Photo by Matt.Dunn

D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown has been buffeted by scandal since earlier this year, whether his fully-loaded luxury SUV, questions about 2008 campaign spending or allegations that he’s exacted revenge upon fellow councilmembers who have spoken out against him.

In recent days, though, Brown has taken to flying the flag of ethics reform, proposing strict new internal disclosure rules for the D.C. Council and telling the Washington Times this week that he’d also like to see changes to how Constituent Service Funds are used. In that interview, Brown even went as far as to call out councilmembers Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), and Harry Thomas, Jr. (D-Ward 5) for their own problems and argue that despite his own issues, “I think I’m in a perfect position to push [ethics reform].” (Clarification: In his original quote, Brown referred to Graham’s staff, not Graham directly.)

Of course, Brown’s move to become the champion of ethics reform is running into some interference. Not only has Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) questioned Brown’s new disclosure rules, saying that federal guidelines shouldn’t apply locally, but The Washington Post’s editorial board sarcastically wondered today if his efforts could be taken seriously given what he’s been through this year. Additionally, a proposal floated by Brown and Cheh in June to address some of the council’s ethical lapses received a cold reception from D.C. Attorney General Irv Nathan, who argued that the District didn’t necessarily need more laws, but rather better enforcement of current laws. (On TBD’s NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt on Monday, Cheh seemed to agree, saying, “I think we also have to recollect that some of the ethics issues that have occurred, it has not been for wont of regulations and rules, it’s because people’s behavior is bad.”)

It’s certainly true that while Brown remains under federal investigation for the 2008 campaign spending, it will be tough for him to emerge as the leader of the movement for ethics reform. That’s not to say he can’t try — he is, after all, still the leader of the council. (And yes, his political reputation can be salvaged.) What may emerge in the coming months, though, is a fight between the idea of an ethics overhaul, which certainly has some public appeal in these troubled times, and the notion that maybe more focus should be put on enforcing what’s already on the books. Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4), who recently took over the council’s Committee on Government Operations, recently told us that she’d be taking input from a variety of city agencies in October to see what’s there, what’s needed and what simply needs to be better enforced.