Trayon White stripped of committee chairmanship as $400K probe is expected

The D.C. Council has stripped member Trayon White of his committee leadership following his arrest last month on federal bribery charges.

At a hearing Tuesday, the Council voted to reorganize the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs, which White had chaired, splitting it into two subcommittees to be overseen by other councilmembers. This now leaves White without a committee chairmanship.

White, the Ward 8 councilmember, still will be allowed to vote on legislation and other Council matters.

The council voted unanimously, with White voting “present” on the matter. There was no public debate or discussion on the vote.

Tuesday's meeting was the first time the D.C. Council has met since White was arrested and charged with taking a bribe to steer government contracts. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The D.C. Council has hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation of White, which will cost D.C. taxpayers $400,000, an official told News4.

White’s colleagues on the Council voted to close their discussion of the investigation to the public. News4's Mark Segraves was one of the reporters forced to leave the meeting.

By law, Council meetings are open to the public, but just a few minutes after starting, the members voted to close the meeting to the public while they discussed their investigation into their colleague.

"We have to close the doors to the public because we're discussing a sensitive personnel matter and an ongoing investigation," Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said. "As experienced as you are, Mark, you know that it's important to preserve the integrity of an investigation, and, as it's just beginning, there's certain things that we have to discuss that are not yet for public domain, and we intend fully to be transparent."

McDuffie is heading the ad hoc committee that will decide what discipline, if any, to recommend the Council impose on White, including the possibility of removing him from office.

"We have to do what's in the best interest of the public, while holding our colleague accountable," McDuffie said. "That is exactly what I intend to do – conduct a thorough, independent investigation."

McDuffie told reporters the Council has engaged a private law firm to conduct the investigation.

When asked about the cost of the law firm's fee, McDuffie responded: "I can tell you it's $400,000."

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has said the independent investigation will look into both the bribery charge and also whether White actually lives in Ward 8, as required by law. White was arrested in Ward 6, where he was living, according to prosecutors.

White did not show up in person for Tuesday's Council hearing; he participated in the Council's breakfast meeting and hearing virtually.

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Mendelson says the findings of the independent investigation will determine whether the D.C. Council votes to remove White from the Council entirely. That investigation will take months, and any vote to remove White would not come until early next year, Mendelson said, meaning White can continue to vote on legislation in the meantime.

“However one feels about the indictment – and I certainly think the charges are very serious and damning – however one feels, the reality is that the voters elected him,” Mendelson said. “He is an elected member, and the only way to stop that is to expel him.”

“I'm relatively confident that the Council will dispose of this matter no later than the beginning of the new year,” he said.