Sharp Elbows

Dear Skeptics:

Alan Blinder has an article about the multiple investigations of Councilmember Jim Graham, the awarding of the city’s lottery contract, and the contract for a Metro project: "Graham Lawyer Slams Report on Alleged Lottery Deal," Washington Examiner, http://tinyurl.com/bogrnwu. Blinder quotes from a memorandum by Graham’s lawyer, William Taylor, III, to the DC Board of Ethics and Government Accountability. "Even if Councilmember Graham had conditioned his support for Warren Williams Jr.’s company in the DC lottery contract on Williams’ withdrawal from the Florida Avenue project deal, it would not be unethical. By seeking to ensure that the publicly funded [Metro] contract ended up in trustworthy hands, Councilmember Graham acted in the public interest. Sharp-elbowed political behavior is not a violation of any District ethics provision."

Taylor claims that the Metro report on Graham’s behavior was inaccurate, but that even if it were accurate it would not irrelevant. "It is not necessary to resolve those inaccuracies or differences in recollection for this board to conclude, as it should, that there is no reason to believe that Councilmember Graham committed an ethics violation. Even if we assume that all the facts are true, and they are not, Councilmember Graham’s conduct did not violate the District of Columbia’s code of conduct." Besides, Taylor writes, Graham’s actions took place too long ago for the Ethics Board to "hold Councilmember Graham responsible for any conduct." I’d be interested in hearing from any readers of themail, but especially from any council colleagues of Mr. Graham, about whether they agree with Mr. Taylor’s analysis. If other councilmembers agree, shouldn’t we just give up on expecting honesty and ethical behavior from our elected officials, and expect nothing but favoritism and sharp elbows and naked power?

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A couple weeks ago, I quoted from an article by Megan McArdle about DC’s housing market. She’s written about it again, in "What the Hell Is Happening in DC?" http://tinyurl.com/ckrnuyz. McArdle is skeptical about the bidding wars that are being waged over DC houses, and the high prices that people are bidding. "The couples getting into these bidding wars seem desperate — desperate! — to buy a house. But it’s not as if there isn’t an alternative to buying: you can rent. DC rental prices have also been soaring over the past few years, but neighborhoods like mine are finally seeing the developments open up that were delayed by the 2008 financing crunch. As a result, apartment buildings nearby are offering all sorts of givebacks to entice new tenants. Yet just as rental prices start to soften, the purchase market seems to be getting even hotter. It makes me wonder if Washingtonians learned anything in the bubble."

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

CoderDojo DC Gets Off the Ground on January 5, 2013
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com

I’m a supporter of this new group getting off the ground,- to help foster computer programming with youth. Attendance is free.

The current meeting location is the Silver Spring Civic Building. For more information, see http://coderdojodc.com. Thanks for passing along word to anyone you know who would be interested in attending.