The Smear Campaign
Dear Washingtonians:
Last week, DC's Inspector General, Charles Maddox, made public a
letter he had forwarded to Mayor Williams and Council Chairman Linda
Cropp (http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/ig030522b.htm).
The letter summarizes a “report of investigation concerning inadequate
oversight and misconduct at the DC Board of Elections and Ethics and
Office of Campaign Finance.” The full report, which was not released
to the public (although Maddox made sure to release it to the Washington
Post) is at http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/ig030522.htm.
We'll write a longer critique of this report later, but in this message
we just have space to put the IG's actions into context. When Congress
created the Control Board in the DC Financial Responsibility and
Management Assistance Act in 1995, in an effort to reform the District
government it also created the position of Chief Financial Officer and
altered the Inspector General's office to make it more independent.
Unfortunately, all IG's who have served since then — Angela Avant,
Robert Thomas, E. Barrett Prettyman, and Maddox — have performed
poorly. Under Maddox, questions have arisen regarding his
qualifications, residency, term of office, performance, and the quality
of his investigations and reports. Councilmembers have repeatedly
questioned the accuracy and honesty of Maddox's testimony before them,
as well as the length of time and shoddiness of his office's
investigations. Finally, the Council passed legislation, and repassed it
over the Mayor's veto, that set qualifications for the IG's office that
Maddox could not meet, and would force him from office by June 1.
As Maddox's relationship with the Council has deteriorated, his
connection to the Mayor, cemented by their regular biweekly private
meetings, has become stronger. The latest report furthers Maddox's and
the Mayor's efforts to undermine and discredit both Maddox's enemy, the
Council, and the Mayor's nemesis, the Board of Elections and Ethics.
(Over the past five years, the Board and the OCF have repeatedly found
Williams in violation of campaign laws, regulations, and ethics,
beginning five years ago with his secret income from Arthur Andersen and
Nations Bank during his first campaign, through his violations of
personnel regulations and standards of conduct in the school charter
election, and most recently in his massive petition fraud, for which
they fined him $275,000.) Maddox portrays himself as a martyr and,
ironically in light of his repeated misrepresentations, as the last and
only honest investigator beset by the unscrupulous staff and board
members of the Board of Elections and Ethics.
The report seeks to provide a justification for Mayor Williams's
effort to destroy the reputation of the Board, its staff, and especially
of its Chairman, Ben Wilson. Contrary to the standard procedure, Maddox
did not provide an advance copy of this report to its subjects for their
comments or corrections, but instead released it and promoted it to the
press without giving BOEE, OCF, and those individuals smeared by its
misrepresentations and misstatements an opportunity to respond first. As
a result, rather than strengthening his position with the Council,
press, and public, Maddox's actions have only strengthened the case that
he himself is unfit for his position and should be removed immediately.
Gary Imhoff and Dorothy Brizill
themail@dcwatch.com
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In the past several months, with all sorts of public safety horror
stories coming from his ward, which includes Dupont and Logan Circles,
some of us are wondering why Jack Evans has been so silent. All we've
heard from the council member recently are quotes in the media where he
supports DC Police Chief Ramsey and his $25,000 raise. And constituents
writing the council member about Chief Ramsey report to us that their
E-mails go unanswered (he never responded to our request for
clarification of his position either).
