, while Kwame Brown was chosen to succeed Gray as D.C. Council Chairman. Council races could not be called because many voting precincts remained unreported early Tuesday night. A29.

Vincent Gray, Democrat 74%

Write In 23%

Carlos Allen makes the front page of the Post's election coverage.  Seriously?  His15 minutes of fame should be long over.

Why is the DC Board of Elections Incompetent?

It's 9:46pm and I can find out election results at the click of a mouse from as far away as the Dakotas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kansas.  But in DC, nearly 3 hours after the polls closed and with what is likely a comparatively minscule turnout, all I get is this:

Election Results not available.

Why is providing timely, accurate results so incredibly difficult for the District?

UPDATE 10:11PM: First results went up at 9:51pm, but just for a few precincts in Wards 1 and 6 for a total count of about 700 votes.  That equates to counting at a rate of 4.1 votes per minute since the polls closed.

UPDATE 10:15PM: A moment ago, the first larger batch of results went online.  Still, zero precincts reporting from Ward 2.  Some results for all other wards.  Thus far, voters chose an elected Attorney General by a 4 to 1 margin.

For an Elected Attorney General

In most states, I'd probably say that there are enough knucklehead politicians running around.  But in the District, I believe it is best to elect our attorney general.

There are good reasons in favor of appoinment.  When it comes to the person who is responsible for overseeing criminal prosecutions, defending the state in civil suits, enforcing government regulations, and suing on behalf of the government, its understandable to seek the best-qualified legal mind for the job.  Gubernatorial (or mayoral) appointment, with Senate (or DC Council) confirmation, can provide for a rigorous selection process and may include folks that would be great for the job, but would not run for office. 

On the other hand, elected Attorney Generals, "AGs", are widely considered "Aspiring Governors." They must delicately balance a need to score political points and a photo op with fair and just enforcement of the law.  That's why some states stick with appointment.

But the District is not like other jurisdictions.  States have a full legislature, governor (and sometimes elected lieutenant governor), county and city governments, and elected district attorneys and sherriffs.  Our city of 600,000 people is essentially governed by just 14 elected officials -- the Mayor and the DC Council.  The city could use more checks and balances, accountability, and oversight.

Moreover, in the Fenty Administration, we had, in a respect, the worst of both worlds.  Attorney General Peter Nickles, while an extremely qualified and able attorney, also viewed his role as defending, personally and politically, the Mayor.  Rather than represent "the city" and its residents, he took sides between the Mayor and the D.C. Council, the Mayor and the DC Auditor, and those who questioned the legality of the Administration's actions - whether it was donating fire trucks to the Dominican Republic or circumventing procurement rules to award lucrative park renovation contracts to friends of the mayor.  The result is that we had a highly political AG that we did not elect.

Some have suggested that electing an attorney general brings us closer to Home Rule and statehood.  Maybe, but that's not my reason for voting FOR the ballot initiative.  It's a matter of having more checks and balances and accountability in DC government. 

Putting some fire under the AG could also result in some policy changes.  Is there any doubt that an elected attorney general would not stand by while youths who have committed crimes are quickly released back into the public to commit more violence?  Who will be the next DYRS "ward of the state" to make headlines?

One of my neighbors received a robocall identified identified as on behalf of "black churches" asking that he vote "NO" to the ballot initiative for an elected attorney general.  Those behind the robocalls are likely supporters of Vince Gray who do not want his power diminished by creating an independent attorney general.  Yes, electing an attorney general will reduce the mayor's power, just as eliminating the authority of the elected school board increased the mayor's control. 

In this case, the best choice is for an elected attorney general.

Thorpe at it Again: Campaign Literature Theft?

Early this morning, a neighborhood resident "witnessed Leroy Thorpe going from house to house on the western side of New Jersey Avenue removing the anti-Thorpe leaflets" and snapped the fuzzy photograph above with his cell phone camera.  "As the photo shows, Mr. Thorpe was entering people's yards to see if they had a pamplet and if they did he took it and crumpled it up," the resident wrote.  The resident observed that "by 8am, [Mr. Thorpe] switched to a bicycle and was on the 1600 block of 6th St."  "At least he's getting his exercise this morning." 

The seized literature is along the lines of this website, which has been up for some time (and also subject to a Thorpe lawsuit), but was recently updated.

As the resident observed, while the literature may not be "flattering" and could be considered in bad taste, it is not slanderous, as it states factual information and is in the context of a contested political election.  The photograph follows reports of incumbent ANC Commissioner Kevin Chapple's campaign signs mysteriously disappearing from the neighborhood.

Leroy Thorpe doesn't take no for an answer.  The notorious former Shaw ANC Commissioner was outsted in 2006 and lost a bid to reclaim his seat in 2008.  He is running again this year. 

Along the way, Thorpe sued Martin Moulton, who founded the Convention Center Community Association as an welcome alternative forum to Thorpe's East Central Civil Association.  Thorpe's suit was ultimately dismissed with prejudice.  He was recently arrested and convicted of filing a false police report after calling 911 to report Moulton, by delivering neighborhood newsletters on his block, was violating a nonexistent stay-away order related to the civil suit.

Last night, the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association hosted a candidates' forum for the Advisory Neighborhood Commission single member districts that fall within the group's boundaries.  Challengers for two ANC 2C seats, Rochelle Nigro (running for the position held by Theresa Sule) and Rickey Williams (running for the position held by Doris Brooks), attended.  The incumbents were invited, but did not attend.  Should Nigro and Williams join Commissioners Kevin Chapple and Alexander Padro, the area (which includes parts of Penn Quarter/Chinatown, and Mount Vernon Square/Triangle, as well as Shaw) may finally have the professional, competent representation that residents deserve.

