Get to the Tidal Basin
Dear Appreciators:
Perfect weather. The beauty of the cherry blossom grove surrounding
the tidal basin. It’s time to join the rest of us Washingtonians and
the tourists who join us at this time of year stroll around the basin,
to visit some of the neighboring monuments, and to ignore the politics
of Washington and appreciate its more lasting loveliness.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Honest Government Reforms
Harold Foster, Petworth, Ward Four, cartagenensenuevo@gmail.com
At the risk of sounding moronically repetitive, I think the Jeffrey
Thompson case further underscores the need for a fundamental capital-d
Debate in this city about the electorally dysfunctional government being
inflicted on all of us. In these pages, and soon in a citywide effort, I
(and others) have suggested a number of medium-range fixes to some of
the more salient things that are broken in city government, particularly
the electoral process.
Some fixes are a Home Rule Charter amendment that requires candidates
to win a majority and not just a plurality of our votes; instant runoff
ballots that enable us to express a preference of all candidates running
for office, not just one all-or-nothing choice of a single candidate; a
self-denying ordinance that requires incumbents to timely resign their
current office before they become candidates for some other elective
office; and a requirement that independent candidates be registered as
independents, not affiliated with any political party registered in the
District, for at least three years prior to running as an independent
for elective office.
With the most recent revelations about Thompson and his wide-ranging
web of unethical, if not downright illegal, campaign contributions, we
need to start talking about a more comprehensive reform of the city’s
electoral process. Clearly, something like a universal recall
referendum, in which the entire elected government is recalled, is a
radical solution. But I would suggest it is a needed radical solution to
a problem that is clearly getting worse almost while you are reading
this post. In any case, on the presumption that most or all of you agree
that some sort of root-and-branch reform of the city’s electoral
processes is urgently needed, I would invite you to suggest your own
solution. Otherwise, I would ask that readers (indeed anyone as
concerned as I am and as we all should be about the sorry state of city
electoral politics) seriously consider at least putting a universal
recall referendum option on the next available ballot here.
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Pull the Plug on Pepco by Voting for Peter
Shapiro
Keshini Ladduwahetty, keshinil@yahoo.com
Every time we turn on a light switch, we help to make Pepco one of
the most powerful corporations in the Washington, DC, area. A daily
presence in our lives, Pepco earned more than two billion dollars in
2010, but its clever accountants figured out a way to pay no federal
taxes that year,http://tinyurl.com/7mag22f. You would think this
economic clout would be sufficient, but it is more than matched by the
political power it wields in the DC council, where a one-time Pepco
lobbyist, Vincent Orange, serves as at-large member.
Pepco’s political power is evident in its success in blocking the
nomination of Elizabeth “Betty” Noel to the Public Service
Commission (PSC) of the District of Columbia. The mission of the PSC is
“to serve the public interest by ensuring that financially healthy
electric, natural gas, and telecommunications companies provide safe,
reliable, and quality utility services at reasonable rates for District
of Columbia residential, business, and government customers.” The
Mayor nominated Noel to the position last summer, apparently on the
recommendation of Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh. That nomination now
appears dead.
Arrayed against Noel is the lobbying might of Pepco and the DC
Chamber of Commerce. Interestingly, Verizon and Washington Gas, also
regulated by the PSC, chose not to fight her nomination. Pepco claims
that Noel has conflicts of interest stemming from her eighteen years of
service as People’s Counsel, where she earned a reputation as a
passionate advocate for DC residents (themail, September 18, 2011).
Given that the mission of the PSC is to serve the public interest, it is
a bizarre argument. Equally importantly, Attorney General Irvin B.
Nathan, general counsel Brian Flowers, and Ron Collins, director of
Boards and Commissions all agreed that there was no barrier to Noel’s
appointment. Last week, the Committee on Public Services and Consumer
Affairs, chaired by Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, voted three
to two to kill Noel’s nomination. Councilmembers Cheh and Graham voted
for Noel, while Councilmembers Alexander, Bowser, and Mendelson voted
against her. [Finished online at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2012/12-03-21.htm#ladduwahetty]
Many suspect that a powerful obstacle operating behind closed doors
was Vincent Orange, who served as Pepco’s region Vice President from
2007 to 2010. Orange’s energy policy, as described on his web site, is
a shameless pitch for Pepco’s own policies. It is ironic that Noel is
being criticized for conflicts-of-interest, when the real charge should
be against councilmembers who are carrying water for Pepco, or
financially benefiting from Pepco (the Washington Post reported
this Tuesday that Mendelson owns more than five thousand dollars of
Pepco stock).
On April 3, DC residents have the choice of reelecting a one-time
Pepco lobbyist, or voting for a fresh face on the Council. At-large
council candidate Peter Shapiro (http://shapiro2012.com)
is a strong and principled progressive who recognizes the need for a PSC
commissioner who champions the public interest. Shapiro is running an
energetic campaign against Orange — he won second place in the Ward 5
Democrats’ straw poll. While the other at-large challengers (Sekou
Biddle and E. Gail Anderson Holness) steer clear of this important
issue, Shapiro sees the Noel nomination as “a fight between narrow
corporate interests and broader community interests, and the community
lost. I would have liked to see her nomination go forward.” On April
3, DC residents can pull the plug on Pepco by voting in Peter Shapiro.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
The Technology and Law of Cameras in the
Courtroom, March 27
Peter Willner, willner@courtexcellence.org
On Tuesday, March 27, from 5:30-7:00 p.m., the Council for Court
Excellence hosts an exciting panel of experts on the current issues
related to cameras in the court. The program will be held at Venable,
575 7th Street, NW. Panelists include Chief Judge Royce Lamberth, US
District Court; Kathleen Kirby, Wiley Rein; Avis Buchanan, DC Public
Defender Service; Honorable Ronald Machen, US Attorney for DC; and Fred
D’Ambrosi, WUSA-TV. The program will be moderated by Lucy Dalglish of
the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Registration is
required to attend this free program. Please RSVP to Peter Willner at
785-5917 or willner@courtexcellence.org.
Cosponsored by the State Justice Institute.
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The Rise of the Dog, March 4
Bruce Snyder, besnyder@yahoo.com
Domestication and evolution: how humans and animal (especially dogs)
grew up together. Saturday, March 4, Cleveland Park Library, 3310
Connecticut Avenue, NW, first floor auditorium. Saturday, March 4,
2:00-4:00 p.m. Includes a showing of The Rise of the Dog.
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CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS
The end of the school year is just a few months away, but nearly 80
percent of elementary school students from low-income backgrounds will
finish school this year reading below grade level. There is still time
for you to make a difference.
Reading Partners is a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains
and supports volunteers who are interested in helping struggling
students at local public elementary schools. In addition to making a
measurable difference for your student, we’re confident that this will
be one of the best organized, most supportive volunteer opportunities
you’ll ever take part in. We have locations throughout DC in Anacostia,
Congress Heights, Brightwood, Ft. Totten, Logan Circle, Trinidad,
Edgewood, and Columbia Heights.
If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact Ty
Woolfolk at twoolfolk@readingpartners.org
or 701-9110.
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