As expected, ANC6A Chair Kelvin Robinson, the former Chief of Staff to Mayor Anthony Williams, will run for the D.C. Council seat currently held by Phil Mendelson. Former Fenty Department of Parks and Recreation Director Clark Ray is also running in the Democratic primary.
Mendelson has been widely criticized for his role as the Chairman of the Public Safety Commmittee where he has opposed significant aspects of the Mayor's Crime bill, including stricter gun laws, stronger penalties for juvenile crime, and anti-gang measures.
According to the head of DC's police union: “There’s soft on crime, there’s softer on crime, then there’s Phil Mendelson.” This should make for an interesting and well-contested race.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
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Well, Mr. Robinson is in a bit of a quandary. ANC Commissioners are considered City employees and are thus forbidden from running for partisan office by the Hatch Act. Will he resign his Commissioner seat?
ReplyDeleteMr. Robinson has run afoul of the Hatch Act once already. The last time it cost him his job as Mayor William's Chief of Staff: http://www.dcwatch.com/mayor/050321b.htm
Mr. Robinson nor any other ANC commissioner, is not considered a city employee.
ReplyDeleteWell according the U.S. Office of Special Council, ANC Commissioners are barred from running for partisan office. From the article:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/House-moves-to-de-Hatch-DC-59227477.html
"The Hatch Act bars federal and D.C. employees from running for partisan public office, from soliciting or receiving political contributions, or from engaging in political activity while on the job. The mayor and D.C. Council are explicitly exempt, but elected advisory neighborhood commissioners and members of the State Board of Education are not, according to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel."
There are efforts to change the law in Congress but, until that happens, Mr. Robinson is in violation of the Hatch Act (again).
hmmmmmm. Then Tommy Well broke the law when he ran for City Council???
ReplyDeleteIt sure looks that way...
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those Obama "isn't really an american citizen" type arguments.
ReplyDeleteI heard Kelvin and the 3rd White House crasher--Carlos Allen (who is running for Mayor) are going to share a campaign office together. Both need the "attention".
ReplyDelete