DC Council to meet for first time since Trayon White arrest, indictment

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) – The District Council will meet Tuesday for the first time since the arrest and indictment of councilmember Trayon White.

White was arrested in August and is accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in bribes in exchange for his influence on city contracts for violence interruption programs. He pleaded not guilty in federal court last week.

DC Councilmember Trayon White addresses criminal accusations of bribery

“I do not have any indication of how much he intends to participate [on Council],” said chairman Phil Mendelson during a press briefing Monday.

Mendelson said the only option for stopping White’s ability to vote and participate on the council is to expel him. That’s not happening yet, but the Council does intend to take some action this week.

“A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt,” said Mendelson. “So that is the way we have to view our colleague, but we are moving forward with the disciplinary process that the rules provide, that requires due process.”

The Council will vote to dissolve the committee on recreation, library and youth affairs and replace it with two subcommittees under the Committee of the Whole, chaired by Councilmembers Zachary Parker and Matt Frumin.

DC Council to consider next steps regarding Trayon White

Meanwhile, an ad hoc committee charged with investigating White will meet for the first time Tuesday at 9 a.m. Outside counsel will be hired to lead that investigation.

Outside of city government, D.C.’s police union is calling for the District to pause all funding on violence interruption programs until the programs are audited and investigated.

“The Council must freeze wasteful spending on unproven, shady programs now. There is no science-based metric or data that justifies the spending of millions of dollars on these programs,” said D.C. Police Union Chairman Greggory Pemberton.

Pemberton is calling for a study to look into whether violence interruption programs have had any measurable effect on reducing crime and pushing for more funding and staffing for the Metropolitan Police Department.

DC councilmembers react to Trayon White’s arrest

Council meets for the Committee of the Whole meeting at 11 a.m.

Its legislative meeting begins at noon.

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