Consider what's been happening in Evan's ward over the past several
months. First there was the fatal Dupont Circle fire, which we're still
being lied to about to this day. Where is the police report on the fire,
and why isn't Evans demanding it be released? Why hasn't the Fire
Department or the city yet stepped foot in the house to see what really
caused the fire, even though they have already issued a report claiming
the fire was accidental, when they couldn't know that without actually
entering the home? And finally, why is Councilmember Mendelson
(at-large) so admirably taking the lead on this fiasco all by himself
when it's Evans' own ward? Then there are the recent wilding-type
attacks on 14th Street that have been especially targeting gay men --
gangs of youths are jumping and beating the bejeesus out of men walking
along 14th street. Not robbing them, just beating them to a pulp (one
young man who works at JR's Bar & Grill on 17th Street had a
tracheotomy in his throat for two months and needs reconstructive
surgery on his face after a recent 14th Street attack). People are even
being held up after leaving the Fresh Fields in the neighborhood; that
can't be good. And the burglaries and muggings taking place along 14th
Street and in the 17th and P neighborhood, including the April 10
incident on the 1400 block of Swann where someone woke up in their own
home with a knife to their throat (the burglar wanted the homeowner's
PlayStation), the dead body they found in a car a few days ago at 17th
and Q (whey did the murder think Dupont such a great location to dump a
body?), and the woman at 18th and S on March 19 cleaning her dishes at 8
a.m. while a man tries to pry the kitchen door open. And let's not
forget the gang shootings taking place at Dupont Circle. The list goes
on.
Dupont and Logan have hardly come away unscathed from Chief Ramsey's
mismanagement. And the rest of the city is clearly suffering as well - a
city Jack Evans reportedly wants to rule as Mayor someday. So where is
Jack Evans when the people, and the police who are so demoralized by
Ramsey's reign, need him? Perhaps it's time we all asked him. E-mail to jackevans@dccouncil.washington.dc.us,
phone 724-8058, fax 724-8023.
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Another Reason MPD Wants to Redraw PSA
Boundaries
Paul Michael Brown, pmb@his.com
Cynic that I am where the District government is concerned, let me
suggest another reason that MPD is pushing for this. If the PSAs are
redrawn, it becomes drastically more difficult to make year-over-year
comparisons of crime statistics. If, say, the number of burglaries goes
up in the future MPD can gaff it off by claiming that the larger PSA
accounts for the increase. Community groups that track crime will be
frustrated for several years until statistically meaningful baseline
data builds up. In the meantime, MPD substitutes spin for law
enforcement. Seems like redrawing the PSAs, refusing to take crime
reports, and driving around with the lights flashing is MPD's idea of
community policing. Might I suggest they figure out a way to deploy the
malingers abusing the sick leave system and the headquarters computer
jockeys to street patrol instead? And while I'm suggesting, how about
some Guiliani-style zero tolerance for quality of life crimes like
public drinking and aggressive panhandling?
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PSA’s, Clusters, and ANC’s
Lars Hydle, larshydle@aol.com
Unlike ANC2F Commissioner Cary Silverman, I am not troubled by the
reduction of the 83 Police Service Areas (PSAs) to the high 30s; my
concern is that the Office of the Mayor and the Office of Planning are
bent on aligning the new PSAs with the 39 “neighborhood clusters”
rather than the 37 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. Advisory
Neighborhood Commissions have existed in DC since the 70s, shortly after
the beginning of our current phase of home rule. Neighborhood clusters
were created by the Mayor and his planners in 1999.
The boundaries of ANCs and their single-member districts were
established, and have been redistricted after every census, most
recently in 2001, by law, based on the recommendations of ward-based
task forces of ANC Commissioners, representatives of citizens' and civic
associations, and other neighborhood activists. Cluster boundaries were
decided by the Office of Planning in 1999. ANC Commissioners are elected
every two years from single-member districts containing about 2000
people, and can be recalled. They represent these people in accordance
with the theory and practice of neighborhood representative democracy.
The people who have attended the citizen summits and neighborhood
cluster steering group meetings have never claimed, in that capacity, to
represent anyone but themselves. ANCs are led by their Chairs and other
Officers elected, and removable, by the full commission. Summit and
cluster meetings have been led by facilitators and moderators picked by
the Office of Planning.