Are the votes in?

It's now coming up on 20 hours since the polls closed and the winners declared... but I'm still left wondering, how close are we to a final count?

Are all of the precincts finally in?  As of this morning, 13 of the 141 precincts had not reported their results.  That could be 20,000 or more uncounted votes.

Then there are the 22,000 voters who took advantage of the opportunity to vote early.  That includes me.  Those votes are apparently not counted until after the election day total is finished.

Next, there are an unknown number of absentee ballots.  Including those votes in the final tally typically takes several days.

Finally, there are an unknown number of provisional ballots cast under the new same-day registration process.

The current result in the mayoral race is based on votes cast of 107,257 voters.  It would seem that there could be as many as 50,000 uncounted votes out there.  That's substantial. 

The Board of Elections and Ethics just announced that they will give a status report in ten minutes.  Perhaps they will provide some answers as to what is counted, what is not, and when the outstanding votes will be included. 

It may not change any of the outcomes, but it would be nice to know that the "every vote counts" drilled into us means something.   It's frustrating to see an election declared when your ballot is sitting in a box (or computer hard drive or memory cartridge) somewhere.

UPDATE: At 6:13pm, the Board of Elections added about 12,500 more votes to the count, widening Gray's margin to nearly 10%.

Why Fenty Lost: He Embarrassed Us

I've read my share or pre- and postmortems of Adrian Fenty's single term.

Some, such as DC Watch, say its because he didn't listen to civic activists. Others suggest it was because he was arrogant, "a jerk," or disrespected old black ladies.  Many play up a growing racial divide in the city, suggesting Fenty was more concerned about smart transit, dog parks, and development than critical needs in struggling neighborhoods. Or that he didn't appoint enough African Americans to cabinet-level positions. Then there's the Rhee factor - with polls suggesting that she lost as many votes as she gained.

Relying on paid canvassers and staff, rather than the critical grassroots energy that propelled him into office, didn't help.

There's a grain or more of truth to each of those reasons. Some are more valid than others. I have a different theory, however. And I say this as a supporter...

He embarrassed us.

For years, District resident had to go into work each morning and face the inevitable question from their suburban coworkers. It also came up on the weekend phone conversations with family. "What is up with DC?"

With bow-tie Anthony Williams in office, residents had nearly eight-year respite.  Aside from Marion Barry rejoining the Council, there wasn't a whole lot of drama.  The mechanics of government were perfectly uneventful. We liked and got used to it. 

But lately, we've had a lot of 'splaining to do again.

How is it the Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer don't agree on how much is in the schools' budget before she enters into a new contract with the teachers?  Why would the city fire hundreds of teachers a few weeks into a school year?  Oh, because they have sex with their students.

The Mayor and D.C. Council are fighting over free baseball tickets after spending millions on a new stadium. Really?

The D.C. Attorney General is refusing to disclose records to the D.C. Auditor (same last name spelled differently). What's he hiding?  Contempt?

The city massively over spent on the summer jobs program, but the Mayor wants to expand it again? And in this economy?  And what the heck are 20,000 kids getting paid to do anyway?

Why is one nonprofit group, Peaceoholics, getting paid millions in public grants to stop violence that hasn't stopped and not expected to document any results?  And how is the founder of that 501(c)(3) taking such an active role in the campaign?  You know, Ron Moten, the guy who helped donate the DC fire engine to the Dominican Republic.  Why doesn't Fenty cut him off already?

60 beds for the entire male youth offender population of the city?  No wonder kids are running around shooting and getting shot.

Why is a very able Attorney General, the public official who is supposed to represent the entire city in court, repeatedly sound like the mayor's criminal defense lawyer, personal counsel, spokesperson, and political attack dog?  And does he really live in DC?

He put running buddies up for appointment to boards and commissions?

What's this about transferring millions from the Parks to Housing departments to avoid procurement rules, giving contracts to renovate parks to frat buddies turned developers, and firing officials who raise questions?

Why don't executive branch officials just show up for Council hearings as expected?

How come he just keeps doing it... despite all the questions, critical media coverage, op-eds, and concerns raised by those who supported him?

The election is over, but those questions from coworkers, friends, and family are not.

For the next several months, expect a new one. "What happened to that Adrian Fenty?"

And I'll be asking myself, how could he dash our hopes?

Election Day: Still Undecided?

Still undecided?  Here's my picks and the endorsements of some of the local papers.  Click the name to pull up the full endorsement.  

	My Picks	Post	Examiner	Current	Intowner	CityPaper
Mayor	Fenty	Fenty	Fenty	Gray	Gray	Fenty
Chairman	Brown	Orange	Brown	Brown	Brown	Orange
At-Large	Ray	No endorsement		Mendelson	Mendelson	Mendelson
Ward 1	Graham	Graham		Graham	Graham	Weaver
Ward 3	Cheh					Cheh
Ward 5	Not Thomas	Hunter				McDuffie
Ward 6	Wells	Wells				Wells
U.S. Congress	Sloan	Norton		Norton		Norton

Ward Endorsements

Ward 1 - Jim Graham.  When something happens Ward 1, Graham is there.  Some call his quickness in front of the camera, "Grahamstanding," but I believe that he is out front-and-center because he keeps his ear close to the ground. He's strong on quality-of-life issues and crime in a very diverse ward.  Neighborhoods in his ward are undergoing unprecedented development, but he has not lost sight of issues such as affordable housing.  He's survived his chief-of-staff's arrest for bribery -- if he was implicated, it would have come out by now.  Graham makes occasional mistakes, such as his fight against the jumbo slice, but overall this is a Councilmember Ward 1 is fortunate to have.  Voters should choose Graham over his challengers.

