Report: Barry Hired Ex-Girlfriend as Patronage
You don't have to be a genius to have guessed that this might have been the case: Tim Craig reports in the Post that Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, the ex-girlfriend Marion Barry is accused of stalking, was hired by Barry as a contract member of his staff after they had struck up a romantic relationship. Barry has reportedly paid his former special lady friend at least $10,000 worth of taxpayer funds for her services as a consultant. You mean to say a politician whose time as mayor is as much known for his totally corrupt job patronage practices as it was for crack cocaine use is still hiring people as favors while serving as the Ward 8 D.C. Council member? Color us totally unsurprised.
Two More Metro Crash Lawsuits FiledWTOP's Adam Tuss reports today that two more lawsuits have been filed in the last week against both WMATA and deceased Metro operator Jeanice McMillan in the wake of the Red Line crash. Attorney Michael Wilson is handling cases for Jason Zimmerman of Silver Spring and David Holland of Burtonsville, both of whom are claiming "mental anguish," as well as injuries to their necks and backs. Zimmerman is seeking $400,000 in damages, Holland $500,000. We're sure that this won't be the end of legal troubles for WMATA (or Ms. McMillan's estate) -- a mere two weeks after the accident, the number of civil filings currently numbers four, including two filed in short order after the deadly crash. Tuss also notes that Metro fully expected the suits, and that the transit agency's "liability reserve" will be able to cover any damages awarded as a result.
Two More Fatal Shootings ReportedYesterday we noted that four fatal shootings had been recorded in the city over the weekend, and now there are two more to report. The Post says that a 20-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday in the 300 block of 34th Street SE, bringing the weekend total to five (one of which has already seen an arrest made). And the AP/WJLA bring our attention to another killing early this morning: 26-year-old Anthony Reginald Ford was shot and killed of the unit block of 58th Street SE at about 1 a.m.
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