Disqualifying Petitions
Dear Petitioners:
Mayor Williams's legal response to DCWatch's petition challenge is at
http://www.dcwatch.com/election2002/williams05.htm.
When DCWatch files a response to this brief, we shall post it also. For
lawyers, the main problem with the Mayor's brief may be that it misreads
and misrepresents the legal cases on which his case is based, but for
the rest of us the problems are more basic. First, of course, there is
the ugliness of the Mayor's claim that current DC election laws and
Board of Election practices should be overturned to benefit him, because
he failed to turn in enough valid signatures under the current laws. But
there is also the ugliness of how his brief treats the campaign workers
who were caught breaking the law on his behalf. Deal with them as you
will, he essentially tells the Board, but give me the benefit of the
petitions they signed with forged circulators' affidavits, of the
petitions they didn't witness, of the petitions they gathered by other
fraudulent means. Is there any wonder that even among the most loyal and
active members of the Democratic Party the support for Mayor Williams is
eroding fast? At today's endorsement meeting of the Ward Two Democrats,
the attendees voted against the Mayor by a margin of 20 to 12; the Mayor
lost to “no endorsement.”
Here is my unsolicited and unwelcome advice to Tony Williams: you've
waited too long, but you can still cut your losses. Announce now that
you have just seen your petitions for the first time; that you reviewed
them and were appalled. Say that, because you are a man of conscience
and a stand-up kind of guy, you can't continue to defend this kind of
widespread election fraud, and that you are immediately withdrawing from
the Democratic primary. If you do this before Wednesday, it will have
the additional benefit of killing the petition challenges, canceling
Wednesday's scheduled public hearing of the Board of Elections, and
postponing further public exposure of the illegalities, perhaps for
months. Then run as an independent, turning in the cleanest and best
nominating petitions ever seen in this turn. Collect most of the
signatures yourself, standing on streetcorners and asking voters for
their support, with your mother and your wife at your side corralling
the voters. Show you can do it right. And then, unless some prominent
public person with a backbone enters the Mayor's race, you'll still
stand a good chance of being reelected, and you'll have the opportunity
to rehabilitate your reputation. And I'll have four more years to write
about you.
There are two versions of themail; one is sent in plain text, and the
other is sent in HTML format. The primary difference between the two is
bold, colored headlines. I accidentally sent the HTML version of the
last issue to a group of subscribers who are on the text-version list,
and several people wrote that they preferred it. A couple years ago, AOL
users had trouble receiving HTML E-mail; that's not true anymore. In
case you want to change the format you receive, the instructions are in
the short notice at the end of each issue of themail.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
I sent in my DC taxes with a check on April 15, as I do every year.
As happens every year, the check did not clear for the next two
statements my bank sent me. Then the real shock occurred: the government
has written me to inform me that they received my return, but not the
check, and that I must pay an additional $500 in penalty and interest.
Has this happened to anyone else out there? Do we need to send our money
in by certified mail now? (I sent in another, larger check by regular
mail.) The fact that the government, in their letter to me, miscopied my
Social Security number is also a little disconcerting.
###############
What’s Measured Gets Done?
Randy Wells, Shaw, wells@ShawDC.com
If you plan to go to DMV, don't bother checking the wait times
(kindly provided at http://dmv.dc.gov)
— they don't mean a thing, because DMV is not really measuring wait
times. In both my recent experiences at different DMV offices (Brentwood
Road NE and Georgetown Park Mall NW), the “estimated wait” tickets
are not distributed to those waiting in line.
At Brentwood, I waited an hour before being given a ticket (much of
this time outside the building). The wait after getting the ticket was
an additional hour and a half. At Georgetown, the wait was inside the
Mall, but the ticket was given at the time of service — after waiting
two hours. The estimated wait time when I was given the ticket read “0
minutes.”
###############
I agree with Ann Loikow about the dangers inherent in our Council
becoming more imperial. I don't particularly feel like thanking those
Council members who voted against exempting themselves from parking
fines, because they voted to overturn the wishes of thousands of DC
voters on term limits. Some would like to be Council members for life!
Two terms are enough to get something done. Look at the energy Adrian
Fenty is bringing to his job. This could be extended to all current
office holders. If there are doubts about whether we should still have
term limits, let the voters decide, and abide by it.
###############
Friendship Heights Organization for Reasonable
Development
Jen Nielsen, JenNielsen007@aol.com
The Friendship Heights Organization for Reasonable Development (FhORD)
has recently coalesced to protect the residential zoning on the northern
edge of Ward 3 against the greed of corporate developers. A planned unit
development (PUD) has been submitted to the DC Zoning Commission by
Stonebridge Associates for the site at Western Avenue and Military Road
currently occupied by Washington Clinic and part of the Abraham and
Louise Lisner Home. The proposal is to upzone the land from its current
low/moderate density residential (R-2 and R-5-B) to medium/high density
(R-5-D) in order to build a massive 200-225 rental apartment complex. It
comes on the heels of a total of 2 million square feet of new
development planned for the sites currently housing Geico (500 new
apartment and town house units), Hechts (275 new apartments as well as
office and retail space), Giant (expanded retail and office space), and
WMATA (400 apartments and new retail space).
