Representation for Ward 8 at Risk
A series of important events affecting our communities
Representation for Ward 8 residents is under attack. As you may have heard, Councilmember Trayon White (D, Ward 8) was arrested on a criminal complaint of bribery on August 18th. The claim alleges that White accepted payments in exchange for the extension of contracts with the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE). The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI, the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office.
Not unlike many other council members who have been involved in scandals and/or criminally charged, Trayon White is not perfect. The violence interruption programs that he supports are being credited for reducing crime and violence in Ward 8. If fully supported, they could transform policing to one that is more community-based. An increase in the number of violence interrupters may also result in a decrease in the need for the current number of patrol officers, something that the Office of the DC Auditor’s MPD audit suggests is needed. Trayon White’s involvement in a potential bribery case could jeopardize those programs. What's more consequential, is that the case could leave Ward 8 without DC council representation, in a city filled with residents who are not given equal representation in congress.
On Monday, September 9th at 7pm many residents of Ward 8 and the city at-large signed into a virtual community town hall hosted by Harriet’s Wildest Dreams (HWD) titled “What’s at Stake for Ward 8”. The meeting was facilitated by HWD’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, NeeNee Taylor and HWD Policy Organizer, Jillian Burford. Who, after grounding the meeting in the organization's principles, gave the virtual floor to Councilmember Robert White (D, At-large) to go over what will, and what may happen next in regards to Trayon White’s seat on the DC Council and several committees.
The participants at the start of the meeting numbered over 30 people and many more joined as the meeting went on. Councilmember White’s arrest has sparked concern from residents in Ward 8.
Who will represent the residents of Ward 8? Will White be allowed to stay on the ballot in the upcoming election? Are the At Large Councilmembers even capable of representing Ward 8 and advocating for her residents when none of the current At-Large council members managed to gain the confidence of more than 50% of Ward 8 voters during the last general elections?
Robert White got 32.16% and Christina Hernderson got 8.72% of the Ward 8 votes in the 2020 general election (Vincent Orange got 25.87% of the Ward 8 votes that year). Anita Bonds got 47.3% and Kenyan McDuffie got 23.32% of the Ward 8 votes in the 2022 general election.
During his presentation R. White said that Trayon White’s council seat and voting privileges are at risk from the DC Council. “The council will likely vote to remove Trayon’s council voting rights,” White said during the virtual town hall. NeeNee Taylor stopped the clock to point out that this would effectively remove Ward 8’s representation on the city council. Many attendees in the chat shared her concerns. Is the city council and mayor actively thinking about what effect that might have on an already disenfranchised and traditionally underserved community?
Community meetings like this one are a perfect example of the strength that Ward 8 residents continue to foster throughout uncertainties like this.
After R. White we heard from Jillian Burford on what the possibilities are for council action against Trayon White:
Censure which is an official reprimand needs a 2/3 vote to pass
Expulsion, the most punitive of punishments, needs a 5/6 vote to pass
Both of these punishments need “substantial evidence” to pass according to the council rules (period XXIV , page 80). The only case of expulsion in the history of the DC Council is former longtime councilmember Jack Evans in 2019 and he resigned before the council officially passed the resolution.
Later, Stuart Anderson, a longtime community leader and founder of Friends and Family of Incarcerated People (FFOIP), gave a prepared statement from Ward 8 Dems.
“We take these allegations very seriously and believe that our elected officials should be held to the highest standards of integrity and values in public office. While these charges are severe, we must remember that Councilmember White is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
Anderson goes on to promote voter turnout as a method to combat the threat of a Republican gaining the Ward 8 council seat. Community members in the chat shared skepticism at this fear but agreed with the importance of civic participation.
Qiana Johnson, Co-Founder of Harriet Wildest Dream, and Conductor of their Ida B Free pillar, focused on participatory defense. Her presentation explained various legal terms useful in understanding what will happen with Trayon White’s criminal case.
Some of the terms included :
Indictment: formal charge against the accused after a grand jury determines that there's enough evidence for a possible conviction.
Trial: a formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.
Entrapment (a legal defense): when law enforcement induces a person to commit a crime that they wouldn't have otherwise committed
If you know some DC history then you might also know that DC has a history of entrapment cases most notably, our mayor for life, Marion Barry.
Many mainstream media outlets are essentially reporting that Trayon is sure to be found guilty but during the community town hall many called for reminders that we are all innocent until proven guilty in this country. As an elected official, he continues to represent Ward 8 until voters decide otherwise. Federal charges don't change that immediately, and with an upcoming election, we'll find out soon enough who Ward 8 residents choose to represent them.