Ward 3 - Mary Cheh.  Cheh is unopposed in her bid for a second term and that's not without reason.  My former law professor has been a strong voice on the Council, standing as a needed balance in separating law from politics that spout from D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles.  Cheh has her issues -- election reform, the environment, animal protection, healthy food in schools -- some may find her pet issues too much to chew.  But she has also tried to address issues ranging from nuisance properties to noise control.  While she is unopposed, Ward 3 residents should check the box (or push touchscreen) for Cheh. 

Ward 5 - Not Harry Thomas.  Harry Thomas brags about his record of legislative accomplishment.  I have yet to see it.  I can't place my finger on anything positive from him.  I can point to some of the damage.  Giving out earmarks to favored organizations even after the Council declared them no more. Attacking a neighborhood newsletter for criticizing him.  He opposed strong anti-gang measures, even as he represents war-torn Trinidad.  He and his staff have been absent in numerous meetings to plan future libraries and parks in my neighborhood, despite serving as chair of the Committee on Libraries, Parks and Recreation.  In that position, he presided over the embarrassing and offensive nomination hearing of Ximena Hartsock to lead the Department of Parks and Recreation, a hearing at which her qualifications were questioned on account of her citizenship (she's Chilean).  His car even got booted for all his unpaid parking tickets. The Washington Post called Thomas "a major disappointment." Ward 5 residents have several better choices - Kenyan McDuffie, Delano Hunter, and Tracey D. Turner.  The Post endorsed Hunter, a community organizer with Brookland Manor, who it called "an engaging newcomer who is running a grass-roots campaign."

Ward 6 - Tommy Wells.  Tommy Wells has his slogan -- a livable, walkable community. Some downplay his focus on smart transit, bike lanes, streetcars, noise control, park improvements, and pedestrian safety -- but Wells is building the infrastructure that makes the District an even better place to live, work, and play everyday.  A former social worker, Wells' is closely tracking and seeking solutions to address our juvenile crime problem.  The down-to-earth Councilmember, who can be seen riding to work and meetings on his bike, is responsive to his constituents in a ward that spans all four quadrants of the city.  He faces opposition as he seeks a second term.  Support Wells.

Service Request Response Times Down, Study Says

A recent study shows a continuing decline in response time for service requests throughout the city's neighborhoods.  Chart: The Money Cage.

Daniel Hopkins discusses an ongoing study by Georgetown Ph.D. student Lindsay Pettingill, who tracked over 1.5 million service requests placed through D.C.’s 311 hotline between 2000 and 2009. [Also NBC].

The numbers are encouraging.  They show that the Fenty Administration has continued the substantial progress of Mayor Anthony Williams in lowering response times to requests ranging from streetlight and pothole repair to illegal dumping to unpermitted construction.  Ms. Pettingill's study, which is not aligned with any mayoral campaign, also appears to uproot the notion that wealthy areas of the city get more attention from the current Administration than less affluent areas.

I'd like to look more closely at the study, its methodology, and its results, and have requested that Ms. Pettingill make it available to the public.  For instance, it is not apparent from the post whether online service requests were considered in addition to 311 calls.  The study is also likely to have inherent limitations.  For example, designation of a service request as "closed" within a shorter period of time does not necessarily mean the issue was actually and effectively resolved.  In some instances, it may just indicate than an inspector visited the site and either (correctly or incorrectly) concluded that no action was warranted or referred the matter to another agency or a contractor to perform the work, which could take several additional weeks.  Thus, resolution time (as opposed to a mere response) is likely a bit longer. 

Limitations and outstanding questions aside, the independent study's use of empirical data to confirm the substantial and continuing improvement in the delivery of government services, citywide, over the past decade is reassuring.

For DC Council At-Large: Clark Ray

On September 14, residents across the city will vote for an at-large member of the D.C. Council.  I support Clark Ray in his challenge to 12-year incumbent Phil Mendelson.

Why Clark Ray?  I've known Clark since his time as a service coordinator for Mayor Anthony Williams.  He continued on to head Mayor Adrian Fenty's Office of Community Relations and then the Department of Parks and Recreation.  I've interacted with him at each of these levels and found him responsive and action-oriented, whether it is fixing street lights or building parks.  His experience as a reserve police officer and training as a teacher add to his credentials.

Mendelson is, in my view, one of the most honest and down-to-earth members of the Council.  He's generally doesn't put on political shows or appear to have aspirations for some higher office.  He's raised questions where questions need to be raised. 

But while Mendelson's deliberative nature may be a strength in some areas, it's a dangerous fault for us when it comes to dealing with crime.  Mendelson, who chairs the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, has never met a strong crime bill that he's liked.  Such bills repeatedly stall before his committee.  Promises to "look into" anti-gang measures amount to naught.  The obvious, serious problems with our juvenile justice system, including the lack of capacity and revolving door for juvenile offenders, occurred on his watch.

