Photo by afagen

Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) was selected by his colleagues to serve as the Chair of the D.C. Council this morning, a seat he will hold until the November 6 special election to finish out the rest of Kwame Brown’s term. During the same session Councilmember Michael Brown (I-At Large) was elevated to the council’s ceremonial chairman pro tempore position.

The vote on Mendelson and Brown came in the wake of a spirited, divisive and at times angry debate between councilmembers on everything from ethics to political unity. But it wasn’t Mendelson that was the point of contention, but rather Brown.

As expected, Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large) offered himself as an alternative to Brown, angrily decrying what he called “back-room deals” and indirectly questioning Brown’s personal finances and ethics. He demanded that his fellow 10 Democrats on the council support him in the spirit of party unity, offered himself as an elected official who could bridge the city divide and at one point loudly declared “I’m the best” as he compared himself to boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao. (It was an interesting comparison, given that Pacquiao recently lost a contested bout.)

Orange found strong support in Councilmember Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), who similarly said that the various ethical and legal incidents that have dogged the city’s government over the last year were unprecedented in D.C. history. “We are the laughingstock of the nation,” said Barry, adding that only a vote for Orange as the council’s second-in-command could bring respect back to the government. (Barry also said that the last time the D.C. government was in such disarray was 9/11.)

Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large) scoffed at Barry’s comments, calling them “an exercise in nerve I find a little galling.” He also lamented the debate that was playing out, saying, “The less the population sees of this, the better.” Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) joined Catania, saying that while the council’s political situation was indeed troubling, the city found itself in a much better place than it had been in the past. He also said what was on most people’s minds in the room—Barry himself had seen his share of troubles in the past, including his 1990 arrest for smoking crack and failure to pay taxes.

On an initial vote, Orange could only muster the support of Barry and Evans and Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), who hinted that Brown’s troubles—which include problems paying his taxes—weighed on his decision.

But it wasn’t until Councilmember Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) teared up during a particularly poignant speech that comity seemed to return to the council. “Please stop all of the backbiting and foolishness and let’s move forward,” she pleaded. The council then voted on a joint resolution appointing Mendelson and Brown to their respective posts, with only Orange dissenting.

After the vote, Mendelson stepped away from his usual seat on the far end of the council’s dais and took the chairman’s seat in the middle. Reading from prepared remarks, he noted the difficult state the council found itself in and pledged to work to improve it. “This council is tarnished…The foundation of this government is trust. We’ve lost that,” he said.

As he exited the council chambers after the session ended, Orange insisted that he would move on. “It’s over, it’s over,” he said. Both he and Mendelson have pledged to run against each other in the November special election, though, setting up another fight between the two.