“My integrity is more important than anything,” D.C. Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. declared hours after Attorney General Irvin Nathan filed a breathtaking 27-page, $1 million civil complaint in D.C. Superior Court. The lawsuit was the culmination of an extensive probe of the Ward 5 legislator and his organization, Team Thomas. Thomas hasn’t displayed any commitment to integrity. From the moment Republican Timothy Day and the D.C. Republican Committee requested then-Attorney General Peter Nickles open the investigation, the Ward 5 legislator has danced, demonized and demagogued.
His performance has been reminiscent of old-style D.C. politics — the version in which politicians shamelessly and falsely cast themselves as victims, allegedly battling powerful forces preventing them from providing money and programs to vulnerable populations. But those pols were serving only their interests.
That kind of leadership — replete with peacock pronouncements like those by Thomas — was perpetuated in the District by Marion Barry. It divided communities, failed the people it purported to help, and eroded public confidence in government.
During the past decade, former Mayors Anthony A. Williams and Adrian M. Fenty worked to bury that model. But in the past several months, Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown, and Councilmen Michael A. Brown and Thomas have demonstrated themselves disciples of that brand, while Barry has assisted them in aggressively exhuming it.
The true sufferers are District residents. Further, a government that was attempting to polish its image has become mired in the muck of unethical and corrupt activities committed by a cabal of elected officials. Negative repercussions await the city if this gang activity isn’t disrupted.
Thomas hasn’t accepted responsibility. Statements by his friends, bank records and other documents have provided evidence of his alleged misdeeds. The most serious could be described as an unvarnished kickback scheme, during which more than $300,000 of public money went into his wallet.
According to the complaint, the council approved in 2007 a multimillion-dollar earmark for the Children and Youth Investment Trust Corp. Thomas persuaded legislators to use $400,000 for “youth baseball.” He then steered the funds to the Langston 21st Century Foundation — operated by his friends Jimmy Garvin and Marshall Banks.
Thomas later told Garvin “Team Thomas was an organization well-suited to carry out the scope of services covered by the proposed grant.” Ultimately, of the $412,000 Langston received from CYITC, $316,000 went to Team Thomas and his for-profit company HLT Development, according to the lawsuit.
“We’re extremely disappointed in the violation of public service by Mr. Thomas,” Nathan said. The AG, his staff and the DCGOP deserve praise for their challenge to public corruption.
Thomas won’t resign. The council could sanction him, possibly stripping him of his chairmanship. Arrogantly, he has said he’s “willing to risk everything” to fight the court case.
Translation: He’s prepared to use his $130,000 taxpayer-funded salary against the taxpayers’ lawyer, who is demanding the councilman return public grant money allegedly diverted for his personal use.
Did Thomas say something about integrity?
Jonetta Rose Barras’ column appears on Monday and Wednesday. She can be reached at [email protected].
