Mayor Adrian Fenty and Michelle Rhee have been making the rounds in city hall this week, hoping to repair a breach caused by Fenty’s secrecy in nominating her to run D.C.’s schools.
Fenty met with D.C. Council Members Jim Graham, D-Ward 1, and Harry “Tommy” Thomas, D-Ward 5, on Wednesday. Rhee called on Marion Barry, D-Ward 8.
Some city hall sources said Fenty was lobbying council members hard to approve her nomination, hoping to prevent the first crisis of his administration, but Fenty spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said the mayor was only keeping a promise to let council members get to know Rhee better. Brooks said Rhee would continue to meet with council members.
“It was important that she have some good time with them,” Brooks said.
Fenty announced Rhee’s nomination June 12. It caught many key officials off guard. The law that allowed Fenty to take over the schools required him to vet his chancellor with parents, teachers and city officials.
The mayor claimed that a court challenge to the school takeover legislation meant he had to rush to get Rhee in place and that he complied with the letter of the takeover law.
Earlier this week, Council Chair Vincent Gray, who has questioned the way Fenty handled Rhee’s nomination, canceled Rhee’s June 26 confirmation hearing.
“We’ve gotten a lot of concerns from constituents about her background and experience and the chairman wants to make sure he delves into those issues,” Nicole Streeter, Gray’s legislative counsel, told The Examiner.
On Thursday, Gray “tentatively” scheduled Rhee’s nomination hearing for July 2, Streeter said.
The D.C. Council is scheduled to adjourn for the summer July 13, and the calendar leading to the recess is all but full, Streeter said. The council won’t reconvene until after classes have resumed.
“We’re sort of crunched for time,” Streeter said.
One of those left out of Fenty’s visits was Phil Mendelson, D-At Large, the only Council member to oppose Fenty’s takeover of the schools. He hopes the unusual circumstances surrounding Rhee’s nomination won’t get in the way of giving her a fair hearing.
“She seems like somebody committed to education,” Mendelson told The Examiner Thursday. “But we do need to take a look at her. And only good things can come from having an open process.”