At the most recent election in November 2002, more than 95,000 DC
voters voted for an ANC candidate. In his January 2003 inaugural
address, the Mayor boasted that more than 10,000 people had taken part
in the summits and cluster meetings. (I was two of those 10,000, having
attended one summit and one cluster meeting). Every voter in DC knows
which ANC and SMD he/she lives in, or can find out simply by looking on
his/her voter registration card. I don't think most of them know which
cluster they live in. ANCs have the right to be informed of any proposed
DC government actions and to make their views known on these issues,
views which are entitled to “great weight.” To my knowledge, the
Office of Planning did not submit any of its Strategic Neighborhood
Action Plans for the 39 clusters to affected ANCs before publishing
these plans.
###############
One Month Anniversary
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aoldotcom
It has been exactly one month since my report was made to the DC
Water and Sewer Authority. I reported that a 4 ft. by 4 ft. concrete
slab with a sewer cover had been dislodged at the SW corner of Warren
and 48th Streets, NW. The cover was moved out into the street, leaving a
gap of twelve or more inches by twenty inches between the cover and the
pathway where people walk. You could look down that hole and see the
aromatic waters below. The gap is large enough for a small child or a
pet to fall through and into then waters below without any possibility
of timely rescue.
I was assured that someone would come out to fix the dislodged cover
since it was a safety issue. That was one month ago and nobody has fixed
this unsafe condition. The gap is typical of the gap between
expectations and reality in dealing with the inept DC government
departments.
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Half Street DMV Inspection Station
Edward Cowan, edcowan1114@yahoo.com
A few weeks ago themail carried my note alerting DC seniors that the
Half Street inspection station has priority access for seniors. It turns
out that it's a sometime priority — today you get it, tomorrow you
don't. I have written the following letter to Ann Witt, the director of
DMV, in an effort to get consistent application: “The Half Street
inspection station administers the priority access for seniors in a
haphazard way, as my recent experience and that of my wife demonstrates.
The first time I took my car there, I spent an hour in a line that began
on Delaware Avenue before I entered the gate of the station. The second
time I went there, I joined the back of the line on Eye Street. Within
two minutes, a staff man in an orange vest approached, asked my age and
directed me to drive around the line to the gate and advise the
attendant that I was entitled to senior priority. The attendant sent me
into the yard.
“My wife went to the inspection station a few days ago and drove
straight to the gate on Half Street. She was told to join the back of
the line and wait for further instructions. No one approached her and
she waited in line with other drivers. I telephone your office to seek
clarification. Your aide Ms. Small put me on hold and phoned Half
Street. She said she was told that a senior motorist should enter the
office and 'go to the counter.' Ms. Small said she could not tell me
where the motorist was supposed to put his car when he went into the
office and up to the counter. All of this makes it quite clear that
there is no consistency in the way Half Street applies the priority for
seniors. Indeed, in the yard one sees a sign that seems to indicate that
one inspection line is reserved for seniors — but it is not so used.
This appears to be yet another inconsistency.
“If seniors as a matter of policy are to be given priority access,
then DC MV and Half Street need to adopt and practice a uniform,
consistent procedure -- not an on-again, off-again mode of operating.
Would you kindly look into this and advise me what the correct procedure
is and that you have instructed Half Street to follow it? Thank you
kindly.”
###############
The residents of the District of Columbia seem determined to ignore
the rise in crime, the continued corruption of the Williams
administration, the ineptness of the City Council, and the
nonperformance of city workers. What's wrong with them? Maybe readers of
themail can tell me.
In any case, I've designed a new slogan that can be placed on DC
license plates, the city's flag, on political buttons worn by DC
residents. Here it is: “Dun Worry. Be Happy.” Accompanied by a happy
face.
###############
Better Biking in Rock Creek Park
Rob Pegoraro, robp@~typo~speakeasy.net (fix the typo to
send e-mail)
James Treworgy's posting got me thinking about ways that Rock Creek
could become a better biking route — for instance, “closing the
reverse-commute lane during rush hour to cars.” I've been biking up
and down the trail on weekends since '94, and in that time I've come up
with my own to-do list to make the park a better place for bikes. Here
are two fixes at the top of it: 1) put a real sidewalk on the bridge
just south of the Zoo tunnel, where it's barely possible for two people
to walk their bikes towards each other. 2) Fix the lousy drainage on the
southern half of the trail, repave it — this hasn't been done in at
least a decade — and widen the skinniest parts to the same 10- to
14-foot gauge as the Capital Crescent Trail.
