The vote to reprimand Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans for trying to parlay his public service for personal gain “will be, I believe, a unanimous vote,” aside from Evans himself, says his Council colleague, Ward 3’s Mary Cheh.

Evans is facing rebuke after emails obtained by the Washington Post show he contacted multiple law firms for employment from his Council office, pitching his connections and experience as D.C.’s longest-serving councilmember and the chair of the Metro Board for a private sector job. Other councilmembers contend that this violates two parts of the D.C. Council Code of Conduct: “An employee may not knowingly use the prestige of office or public position for that employee’s private gain” and “Employees shall not use Council time or government resources for purposes other than official business.”

The D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability is mounting an investigation. If BEGA decides to censure Evans (or any councilmember), the Council must create an ad hoc committee to consider the board’s findings, conduct an investigation, and make recommendations for penalties, including reprimand, censure, or expulsion.

They’re not the only ones. The Metro board, of which Evans is chair, is also investigating. “In accordance with the Code of Ethics for Members of the WMATA Board of Directors, the Board has requested that the Ethics Officer review the matter regarding the Chair reported in the Washington Post,” the board said in a statement.

But these emails are not the only part of Evans’ behavior that has come under question. His relationship with an electric sign company has faced accusations of pay-to-play, and a federal grand jury and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of D.C. are now investigating.

Some councilmembers believe that a reprimand—“a formal statement of the Council officially disapproving the conduct of one of its members,” which is not punishment or discipline—doesn’t go far enough. So here’s where everyone in the John A. Wilson Building and beyond currently stands when it comes to Evans and his ongoing ethical saga:

•  Chairman Phil Mendelson: He introduced the reprimand resolution on Tuesday, calling Evans’ released emails “a violation of our code of conduct.” He says the “issue is quite clear and it doesn’t require an investigation.” For now, he is opposed to a special investigation by the D.C. Council, or stripping Evans of his chairmanship of the Finance Committee. “Other issues that are swirling are issues that are being investigated by the U.S. Attorney or by [the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability], and if we were to try to enter that field right now, they would push us back,” he told media on Tuesday. “If there are further revelations, we’ll revisit whether there should be further sanctions.”
• At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds: Bonds will be voting in favor of a reprimand, according to her spokesperson Emmanuel Brantley.
• At-Large Councilmember David Grosso: Since December, Grosso has been calling for a special committee at the Council to investigate Evans’ relationship with Digi Media, the electric sign company. After the release of Evans’ emails to law firms last week, he circulated a letter signed by two other councilmembers that called on Mendelson to establish a committee that would look into potential violations of the Council’s Code of Conduct, policy, or law, and evaluate his committee assignments. He will be voting for the reprimand, but wants more consequences for Evans. “I support reprimanding Councilmember Evans, but I do not believe it is enough,” he tells DCist over email. “As I have stated, true consequences for his behavior should, at a minimum, necessitate the reorganization of the current committee structure, including his chairmanship of the powerful Finance and Revenue Committee from which he peddled his influence using the prestige of his office. Additionally, I still believe the Council should convene an ad hoc committee to conduct its own thorough investigation into Councilmember Evans’ pattern of behavior to ensure public trust in the work of this body and then allow the Council to weigh its full options to hold him accountable.”
• At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman: Silverman signed Grosso’s letter calling for a special committee to look into Evans. While she will be voting for the reprimand, “I still favor having a special committee examine the evidence of wrongdoing—and then suggest an appropriate action to take,” Silverman says over email.
• At-Large Councilmember Robert White: White will be voting for the reprimand. “I support the reprimand of Councilmember Jack Evans, and I want to rely on the investigatory expertise of our local agencies that will identify the number and frequency of the violations and give the Council accurate information to determine the appropriate consequences,” he said in a statement. His spokesperson, Rita Lewis, clarified that the local agencies he meant were the D.C. inspector general, the WMATA Board’s ethics officer, and the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability.
• Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau: “Councilmember Nadeau plans to vote yes on the reprimand as a first step. She wants to see further action taken either through the recommendations of an ad hoc committee or through a resolution. A reprimand alone sends a message, but offers no consequences,” says her spokesperson Thomas Fazzini. Nadeau also signed onto Grosso’s letter calling for a special committee.
• Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans: Evans apologized on Tuesday.  “I would have done a lot of things different,” he said. “I certainly made some major mistakes and I want to take this opportunity to apologize to my constituents, to the residents of the District of Columbia, and to my colleagues, and so, that’s all I have to say.” He did not answer any questions, or clarify why he was apologizing. His spokesperson, Joe Florio, told DCist that it was “just a blanket statement of an apology.” He will also allow his corporate license for his consulting business to expire, reports the D.C. Line, but he has made no indication he will resign.
• Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh: Cheh will be voting for the reprimand. “As of now, the reprimand is the way to go by virtue of the emails that have been disclosed,” she tells DCist. “Maybe people will be disappointed I’m not trying to have capital punishment, but it’s proportionate, given what we know right now. I don’t think people should treat lightly being reprimanded—if I were reprimanded, I would crawl under a rock, I’d be so embarrassed and demoralized. To me, it’s a big deal.” But Cheh says that, even after the reprimand, the Evans saga will likely continue. “We still have BEGA looking into his behavior, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and grand jury looking into other behavior. I don’t think this is quite over yet.”
• Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd: Todd supports the reprimand, per Sherryl Newman, his chief of staff.
• Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie: “Councilmember Evans’ actions are a breach of the public trust. I support the Council resolution to reprimand him, as the Council must swiftly address his violation of the Council Code of Conduct,” McDuffie says over email. “I also recognize that Councilmember Evans is currently the focus of ongoing investigations by the United States Attorney’s Office and the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, and additional facts may emerge associated with those investigations that will require further Council action.”
• Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen: In an email to constituents, Allen backed the reprimand and said that a special investigation committee “may not be necessary, because frankly, the violations are right before us in black and white.” But he called for the vote to include consequences for Evans because he does “not believe a reprimand in and of itself is sufficient punishment.”
• Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray: Gray told DCist on Tuesday that he believed Mendelson struck the right balance in moving to reprimand Evans. “He is trying to show that the leadership of the Council is taking action on this situation. I think it’s a responsible effort on his part,” Gray said.
• Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White: “Councilmember White has no comments at this time,” chief of staff Wanda Lockridge told DCist over email.

