WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — An independent investigation released by a D.C. Council committee Wednesday found there is substantial evidence Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White directly engaged with D.C. agencies, in violation of council rules.
It found he did not violate the Council’s residency requirements, however.
Over the summer, White was arrested and accused of accepting bribes in exchange for his influence over city contracts. Specifically, he has been accused of accepting $156,000 in exchange for extending contracts for the District’s violence interruption programs.
In August, the D.C. Council announced it would establish an Ad Hoc Committee to consider the allegations against White and recommend the next steps the Council should take. The Council voted in September to hire an outside law firm to help investigate White’s conduct.
That law firm, Latham & Watkins LLP, released its investigative report on Dec. 10.
The 11-week investigation included interviews with officials from multiple D.C. agencies and White’s staff. White declined Lanham’s requested interviews, however.
The law firm emphasized that it assessed evidence for the purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee’s investigation, and that it was separate from the pending criminal case against White.
Lanham’s investigation concluded that there is “substantial evidence that Councilmember White has engaged in conduct that violated several provisions of the D.C. Code of Conduct, including several rules of the D.C. Council’s Code of Official Conduct.”
In addition to the bribery charges, White’s residency was called into question. It was suggested that White lived in a luxury high-rise apartment building in Ward 6, rather than in Ward 8 – the ward he represents.
Latham’s investigation identified substantial evidence connecting White to the 10K Hill South apartments – which is indeed located in Ward 6 – as well as his identified home on Atlantic Street SE in Ward 8.
In regard to his residency, the investigation concluded “there is not substantial evidence that Councilmember White has violated the residency requirement for Councilmembers.”
The Ad Hoc Committee will use the law firm’s findings to make recommendations to the Council for further action against White.
