Photo by M.V. Jantzen
Let’s just say that the Fenty administration and the D.C. Council aren’t planning any friendly get togethers any time soon.
Tensions between the two city government branches had already intensified after news broke late last week that millions of dollars of recreation contracts have been funneled improperly through the semi-autonomous D.C. Housing Authority, allowing bids to be awarded non-competitively to firms owned by friends of Mayor Adrian Fenty, without Council approval. Then, Fenty moved to allow ousted DPR nominee Ximena Hartsock to stay in her job for another 180 days by simply changing her title from “Acting” to “Interim,” which prompted this rather astounding exchange of fightin’ words in the pages of the Washington Post:
“It’s almost becoming a lawless administration,” said council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3). “They seem to have no limits or restraint on what they are willing to do.”
Attorney General Peter Nickles, who often speaks on behalf of the administration, said Cheh “has no idea what she’s talking about.”
“For her to make comments like that, it’s stupid,” he said. “She’s an angry woman.”
Come on, Mr. Nickles, surely you must know that calling an accomplished law professor and elected official an “angry woman” is no way to win feminist of the year!
Now enter At-large Council member Kwame Brown (D), who lately has taken it upon himself to play the role of the District government’s shame police. Brown’s office just put out this statement demanding that Nickles apologize to Cheh:
“Councilmember Cheh deserves an immediate apology from Peter Nickles for calling her an ‘angry woman’ and saying her comments were ‘stupid.’ This is just another example of how the Attorney General has stepped over the line and stooped to the lowest levels. Councilmember Cheh is a respected lawyer and professor whose opinion about the law I have the utmost respect. She is fulfilling her responsibility to ensure the integrity of government.”
This feud really is starting to feel like we’re mere days away from Vince Gray taking off one of his shoes and pounding it down on the dais.
