Press releases responding to Court decision in Drudi complaint
New School Leadership Committee, Council Chairman Linda Cropp, and Mayor Anthony Williams
June 23, 2000

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PRESS STATEMENT

Council of the District of Columbia
Office of the Chairman, Linda W. Cropp
One Judiciary Square, 441 Fourth Street, N.W., Suite 704
Washington, D.C. 20001

COURT'S RULING A "PARTIAL VICTORY"

WASHINGTON; DC---District of Columbia Council Chair Linda W. Cropp released the following statement this afternoon in response to the ruling of Superior Court Associate Judge Margaret Haywood in the case of Dino Joseph Drudi vs. District of Columbia Bo&d of Elections and Ethics, et al:

A partial victory was won on an Injunction to stop an election on the school board referendum to keep the current board structure or replace it with a combination of elected and appointed members. The Judge ruled that the election can be held on Tuesday, June 27 as scheduled, but that the votes cannot be counted until there has been final Court action taken on Mr. Drudi's request.

Once again, the citizens of the District have been disenfranchised. In addition, great harm can occur in stating that the votes of the electorate cannot be counted. Citizens who would normally come out to vote may stay home and ask, "why vote if my vote will not be counted?"

The District has filed an emergency appeal of the Superior Court's decision with the DC Court of Appeals. A decision is expected Friday or Monday.

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New School Leadership Committee
1443 Pennsylvania Avenue. S.E.
(202) 546-3010

Accountability Leadership Change

Statement of Mark Jones, Campaign Manager for the New School Leadership Committee, Regarding D.C. Superior Court Ruling

We expect that when all the facts are presented, the ballots will be counted and the voters will be heard. This latest appeal appears to be an effort to thwart the democratic process. This is an issue that should be decided by the voters.

We are proceeding with our campaigning activities and will work aggressively to get out the vote. This issue is too important to allow for frivolous delays -- our students can't wait another year for new school leadership and for an education system that works for them. We encourage everyone to get out and vote on Tuesday to make the changes our students desperately need.

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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

STATEMENT OF MAYOR ANTHONY A. WILLIAMS ON SCHOOL REFERENDUM RESTRAINING ORDER

"We are here today to call upon the District's Court of Appeals to reverse the temporary restraining order entered yesterday. This order - if allowed to stand - would effectively prevent the citizens of the District of Columbia from exercising one of their fundamental rights - the right to vote.

"Yesterday the Superior Court of the District of Columbia entered a temporary restraining order stopping the Board of Elections and Ethics from tallying and reporting the result of the vote in the Special Election scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, 2000. It is my understanding the court issued this order based upon the argument that the City Council did not read the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000 the required number of times.

"In fact, the City Council held the first reading of the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000 on January 18, 2000; the second reading on February 1, 2000; and the third reading on February 2000. The final language of the Act read on February 17th was fundamentally the same legislation read on January 18th and February 11th, containing elements of both bills. The differences in the legislation reflected changes made during extensive public input, which is an integral part of our normal legislative process. It is important to remember that the reason our system requires two readings of proposed legislation is to allow for exactly the kind of public participation that shaped the referendum that will be voted on Tuesday.

"I believe that the restraining order has done irreparable harm to our citizens. By creating this uncertainty, it is discouraging our citizens from voting on an important charter amendment - an issue deemed so important by the District's elected officials that it warranted scheduling a special election.

"The exercise of our right to vote is so limited in the District that it is especially valued by our citizens. As Mayor, I must speak out when our laws are exploited to allow a technicality to shut down our citizen's right to vote on important issues.

"Regardless of the outcome of this legal debate, I call upon all our citizens to go to the polls on Tuesday.