Harry ‘Tommy’ Thomas, Jr.

As we wrote yesterday, there’s really not much that the D.C. Council can do about Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. (D-Ward 5).

That much was on display yesterday afternoon, after councilmembers met in private to discuss Thomas’ situation and emerged with little more than an agreement that D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown would speak to him and try to encourage him to take a paid leave of absence.

The only catch? Not many people seem to think that Thomas will take Brown’s offer. (One observer acidly opined that Brown, himself under federal investigation, didn’t want to set a precedent.)

According to the Post’s Mike DeBonis, only councilmembers Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) and Michael Brown (I-At Large) expressed opposition to acting against Thomas before any federal case against him has run its course; all three have faced some ethics-related accusations in the last two years.

Regardless of what Brown convinces Thomas to do (or not do), there’s a distinct possibility that he’ll participate in the council’s legislative session today — where he’ll be able to cast a vote on comprehensive ethics legislation.