Mendelson also does not seem to have much drive left -- after a lackluster campaign, he's losing to a "shadow" - Michael D. Brown - the District's Shadow Senator, who many have confused with current at-large Councilmember Michael A. Brown.  Polls show that name confusion has given Mike D., who has raised no money and done little campaigning, a significant lead over both Mendelson and Ray. Should Brown get elected, he will have indeed fulfilled his campaign promise to bring the District's lack of voting representation to the forefront -- and perhaps dealt it its greatest setback as DC becomes the laughing stock of the nation.

Council positions were not meant to be lifetime appointments.  New blood and energy would serve us well. Clark Ray is qualified, responsive, and ready to go to work.

For Council Chair: Kwame Brown

Kwame Brown with ANC 2B Commissioner Mike Silverstein.  When the city closed down P Street for road construction, stifling small businesses in Dupont Circle, Brown helped provide relief.  Photo: Kwame Brown for Chair 2010.

It's easy for an at-large Councilmember to fall out of touch.  You've got an entire city to represent.  Each diverse neighborhood has its own set of issues and goals.  But Kwame Brown has managed to bridge the gap.

The first rule of politics is showing up.  In my decade or so involved in the community, I cannot think of another at-large member who does such a good job of it.  Brown's visibility and likability are the reasons he will be elected to the second highest position in the District of Columbia.

But it's not the only reason.  Brown's focus on job training, restoring vocational education programs, expanding the District's community college, and supporting small businesses is precisely what the District needs in its #2 leader.  There are citywide issues that demand attention from a citywide leader. 

Brown and his staff are also responsive when it comes to individual concerns.  In my experience, he and his staff are quick to lend a hand to address individual community concerns.  He's also been strong on cleaning up nuisance properties and putting them back into productive use.  He's a champion against domestic violence.

I've seen a lot of Brown's opponent too, Vincent Orange.  The problem is that the only place I've seen Orange is on lampposts -- his signs barely came down for from his abysmal run for mayor in 2006 where he received an whopping 2.9% of the vote before his green and orange "DC Chairman" signs went up.  After the 2006 election, Orange did a stint as a lobbyist for Pepco.  This is a guy who declared himself a staunch opponent of gay marriage, then denied it when he was considering running for Council Chairperson, and then became a staunch supporter of gay marriage when declared his candidacy.  Really?

It's a choice between apples and Oranges.  I'll go with the apples.  Vote Kwame Brown for Chairperson on September 14.

Not Funny: Brown Poised to Win At-Large Race

You apparently have to be brown to get elected to citywide office in the District of Columbia.  Literally.

When Michael D. Brown, the District's little-known "Shadow Senator," won a straw poll for an at-large seat on the D.C. Council recently, I thought it was a fluke.  It had to be.  But today the Washington Post reports that polling shows Brown with a decisive lead over 12-year incumbent Councilmember Phil Mendelson and his primary challenger, former Parks and Rec Director and neighborhood services coordinator, Clark Ray.

When voters in a poll of 1,277 residents, including 780 registered Democrats, were asked whom they would vote if the election for at-large councilmember were held today 41% of likely voters answered Brown, 29% chose Mendelson, 6% said Ray, 2% went with other/not voting, and 21% had no opinion.  Among black voters, the percentage favoring Brown was even higher -- 49% to Mendelson's 14%.

What's shocking is that the Michael Brown they will be getting is not the Michael Brown they think they are voting for.  In 2006, Michael A. Brown, let's call him "A," got elected to an at-large seat on the D.C. Council as an independent after incumbent Carol Schwartz lost to Patrick Mara in the Republican primary.  A is not up for reelection.  Michael D is for Donald Brown ("D") will appear on the ballot as just "Michael Brown."  As the photo above shows, there's no resemblence between the two in person. 

Meanwhile, D has raised zero dollars for his campaign - he benefits from not advertising himself.  He does not appear to have a campaign website, which would cost next to nothing.  It's not as if D doesn't know how to get the word out.  According to his wikipedia biography, D is the president and founder of Horizon Communications Corp., which provides direct-mail services to political organizations and non-profit organizations.  Where's that mailing with your photograph on it, D?

Ray, on the other hand, has been campaigning hard for over a year -- knocking on doors across the city, distributing fliers, posters, and yard signs.

There could also be a handful of voters who vote for D because they instinctively think of the popular Kwame Brown, another at-large councilmember who is currently running for D.C. Council Chairman. 

Who is to blame for this high level of voter confusion just two weeks before the primary?

A, who has endorsed Mendelson, accuses D "political identity theft."   Some might say the voters' are at fault for not doing their homework.

But what about Phil Mendelson?  He's run a lackluster campaign, spending just $12,000 in the 2-month reporting period just preceding the primary.  He has one paid campaign staffer.  And I have yet to see a Mendelson yard, window sign, or door hanger, or him campaigning... anywhere.  Only recently did he distribute a flier that shows photos of the two Browns.  Can someone tell him he is up for re-election?

Whatever your choice in the at-large election, it will be a travesty and a bad joke if a virtual unknown is elected to the D.C. Council purely on the basis of being a Brown.

Endorsement: Fenty for Mayor

Mayor Adrian Fenty at the Ribbon Cutting of the new Watha T. Daniel Libary on August 1.
Photo: Executive Office of the Mayor.

When you watch someone who you’ve trusted and respected, and whose vision for the city is very much in line with your own, take repeated missteps, it’s difficult to watch. That's why I have sometimes been particularly critical of Adrian Fenty on this blog.  My criticism, however, should not be misread as opposition to the current Administration. I endorse Fenty for a second term as mayor.  We need him to continue to move our city forward.

