D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has revealed the next steps as lawmakers consider the future of Council member Trayon White, following White's arrest on a federal bribery charge.
White, who represents Ward 8 in the District, was arrested by federal authorities Sunday on accusations that he took $156,000 in bribes to help steer government contracts. The case has raised questions about his future on the D.C. Council, as well as re-election bid in November.
Mendelson has appointed At-Large Council member and chair pro tempore Kenyan McDuffie to lead the Council's investigation and make a recommendation, he announced on WAMU 88.5's Politics Hour Friday.
"I've appointed an ad hoc committee. It will consist or is consisting of all the Council members, except Council member Trayon White," Mendelson said.
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The committee has until Dec. 16 to issue a report.
"Under our rules, in order for us to take any disciplinary action, we have to have an ad hoc committee," he said.
Mendelson said the recommendations could include removing White from the D.C. Council.
"Options for the Council would be reprimand, censure or expulsion," he said. "There may be some other sanction that they think of. I don't know what that would be. And what they will be looking at is both the federal charges as well as this question about residency."
Mendelson said he won't wait for an investigation to have White removed as chair of the committee that oversees youth affairs. He said he'll ask the Council to vote on that when they return Sept. 17 following summer recess.
He acknowledged White's presence on the November ballot for re-election is another major complication.
"If his name is on the ballot, it's very messy," Mendelson said. "And if he leaves, his name on the ballot and then subsequently, let's say the circumstances are such that there is a plea, then it will be even messier for us. And we'll have to go through special elections and so forth."
Mendelson told News4 he doesn’t believe that White's government office was searched by the FBI, but he does believe the Council has been asked by the U.S. Attorney to preserve any relevant documents, a step typically taken before subpoenas are issued for documents
