When the D.C. Council committee investigating the Sulaimon Brown scandal rolled out its final report a few weeks back, D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) was careful to note that because of an unfulfilled subpoena for documents from Brown, the whole affair could be dragged back into public view at any time.

Today, the Post reports that Brown, who is set to appear in court of September 15 to explain why he never handed some documents over to the Council committee, will likely defend himself by arguing that he gave everything to a federal grand jury looking into the same matter. (Does no one photocopy things anymore?)

Ironically enough, the revelation of a federal grand jury inquiry into the scandals surrounding Brown’s appointment to a $110,000-a-year government job early in Mayor Vince Gray’s term violates a request from U.S. Attorney Ron Machen that he not “disclose the existence of this subpoena.”

Also worth noting? Brown has retained counsel for the federal investigation, certainly a step above his performance before the D.C. Council this summer when he appeared alone and in sunglasses.