Washington, D.C
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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Felony warning issued as arrests reported at Reflecting Pool
Federal officials are warning visitors that taking paint chips, debris or other materials from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool could lead to felony charges as crews continue cleaning up a major algae bloom that has turned the landmark’s water bright green.
WASHINGTON – Federal officials are warning visitors that taking paint chips, debris or other materials from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool could lead to felony charges as crews continue cleaning up a major algae bloom that has turned the landmark’s water bright green.
The warning comes after authorities reported multiple arrests Saturday involving people accused of removing material from the Reflecting Pool.
Algae, paint problems plague Reflecting Pool
What we know:
While officials have not released the exact number of arrests or identified those taken into custody, law enforcement agencies said anyone caught taking paint chips or debris from the site could face serious criminal penalties.
Visitors have reported seeing blue paint chips floating in the water as cleanup crews use mobile draining machines to remove algae and restore the pool. The unusual appearance of the Reflecting Pool has attracted large crowds to the National Mall in recent days, according to previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting.
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that work on the Reflecting Pool would begin immediately and claimed several arrests had been made in connection with what he described as deliberate sabotage of the site.
Authorities have not publicly detailed the specific charges filed in the reported arrests. However, federal officials warned that removing government property from the Reflecting Pool could result in felony charges, and prosecutors could pursue more serious offenses if evidence shows anyone intentionally contaminated the water or caused additional damage.
READ MORE: Reflecting Pool looks ‘like vomit,’ visitors say; crews continue cleaning job
“If there are more serious products that are put into the Reflecting Pool to create more algae or a bigger problem, then we’ll consider more serious charges,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told Fox News. “But make no mistake, making D.C. beautiful is a priority and if you damage, vandalize or do anything to impact something like the Reflecting Pool, you can be prosecuted.”
What’s next:
The Reflecting Pool remains under active cleanup as officials investigate the cause of the algae bloom, according to the president.
According to federal contract data, a more extensive renovation, including potentially draining the pool again, could cost more than $14 million.
The Source: Information from FOX 5 D.C. reporting, President Donald Trump, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and other federal officials.
Washington, D.C
Jeanine Pirro vows DC Reflecting Pool vandals will be ‘prosecuted to the fullest extent’ | Fox News Video
U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro joins ‘The Sunday Briefing’ to discuss vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the broader issue of crime in the nation’s capital.
: U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro joins Peter Doocy to discuss the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism after a $14 million renovation. Pirro addresses President Trump’s accusations against ABC reporter Jonathan Karl for tampering with the pool. She emphasizes Trump’s commitment to making D.C. safe and beautiful by prosecuting all violations of law, including minor crimes, to foster respect.
WASHINGTON (7News) — Two men were injured in a shooting Saturday night in Northwest Washington, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Third District officers responded around 10:08 p.m. to the 900 block of Florida Avenue NW after receiving reports of a shooting.
ALSO SEE | Man dies after early-morning shooting in DC’s Shaw neighborhood
When officers arrived, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.
D.C. Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and took both victims to hospitals for treatment. Authorities said the injuries were considered non-life-threatening.
Investigators have not released a description of any suspects, and no arrests have been announced as of Sunday.
READ ALSO | Suspect in Shaw Metro fatal shooting of AU grad appears in D.C. Superior Court
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at 202-727-9099 or submit anonymous tips by texting 50411.
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