Harry ‘Tommy’ Thomas, Jr.

After this afternoon’s sentencing of Harry Thomas, Jr. to 38 months in jail, Mayor Vince Gray released the following statement:

“While I remain deeply disappointed and troubled by what happened, it’s clear that justice has been done and Mr. Thomas will be held responsible for his actions. I thank the many who worked on this case for bringing it to light and ensuring prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. This case is an important reminder that public officials must never forget for whom we work and that all public servants must be guardians of the public trust.”

D.C. Attorney General Irv Nathan had his own statement:

After today’s sentencing of former D.C. Councilmember Harry L. Thomas, Jr., by Judge John Bates of the U.S. District Court in D.C., District of Columbia Attorney General Irvin Nathan said: “I believe that today’s sentencing was a just resolution of this sad matter. The sentence imposed on former Councilmember Thomas sends a strong message to those who would abuse the power of their District government positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the public: There will be serious consequences for such unlawful actions. We are hopeful that the Court will also order restitution of all the District funds diverted by Mr. Thomas, and we intend to pursue all available avenues to collect on the amounts owed under our settlement and all amounts contained in the final restitution order. Finally, I congratulate U.S. Attorney Ron Machen and his team, building on the investigation and civil suit by our office, for bringing this criminal prosecution to an appropriate conclusion.”

D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown released the following statement about his one-time colleague:

Today’s sentencing is the final step in holding Mr. Thomas accountable to the people of the District. There is no excuse for violating the trust of public office, and I know I join many in our community in expressing our continued sadness for his use of the office of Councilmember and the taxpayers of the District of Columbia for his personal gain. My prayers are with the entire Thomas family.

The Council is focused on the FY13 budget, and providing the residents of the District with the programs and services they need.