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The right-wing financed voucher plan of Congress is a war being waged
against the DC community on two fronts: it is an attack on the soul of
public education and the heart of our democracy movement. Thus I take
exception to Mr. Imhoff's sarcastic description of Congresswoman Norton
as going off her meds because of her justifiably aggressive response to
the Mayor's reversal. This change is a damaging blow to the morale of
those fighting to reform the school system and to those fighting to gain
full democracy for DC By the way, the pro-voucher, and purportedly
pro-black child, DC Students for School Choice is funded by the Bradley
Foundation, which also finances suits targeting affirmative action in
university admissions.
Also, so that DC residents are appropriately armed to win this war --
a correction. Mr. Imhoff writes that an $11,000 voucher proposal
"paired with modest subsidies, scholarships, or price reductions
from the most expensive private schools, it could bring nearly any
school within reach" There are two proposals in Congress, and
neither is likely to make the majority, particularly the most expensive
private schools accessible to the purported beneficiaries of this
legislation, poor children. Why? Because the Senate proposal is a pipe
dream and because the private schools couldn't accommodate large numbers
of children, even if they wanted to do so. The Flake plan for $4-$5,000
vouchers is the only way that the $7 million proposal of both Houses
will serve the 1600 District children they claim that it will. It does
nothing for the other 80,000 children in the public system of
traditional and charter schools. Also, if you look at this study done by
one of our Coalition members, the 21st Century School Fund, at http://www.stopdcvouchers.org/downloads/vouchers.htm
you will see that most of the private schools in DC and in the suburbs
of DC are indeed out of reach because of both tuition and capacity.
Vouchers cannot make possible what is not available.
All of this does not even mention that private school vouchers are
not accountable for student testing, teacher training, equitable
admissions, and tailored services to the high needs children served by
DC public schools. Under the new No Child Left Behind law created by
President Bush, DC public schools have new accountability mandates;
private schools have no such accountability, and many surveyed said they
would not participate in a voucher program that would require these
accountability measures. Also, while themail was on break, our Coalition
for Accountable Public Schools formed. We think that Congresswoman
Norton's response to the Mayor was very apt. Our broad alliance of
activists, parents and education advocates agree with opposition to
vouchers because they do not work. An impressive array of activists and
city leaders have come out in opposition to vouchers -- Rev. Willie
Wilson, Rabbi Marc Israel, Councilmember Adrian Fenty, Ward 6 Democrats,
Ward 7 Education Council, Ward 8 Democrats, and School Board Members
William Lockridge (Wards 7 & 8) and Tommy Wells. Read all about
this, and more, at http://www.stopdcvouchers.org.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Fiddler on the Roof, May 30-31
Leila Afzal, Leila.Afzal@Noaa.gov
The John Eaton Elementary School presents “The Fiddler on the Roof,
Jr.” on May 30 and 31 at 8 p.m. The school is located at 34th and
Lowell Streets, NW, in Cleveland Park. Tickets are $5 per person and
sold before and after school the week prior to the performance. Tickets
will also be available, if any are left, prior to show time. This is the
perfect show to bring elementary school age children.
###############
Healthier Kids: The Impact of School Policies
and Programs on Student Health, June 3
Susie Cambria, scambria@dckids.org
The Children's Health Care Coalition of DC, a sponsored project of DC
Action for Children, and the American Academy of Pediatrics-DC are
sponsoring Healthier Kids: The Impact of School Policies on Student
Health, June 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Children's National
Medical Center. The forum will focus on childhood obesity, the school
health program, and violence in schools. Panelists will include
representatives from the school system, the Department of Health, the
Department of Mental Health, and the provider and the advocacy
communities. For more information, call Frankeena Wright, Health Policy
Coordinator, 234-9404.