FhORD's position is simple: the Stonebridge proposal is overly large
and it is bad development. It undermines DC's Comprehensive Plan for
Ward 3, which is intended to protect the ward's "most outstanding
characteristic" of low-density, stable residential neighborhoods.
The current zone should be maintained and a more appropriate plan for
this site and its gracious lawns and trees should be conceived. FhORD
plans to prepare to testify against the proposal at the Zoning
Commission hearings in the fall. It is asking neighbors to: 1) Write
letters to the Zoning Commission, Planning Office, the five members of
ANC-3E, and DC Council Members opposing this plan (citing the ZC case
#02-17); 2) Sign FhORD's petition to preserve the current zoning; and 3)
Join FhORD, contribute to the fund testimony preparation, and volunteer
to help educate the rest of the neighborhood about the dangers of this
development to the quality of life in our lovely neighborhood.
To learn more or offer your support, you can go to our web site, http://www.fhord.org,
E-mail info@fhord.org, or contact
Larry Freedman at 363-0354 or Jennifer Nielsen at 537-3574.
###############
On Monday, July 15, the Washington Post published an op-ed by
Representatives Steny Hoyer (D-Md) and John Conyers (D-Mich), entitled
“Equipped for Democracy.” Rather than use this piece to advocate
democracy for the paper's disenfranchised readers, however, the authors
(and newspaper) demonstrated an astonishing disregard for our grievance.
“In the next three weeks,” the authors incorrectly claim,
“Congress will have a historic opportunity to ensure that every
citizen can enjoy the fruits, as well as the responsibilities, of
citizenship in our participatory democracy.” Apparently no one at The
Washington Post informed the good Congressmen that District
residents are also citizens, albeit second-class ones.
###############
Managerial Incontinence You Can Trust
Bob Summersgill, bob@summersgill.net
Colbert King wrote in Saturday's Post about Tony Williams,
“That man and the people around him are suffering from a delusion of
competence.”
I might have thought that was harsh except for the E-mail that I had
just received from Wanda Alston, Special Assistant to the Mayor, on the
change of date for a meeting. She ended the E-mail with “I apologize
if this may have caused an incontinence to anyone.”
That would certainly warrant an apology at the very least.
###############
I would submit that the Mayor ought to be paranoid. He ought to have
been paranoid before he turned in the petitions, though. I find it
incomprehensible that nobody on his staff double checked the signatures,
especially because they were gathered by paid individuals. But then if
he doesn't verify a resume or reference before hiring someone for over
$100,000 a year why would he verify the quality of someone's work before
paying them $1 per signature? His campaign has been infiltrated; the
saboteur is named Mayor Anthony Williams.
###############
With his attack on DC election law Tony Williams has demonstrated
that he is willing to destroy what little democracy we have in DC to
protect his personal interests. Speaking of petitions, should anyone
present me with a petition to immediately remove Williams from office,
I'd sign instantly.
###############
Tiger Woods on Saturday shot the worst round of his career, and blew
his chances for a grand slam. But he finally got a birdie at the 17th
hole, and he shot his fists in the air and took a deep bow as if he were
winning, and flashed his million-dollar smile. That's a class act. By
contrast, take a mayor who can't get enough valid ballot petition
signatures and responds by charging sabotage and trying to get the law
thrown out. Not a class act.
I thought the dismal saga of the Mayor's reelection incompetence
could not get any worse, until I read in the Saturday paper that
Hizzoner was calling unconstitutional an election law that even Sharon
Pratt and innumerable perennial candidates had managed to comply with.
Ballot petitions are the most basic stuff of local electoral politics.
If a candidate can't even get that right, we don't take him seriously
and he is justifiably knocked off the ballot. But this mayor follows
embarrassment with contempt, refusing to accept responsibility or
respect the minimal standards that countless others have been able to
meet. The Mayor's latest action is disgraceful and dishonorable. Is this
anyone's idea of competent or responsible management, and do we really
have to accept four more years of it?
###############
I’ve got a question for readers of themail. Some of us have been
less than satisfied with our bow-tied mayor but I have not heard any
discussion about any other candidate. Who else could be mayor?
###############
Lights Out at the Lincoln Memorial
Joseph Poisso, Joseph.poisso@yahoo.com
If I remember correctly, the reason the Lincoln and Jefferson wait
until well after sunset before turning on their lights is because of
bugs. It seems that the little critters are active right after sunset
and are attracted by the millions to lights. The Park Service was
spending a bundle cleaning up the mess until they discovered if they
didn't turn the lights until a bit later, the bugs found other places to
hang out, drink cappuccino and discuss politics.
###############
Lights Out at the Lincoln Memorial, II
John Henry Wheeler, zippytrash@att.net
Several years ago I read in the Post that the Park Service was
having a severe problem with midges at the Lincoln Memorial and
therefore were not turning on the lights until complete darkness, when
the midges were less of a problem. It's my guess that that's why the
lights were out. (The midges damage the memorial.)