Why vote to reelect Fenty despite the mounting criticism, much of it deserved?

Fenty had the courage to throw out the status quo.  Obviously, the most frequently cited example is the schools. Perhaps he’s taken too much credit for what is essentially moving the system from under rock bottom up to the sea floor, but he’s taken the hardest first step, which is not continuing to do things the way they have always been done.

But there’s many other areas where Fenty has found that the old ways are not good enough anymore – and with results.  Over the past four years, I’ve seen ineffective police brass replaced with effective leaders, unlicensed porn shops closed, illegal billboards torn down, parking laws enforced on Sundays, dogs parks built, and application of the city’s long-ignored vacant and nuisance property laws.  Additional Circulator routes, bike lanes, and street cars are also important to many smart transit-oriented folks.  Developers now put in covered walkways to keep open pedestrian traffic where before they closed off entire streets, stifling small businesses and making it difficult for pedestrians.  We now have bans on sales of single bottle of alcohol in Wards 2, 4, and 6, a measure that the Mayor championed when he was a Councilmember.

When I ran for Ward 2 on the DC Council – improving our schools, parks, and libraries – essentially rebuilding our public infrastructure, was one of my main goals.  Fenty has done that. In my neighborhood, we have a new state-of-the-art Walker Jones Education Campus, which, in addition to a new public school, includes a library that replaces the embarrassing Sursum Corda porto-library that was the first glimpse of our public amenities for visitors driving in on New York Avenue.  This month, the Watha T. Daniel Library opened in Shaw, replacing a riot-era library that looked more like a concrete fortress than a place of expanding horizons. Several long-awaited park renovations are underway – even if some have stalled due to the Mayor’s lapses in judgment in contracting and his zeal for quick progress over all else.

There’s legitimate debate over whether the Mayor is responsible for the lower murder rate in the District, but I have greater confidence in our police force under his Administration.  While perhaps not consistent, there appear to be more foot and bike patrols.  The city is using “shotspotter” to better track and more quickly respond to gunfire in our neighborhoods – before, if a bullet was shot in the hood and no one was hit, it didn’t happen.  Police officers seem more responsive and community-oriented. Fenty has supported strong anti-gang and other crime legislation, while some on the Council, including his opponent, have not.  While I do not personally know Cathy Lanier, we are fortunate to have folks like Assistant Chief Diane Groomes in leadership positions.

Mayor Fenty has successfully imparted the constituent services values that made him an effective councilmember to his staff - they move at blackberry speed. The Mayor's Office of Community Relations ward members (MOCRs), in my experience, have been excellent.  Burned out street lights in high-crime areas and parks get fixed within days, if not hours, of a request.  But it’s not just the MOCRs.  Many of those who are working in government agencies are not the types that sit around at a desk, letting calls go to voicemail, and collecting a pay check.  They return calls and e-mails, spend late nights at community meetings, typically are prompt to address citizen concerns, and will take the initiative to consult residents for their advice on how they can make government work better.  They may not always resolve a situation how I would prefer, but my impression is that they try hard to reach the best possible result.

While one can raise legitimate questions about some of Fenty’s nominees to the city’s boards and commissions, there is little question about the quality of his appointments to top cabinet level positions: top notch. Particularly worthy of being singled out are Linda Argo in the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and Gabe Klein at the Department of Transportation.

Vince Gray is a likeable guy.  I respect him.  Attacking his record as head of a city agency at a time before the District’s youngest voters were born and others lived here is counterproductive.  It is disappointing that Gray sacrificed his important and still fledgling leadership of the D.C. Council to roll the dice for mayor. Gray has highlighted areas where Fenty should place additional emphasis in his next term, such as on building a stronger community college and job training programs for District residents.  But overall, Gray’s comments give a sense that he may backtrack in some of the areas discussed above or, at minimum, that he has other priorities.  He is surrounded by many of the folks who were in power for many years, but who are furious now find themselves with significantly less influence.

Fenty certainly has received the message that he needs to refocus and change his way of governing in his second term.  He has publicly recognized that he has made mistakes and I will take his pledge to do better at face value.

The city is on the right track.  Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Re-elect Adrian Fenty on September 14.

Fenty, Gray Endorse Open Primaries

Mayor Adrian Fenty failed in his eleven-hour bid to open up September's DC Democratic Primary to voters that are unaffiliated with a party, but the attempt could spur a change in the way the District elects local officials in the future... and it should.

Whoever wins the mayoral contest, the issue of open primaries may have finally found its legs. 

Fenty's challenger, DC Council Chairman Vince Gray, who has a slight lead in the latest polls, is now on record as supporting an open primary.  We're fine with the notion of the Democratic Party opening up to an open primary-type system," Gray said, "but this is something that should be discussed after the election."

The Washington Post's editorial board also chimed in to express support, stating "Enfranchising as many people as possible is the right goal."

There are thousands of voters who are locally disenfranchised in our already federally disenfranchised city because they feel compelled, as a matter of principle, their jobs, or other sensitivities, not to register as a Democrat.  It's adding insult to injury.

We all know that the election that matters most in the District is the Democratic primary.   Aside from two seats on the D.C. Council that are set aside for members of a minority party, there is no time in recent memory that an individual elected in the Democratic primary did not go on to win the general election. 