DC ACT’s Executive Director Angela M. Jones stated, “This forum
represents an opportunity for all those concerned about the range of
children's health issues to come together to consider the benefits and
challenges of school health polices and programs.” Frankeena Wright,
MPH, Health Policy Coordinator, added, “We know that children who are
not healthy or who feel unsafe in school cannot learn. This event is an
opportunity to identify how a comprehensive school health program can
and should address nutrition, violence, mental health, and physical
health.” DC Action for Children is an independent, nonprofit,
multi-issue children's advocacy organization dedicated to improving
conditions for children, youth and their families in the District of
Columbia. Established in 1992, DC ACT believes each District child
should have the opportunity to reach his or her potential. DC ACT brings
community members together to make that vision a reality.
###############
Glover Park Day, June 7
Judie Guy, gpgazed@aol.com
We still have space for talented artists/crafters to exhibit and sell
hand made pottery, jewelry, art, wearable art, etc., at Glover Park Day
on June 7 at Guy Mason Rec Center (corner of Wisconsin and Calvert).
Space fee is a low $35. We get a crowd of about 1500. It's our 14th
annual neighborhood fair -- four bands, food from Glover Park's award
winning restaurants, kids activities, and prize drawings. Always a great
time (and it's free). You're all invited! If you're interested in
selling your work, contact me at gpgazed@aol.com.
###############
House and Garden Tour of Brookland, June 8
Diane A. Pecor, pecorda@earthlink.net
Tickets for the House and Garden Tour of Brookland are now on sale at
the Brookland Visitor Center (3420 9th Street, NE) and at Petals,
Ribbons, and Beyond (3906 12th Street, NE). Tickets are $12 ($15 on the
day of the tour). The House and Garden Tour will be on Sunday June 8th,
12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Look for details about the tour on the Greater
Brookland Garden Club web site, http://www.gbgc.org.
###############
Carol Moseley Braun at WNDC Presidential
Candidates Series, June 13
Pat Bitondo, pbitondo@aol.com
Carol Moseley Braun will appear at a champagne and cheese reception
in the Woman's National Democratic Club Presidential Candidates Series
on Friday, June 13, 5:00-7:00 p.m. The WNDC is at 1526 New Hampshire
Avenue, NW. Price: $20.00 members, $25.00 nonmembers, $15.00 students.
Reserve with Patricia Fitzgerald at 232-7363 ext. 3003 or E-mail pfitzgerald@democraticwoman.org.
###############
Potomac River Paddling Trip, June 29
Tim Siegal, timsiegal@earthlink.net
Get out on the water! Unique paddling trip June 29th on Potomac River
near Harpers Ferry. River Spirit is a free, noncommercial, all day,
eco-friendly trip June 29 down five sweet miles of the Potomac that
offers two rapids, picnicking and poetry reading mid stream,
bodysurfing, and then an easy float rest of the way. All paddlers must
have Class II experience. All participants must: be able swimmers,
respect the environment, and use safety gear. Provide your own kayak or
canoe and gear or rent them at discount near put-in. Age 10 and up.
E-mail Tim at easykayaker@yahoo.com
to get trip details.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Two 1996 PC computers, P100 and P110 (without monitors), 16 mg. RAM
each. Underpowered by today's standards but adequate for
word-processing. Inexpensive trainers for beginners. $60 for one, $100
for both, or best offer.
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CLASSIFIEDS — WANTED
Wanted: a small camper, 331-4418.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Large, sunny room in Cathedral Heights house available from June 1
for nonsmoking grad student or professional. Many amenities (central AC,
hardwood floors, shared use of large kitchen/DF/LR/outdoor hot tub).
Safe, quiet neighborhood near Giant, restaurants; Wisconsin Avenue and
Massachusetts Avenue bus stops one block away. Rent: $780/mo. E-mail: sheilahoganDC@aol.com.
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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
I’m interested in the same advice asked by the person who has
serious drain problems, and I also want to know someone who can do drain
scans, etc.
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