###############
Taking Responsibility
Buddy Yingling, Western Ave., buddydc1@msn.com
Dawn Dickerson, ddd668@aol.com, wrote in the July 17, edition of
themail: “I have over $400 in old tickets from over the years that I
blatantly refused to pay, and now I have to register a car. And you know
what, I'm gonna suck it up and pay them! That's what people who take
responsibility for their actions do!”
That's not taking responsibility for one's actions. This person is
only paying because she must in order to register a car. That is
irresponsible and hypocritical.
###############
If the Masons' parking lot is illegal, why/how is it allowed to
continue to operate?
###############
DC Law Question
John Whiteside, john at logancircle dot net
Quick question: is anyone familiar with the laws on the hours during
which people can have construction going on in their homes? I know that
there are limitations during the week (you can't have people operating
construction equipment in your house in the middle of the night) but I'm
wondering if there are restrictions that apply at say, 9 a.m. Sunday
morning. Couldn't find anything useful on the city web site. (Is there
somewhere online where the city code is available?)
[Searchable versions of the DC Code are available online from
Westlaw, http://dccode.westgroup.com/home/dccodes/default.w1,
and from Lexis-Nexis at http://www.michie.com.
The DC Municipal Regulations are not yet available on-line, although the
Office of the Secretary is apparently preparing to post them by the end
of the year. However, many individual chapters of the Municipal
Regulations are posted on the web sites of various Departments and
Agencies. — Gary Imhoff]
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Fiscal Policy Institute Report Forum
Ann Pierre, pierre@dcfpi.org
The DC Fiscal Policy Institute is hosting a forum, open to the
public, to release and discuss the findings of its new report,
“Improving the Transparency of the DC Budget.” The forum will be
held on Monday July 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in Room A9 of the
Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library.
A healthy and open budget process is critical to the functioning of
the District of Columbia government. DCFPI's report uses a report card
format to assess the extent to which the DC budget process provides
policymakers and residents with clear, timely, and meaningful budget
information. The report makes several recommendations for improving the
budget process. The results of the report will be discussed by a panel
including Ed Lazere, DC Fiscal Policy Institute; Phil Dearborn,
Brookings Greater Washington Research Program; Mary Levy, Parents United
for DC Public Schools, Angela Jones, DC Action for Children.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Housesitting Position Wanted
K. Sampson, acmy@aol.com
Young professional looking for an opportunity to home sit in the DC
Metro area.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
National History Day Coordinator
Sara Cormeny, sara@paperlantern.com
I am but the messenger, though I can tell you that History Day is a
thriving national education program and I've enjoyed being a judge in
the past.
The Historical Society of Washington, DC seeks a National History Day
coordinator to plan, implement, and administer the National History Day
program in Washington, DC. Part-time position, twenty hours a week on
flexible schedule. This person will work with the education director to
strengthen this existing national program within DC public, private,
parochial, and home schools. This position requires: excellent
interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively in writing and
verbally, including public speaking; understanding of the importance of
history and appreciation for the work of young people; ability to build
citywide participation by conducting outreach to teachers and students;
ability to plan, organize, and execute three contests; familiarity with
teaching methods and historical research; ability to train and teach
groups of various ages. Review of resumes begins immediately. Send
resume and cover letter by August 16 to Mychalene Giampaoli, The
Historical Society of Washington, DC, 1307 New Hampshire Avenue, NW,
20036-1507.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS
Foster Home for Dog
Barbara Cohen, bmcohen@fcps.edu
The SPCA of NOVA has recently rescued a truly stunning ten-month-old,
male German Shepherd, Crimson, who is in desperate need of a temporary
foster home (approximately 3 - 4 months). Crimson needs hip surgery
before he can be adopted, but before he can have surgery he needs to be
moved into a loving, caring environment while recuperating. Ideally we
would like to find a home where someone can get home to check on him
periodically during the day (about every 5 hours).
Crimson traveled here from Saudi Arabia for hip surgery --
unfortunately he was being forced to live on a very small balcony with
no protection from the hot midday sun and his owner decided that his
surgery was too costly and the recuperation period too time consuming.
Crimson is very friendly with people and other dogs, and very smart. If
you or anybody you know (feel free to cross post) is capable of
providing him with a temporary home please contact our Dog Chairperson,
Barbara Cohen, at BMCohen@fcps.edu
for more information.
###############
themail@dcwatch is an E-mail discussion forum that is published every
Wednesday and Sunday. To subscribe, to change E-mail addresses, or to
switch between HTML and plain text versions of themail, use the
subscription form at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/subscribe.htm.
To unsubscribe, send an E-mail message to themail@dcwatch.com
with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Archives of past messages
are available at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail.
All postings should also be submitted to themail@dcwatch.com,
and should be about life, government, or politics in the District of
Columbia in one way or another. All postings must be signed in order to
be printed, and messages should be reasonably short — one or two brief
paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many messages as possible can
be put into each mailing.