That's because 3 out of 4 of the District's registered voters are Democrats.  Yet, that leaves 72,000 unaffiliated voters, 30,000 Republicans, and about 700 other voters without a meaningful vote in local elections.

Thousands of them engage in charade every election cycle in which they switch their party affiliation to Democrat one month before the primary, then switch right back the days after the election. This year, 2,600 voters did the 'ol swicheroo.

The District's Democratic party, not surprisingly, strongly opposes open primaries. The local GOP has no official position at this time, according to its Executive Director Paul Craney.

I'm a Democrat.  I've run for election as a Democrat.  I might not support open primaries nationally or in other states, but our unique situation in the District calls for enfranchising all voters.

When I went door-to-door campaigning in 2008, I found it enfuriating how many residents were either registered as independents or with another party, or had specifically chosen to remain registered in another state because of the lack of meaningful representaton in D.C.  "You have a nice day" . . . next door.

Our current situation weakens the influence of the District on the national stage.  Since the District has no vote in Congress, and those who are not Democrats have very little say in local elections, transient Republicans and Independents have all the reason in the world to keep their registration elsewhere.  If you have the option, why register as a DC voter when it means almost completely losing your vote? 

It also drowns out the views of over 100,000 District residents, about 25% of the voting population, who have registered in the District despite its lack of federal representation in local affairs.  Other than those who occupy the two at-large seats on the D.C. Council that are set aside for members of minority parties, other local officials have less motivation to outreach to residents who are not registered Democrats, and involve them in local affairs, since they have no say in their selection.  Open primaries would allow more a more diverse range of views, both on the left and the right, make their way onto the Council.  It would energize the electorate, which the District desperately needs if it is every to achieve full representation in Congress and greater Home Rule.

Are Fenty's actions, Gray's response, and the Washington Post's op-ed simpy political maneuvering for the September primary?  Quite possibly, but I'm going to take their statements at face value.

Let's end the pre-election party affiliation musical chairs nonsense and let everyone vote in 2012.

Coming Soon - Endorsements for September 14 Primary

Over the next week, this blog will include a series of endorsements for the September 14 Democratic Primary, including Mayor, D.C. Council Chairman, D.C. Councilmember At-Large, and the Ward seats that are on the ballot. My hope is that it will provide food for thought for those who have not yet decided who to support in this important upcoming election that will shape the future of our city for the next four years. I welcome your views.

Note that voting actually begins on Monday, August 30 -- when the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics opens for in-person early voting at its One Judiciary Square headquarters (Suite 250N).  On September 4, four other locations across the city will open for early voting.  This is the first time the District is permitting early voting without the need to provide a reason.  The Board of Elections now has up a special website for the primary, which includes a video of how the new voting machines will work, sample ballots, absentee ballot information, a way to verify your registration status online, and find your polling place.

Alexander Calls for Peaceoholics Audit

Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander
with Mayoral Candidate Vince Gray. 
Photo: Yvette Alexander official website.

Councilmember Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) has formally requested that D.C. Auditor Deborah Nichols perform an audit on the Peaceoholics, The Examiner reports.  Alexander has asked that the D.C. Auditor investigate how the nonprofit anti-youth violence organization spent $10 million in public funds as well as its role in the mayoral election.

“I am deeply alarmed by what I have read about the financial mismanagement of city funds provided to this organization,” Alexander said in a statement.

Alexander has endorsed the candidacy of Vince Gray for Mayor.  She succeeded Gray as Councilmember for Ward 7 when he was elected Chairman of the Council.

While politics is certainly at play in the call for an investigation, Nichols can be trusted to conduct an impartial and thorough investigation.  She is a diligent investigator who pulls no punches and calls it as she sees it.  Her work is meticulous.  Nichols has issued reports critical of the Fenty Administration in the past, but she does not appear to have political aspirations.  She doesn't have so much as a biographical statement or photograph online.  For Nichols, it's about compliance with accounting principles and the law.

It seems unlikely that Nichols will be able to obtain, carefully examine, and issue a report on the organization's financial records by September 3, as Alexander requested.  Nevertheless, Nichols' report will ultimately shed needed sunlight on the spending of local tax dollars.  Her investigation should not be so closely linked with the primary date - the grant funds were allocated over the course of three or four years.  I would expect that a full and complete investigation would require more than one week.

If Nichols' takes her investigation a step further and examines how involved the organization has become in politics, then it could spell trouble for the organization's 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.  Peaceoholics co-founder Ron Moten has taken a very active and public role in supporting Adrian Fenty.  Although Moten stepped down as president of the organization, he continues to serve on its Board of Directors and has taken groups of Peaceoholics youth to campaign events to support the Mayor's reelection bid.  In the IRS's eyes, that's a big no-no for a charitable organization.

Big Spenders - Bloomberg or Fenty?

Last week, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg came down to the new Carmine's restaurant in Penn Quarter to endorse D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty for a second term.  The endorsement led to comparisons between the two big city mayors in their governing styles, challenges, and close reelection bids, and Bloomberg's mentorship of Fenty.  They also both spent record amounts on their reelection campaigns.

AP Photo.

New York.  There are 4.47 million registered voters in New York City.  In his 2009 campaign, Bloomberg spent $102 million, most of which came from his own personal fortune.  That's about $23 per registered voter.  At the end of the day, Bloomberg spent $174 for each vote cast for him (585,000).  He secured reelection with just 50.6% of the vote.