Here are responses from other entities:

• Mayor Muriel Bowser: The mayor told reporters on Monday that BEGA will “make recommendations” to the D.C. Council about how the legislative body should handle Evans. Her office has not responded to further requests for comment.
• D.C. Democratic State Committee: Evans is a national committeeman for the D.C. Democratic Party, and 23 members of the D.C. Democratic State Committee called on him to resign from that role in a letter. “We are concerned that the clouds growing over your alleged activities complicate efforts to win D.C. Statehood, determine D.C.’s position in the primary calendar, and restore the faith of D.C. voters that their local Democratic Party leadership puts their interests first,” the members, which include three Ward 2 residents, write. “Your swift resignation from this position would allow DCDSC members to elect a new National Committeeman with ample time to prepare him for his role at upcoming DNC meetings and events.” The letter, notably, does not come from the Executive Committee of the D.C. Democratic Party. In a brief interview with the Post, Evans apologized to the committee members but made no indication he would step down.
• Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners: So far, 15 ANC commissioners, including two from Ward 2, and one State Board of Education member have signed their name on an open letter calling on Mendelson to remove Evans from his chairmanship of the finance committee and launch a Council investigation. On Wednesday night, ANC 1C unanimously approved a resolution to send the letter to Mendelson, according to ANC 1C05 Commissioner Damiana Dendy.
• D.C. Working Families: The advocacy group has created a petition calling on the Council to remove Evans as chair of the Finance Committee and from his post on the Judiciary Committee. “The Council cannot afford to have decisions made by a committee as consequential as Finance and Revenue continue to be marred by questions of impropriety or influence peddling,” the petition reads. “The Council also cannot have someone who is under grand jury investigation overseeing government ethics via a post on the Judiciary committee.”

Previously:
Councilmember Evans Will Face Reprimand For Emails Showing He Used Office For Personal Gain
Notes On A Scandal: WTF Is Going On With Ward 2’s Jack Evans?