At this time, everyone, including myself, wants things tidied up. That’s understandable. How can a new year begin when problems of the old one hang over the city like a cloud of gloom? So, I went through my notebooks, hoping to learn if the District’s business for 2010 was being properly closed out.
Regrettably, the Office of Campaign Finance’s examination of Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr.’s actions surrounding his operation of several nonprofit organizations hasn’t been completed. Neither the audit of Chairman-elect Kwame Brown’s campaign finances nor the special investigation of that recreation facilities contract issued in 2009 by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s administration has finished.
“We have no jurisdiction over nonprofits. [But] we are looking at any violation of standards of conduct,” an OCF staffer told me about the Thomas probe.
The standards of conduct require employees, including elected officials, to “maintain a high level of ethical conduct with the performance of their official duties” and refrain from engaging in “outside employment or private business activity or have direct or indirect financial interest that is a conflict or would appear to conflict with the fair impartial and objective performance of their official duties.”
Thomas’ woes began when Republican Tim Day accused him of operating his organizations without requisite permits and licenses and using the funds collected as a “slush fund.” Day and the D.C. Republican Committee asked Attorney General Peter Nickles to start an investigation.
Thomas has admitted the groups’ licenses had been revoked. Under court order, he produced records indicating he had collected more than $200,000. But he has refused to provide a list of donors or a list of expenditures. A judge has ordered the release of that data by Jan. 8. A recent Washington Post editorial revealed Thomas was given an Audi SUV valued at nearly $59,000 by one of his organizations; he didn’t report the gift on government disclosure forms.
“Questions continue to persist for Mr. Thomas and his business dealing,” said DCRC Chairman Robert Kabel. “Unfortunately for him, he cannot blame these problems on Mayor Fenty, the attorney general, the news [media] or us.”
Undoubtedly, Thomas had expected a better ending to his year. He spent the last 12 months slamming Fenty for his handling of a recreation facilities contract. That controversy was stoked when the legislature brought in Special Counsel Robert Trout. Residents had been told a final report would be issued before the September primary.
“The feeling is that there will not be a need to continue any fact finding at the conclusion of this council period, ” a source close to the investigation told me, adding after conclusion of the probe, Trout has 60 days to submit the report.
Does he?
There has been some debate about whether authorization for the investigation could extend beyond the current Council Period 18, which ends Jan. 2. The council’s General Counsel Brian Flowers didn’t know. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray also didn’t know.
My head hurts. All I wanted was closure.
Jonetta Rose Barras’ column appears on Monday and Wednesday. She can be reached at [email protected].