Photo: dbking on Flickr

District of Columbia.  There are 329,000 registered Democrats in D.C. (437,000 registered voters when including other parties).  As of August 10, Fenty raised $4.7 million toward his reelection bid (his chief opponent, Vince Gray, has raised $1.3 million).  Assuming Mayor Fenty spends his entire war chest, he'll have paid about $14 per registered Democrat or $11 per registered DC voter.  If voter turnout is the same as in the 2006 D.C. Democratic primary (106,178) and Fenty wins reelection with 51% of the vote (54,151), then he'll have spent about $87 per vote received.  Of course, this does not include what is likely to be a surge of activity in these last weeks before the primary, which will likely put the final total a bit higher.

Bloomberg wins the big spender award -- he shelled out nearly twice as much per registered voter and per vote received as Fenty is likely to spend.

Political Connections Get the Bird

A Wood Trush, the District's official bird, appears on the 2010 low-number plates reserved for those with political connections.  Photo: DCPlates.com.

What's at stake in the District's hotly contested mayoral election?... license plates, of course.

Those who are politically connected in DC can request special plates.  For the past several years, the familiar sign of political connects are the low-number license plates enclosed in a square.  You won't find these tags listed anywhere on the DMV's website.  I don't know whether there is a tangible perk to having such a plate other than to show your status, but possibly ticket writers might think twice before approaching one of these cars. 

Now, the squares are out, the birds are in.  A few months ago, plates bearing the District's official bird, the Wood Thrush, began appearing on the streets.  A close relative of the robin, the male Wood Thrush is said to have one of the most beautiful songs of North American birds.  So the question is this -- is the bird singing for Fenty or Gray?  Could it be a sign that the Wood Trush's lifespan is a little over 8 years?

The District rolled out these new license plates with little fanfare, while a proposal to create license plates for DC sports teams has languished in the DC Council since December 2009.  The irony is that Maryland and Virginia provide suburban drivers with the option to get a Washington Capitals or Washington Redskins plate, while residents in DC can't show their home team.  The legislation, which would authorize license plates with the logos of the Capitals, Redskins, Wizards, Mystics, and DC United, hasn't had a hearing or vote - while those with political connections get the bird.

DCPlates.com has an excellent history and photographs of low-number tags issued in DC.

Franklin School to Become New UDC Law School?

One week ago, at a meet and greet in Cleveland Park, DC Council Chairman and Mayoral Candidate Vince Gray declared, "I think the Franklin School would be a great place for the David Clarke School of Law. That certainly would better serve the community than another hotel."

The Fenty Administration has remained silent on this issue.

Seven months have passed since the deadline expired for Requests for Proposals (RFP) for use of the historic Franklin School building.  Three applicants submitted proposals for use of the site: a boutique hotel/culinary school, a successful Chinese-language immersion charter school, and the Coalition for Franklin School, a group that has urged the District to refocus on promising educational uses for the site.  Representatives of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) have repeatedly declined to comment on the status of the process.  An earlier RFP for Franklin, focusing on charter school use, was abandoned as "not viable." 

Use of the Franklin School as a new home for the UDC's law school is promising.  Currently, the law school, which has about 300 students and 20 faculty members, occupies one floor of two buildings on the Van Ness campus, plus a basement level.  Classrooms and clinics are on the second floor of building 38, administration and reception/special event space are on the 2nd floor of  building 39, and the library is at the basement level. 

In 2008, Councilmember Kwame Brown (D-At Large) introduced legislation, co-sponsored by 9 fellow councilmembers, to require UDC to develop a campus plan for the purpose of modernizing its facilities, including a separate facility for the law school.  The legislation does not appear to have moved forward, however, the law school's website states, "We are planning a state-of-the-art 'green' building, in which we will co-locate with many D.C. legal services providers to better serve clients and provide great internship, community service, fellowship, clinical, summer and post-graduate job opportunities for students." 

The status of plans for a new building, now two years later, are not known.  New and green sound snazzy, but there is something to be said for location, location, location.

Is Franklin a good fit for the law school?  Here's what a UDC student wrote us:

The David A. Clarke School of Law is the only American Bar Association-approved law school in the United States without its own, stand-alone building. We are currently housed on a single floor of the incredibly bland UDC-Van Ness campus. On an aesthetic end, a recent coat of yellow paint was applied in an attempt to make the interior of our building more bearable, but no one was fooled. Our school is tiny and our classrooms cramped, even with a student body of under 300 future lawyers.

Having such limited space inhibits enrollment, which in turn hampers our school's ability to recruit and develop a student body that reflects its mission statement of serving those traditionally underrepresented in law school enrollment. The current concrete building in which our one-floor law school sits looks as if it were built in Soviet Russia. Sometimes it feels like it, as well.

As a member of the student body, I have heard rumor after rumor that our school is looking for a stand-alone building in which to put the law school. Someone even suggested that a bland office building downtown would be our next home. But imagine our school in your building. We wouldn't have to remodel as much as would be needed to turn a suite of offices into a law school. Your building is already a school. And quite a beautiful one at that. It once helped shelter homeless persons--our school runs clinics that help lower income DC residents like the homeless. The fit seems perfect.

I agree and apparently so does Vince Gray.

Courtyard expansion area

The Franklin School could provide a great boost to the reputation of UDC's law school. It would provide 51,000 square feet (38,000 usable) including 14 classrooms with room for about 400 students and its Great Hall.  There's room for expansion.  As the RFP notes, while adding additional floors above the existing building is not feasible due to its historic designation, "use of some of the rear yard is expected to provide modern core facilities."  The site is zoned for a height of up to 110 feet with the highest Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 10.0.  This area might host a new modern library and administrative space.  More importantly, the location would place law students within blocks of the District's courthouses and numerous private firms.

It also meshes well with the school's proud focus on public interest law. As the Coalition pointed out in a recent letter pitching the idea to Law School Dean Katherine S. Broderick, "As the administrative headquarters for the DC Public Schools for 40 years in the Twentieth Century, the Franklin Building was often the site of demonstrations, sit-ins, and court challenges related to the struggle to integrate DC public schools."

What say you Mayor Fenty?

News Round Up

Annie Ropeick, an intern at NPR, was randomly stabbed at 7th and H Streets NW at 9am Wednesday.  Annie stands in front of a vacant building in Mount Vernon Square.  Photo: NPR.

Intern stabbed in Chinatown.  There doesn't seem to be any news on the condition of Annie Ropeick, 20, an NPR intern who was randomly stabbed in the neck, with no warning, by what appears to be young woman with mental illness.  It happened yesterday when Annie was walking to work at a busy intersection in Chinatown, just outside the PNC Bank at 7th and H Street NW.  According to witnesses at the scene, given the amount of blood, they presumed her dead.  Fortunately reports confirm that she made it to Howard University hospital and her family was at her side. Good samaritans acted quickly to hold the assailant, 24-year-old Melodie Brevard, and care for Annie.  Annie, a Silver Spring, Maryland native, is entering her junior year as a classics and philosophy major and student journalist at Boston University.  She is Executive Producer of Intern Edition at NPR, blogger, and a cappella singer.  Keep her in your thoughts.  UPDATE: According to Boston University's student newspaper, a family source said her injuries were non life-threatening, and that doctors expect her to make a full recovery.  “She was conscious and talking the whole time,” the source said.  “Basically, she’s a lucky girl.”

Fenty Loses on Home Turf.  Last night, Mayor Adrian Fenty has actually managed to lose a straw poll in his home Ward 4 to challenger Vince Gray.  In fact, gray came within 2% of the 60% vote needed for an outright endorsement of the Ward 4 Democrats at the roudy forum.  You can watch the entire forum online here.  After sweeping every precinct in the city in 2006, Fenty has squandered this good will to lose straw polls in every area except Ward 2.  Can he turn the momentum around as the primary approaches in just six weeks?

Can't Go Home Again.  Washington CityPaper reporter Lydia DePillis exposes how the city's Home Again program, which was formed to eliminate neighborhood blight, has instead perpetuated it.  "The Department of Housing and Community Development is now phasing Home Again out—but many properties are still stuck in its portfolio, mired in litigation and bureaucracy, sticking neighborhoods with blight that otherwise might have been cleared up long ago. Which is, of course, exactly what the program was set up to avoid."

ANC Election Season Begins.  DCist reminds us that nominating petitions for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner positions are now available.  While it only takes 25 valid signatures to get on the ballot, these positions are important and can have a significant effect on the quality of life in a neighborhood.  They can promote or discourage development, permit or stop more liquor stores from opening, fund beneficial and worthwhile projects or give taxpayer dollars to friends and political supporters, and demand community involvement in government policy decisions or stay silent.  You can view the list of candidates who were first to pick up nominating petitions.  Think about running.  Make sure to cast an educated vote.

A New DYRS?  Think Again.  For those who thought Mayor Fenty's appointment of prosecutor Robert Hildum to head the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services would take the troubled agency in a new direction, that assessment is already looking fuzzy.  The Examiner reports that among Hildum's first actions was to hire Linda K. Harllee-Harper to serve as the agency's head of internment.  Harllee-Harper formerly served on the Board of Directors of Peacoholics, the organization that received millions in public funds during the Fenty Administration and has worked closely with Ron Moten, the organization's founder -- you know, the one who compared Fenty to "Jesus," was involved in the fire truck sent to the DR, was accused of paying youth to vote in a straw poll for Fenty, protested Council legislation against vote buying, and sued a Ward 8 ANC Commissioner for libel.  Now Harllee-Harper will "play a pivotal role" in awarding DYRS contracts to organizations, including Peaceaholics.  Taxpayers, hold onto your wallets.

Free Summer Movies in Mount Vernon Triangle.  Patty Yao, a native Taiwanese and contestant in the 2010 Washington Metropolitan Miss Chinese American Pageant Finals will sing live at the DC Premier of Cape No. 7 on Sunday, August 8, at 8pm at 5th and Eye Streets NW.  The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in US presents this second of five free outdoor movies in the Five Eye Asian Film Series, Cape No. 7 is the highest grossing film in Taiwan's history.

DC Gov Would Take Away Little Disabled Pet Chickens From Children.  The Washington Post profiles a Capital Hill family that had to send their pet chickens to a farm in Virginia.  "Flash is a chocolate-colored bird in that awkward stage of chickenhood, somewhere between chick and hen. Flash also has a deformed leg. Sam's sister, Maxine, 7, explains why they have to care especially for the crippled bird. 'He's smaller than the other birds because he can't feed himself so well,' she says."  The family applied for a permit from the DC Health Department and built a mini-chicken coop in their backyard with the support of neighbors.  All seemed to be in order until the Department declared the hens illegal, finding that their own regulations allowing chickens are superseded by a contradictory statute banning poultry and any other creatures not specifically allowed. "Sam and Maxine, meanwhile, are left with the worms to find and play with. If that's allowed."