jonetta rose barras: Why is some guy who represents Missouri poking in DC’s business?
Just last month, many District residents were celebrating the start of Democratic control of the U.S. House of Representatives. With this shift, DC Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, supported by Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and others, introduced H.R. 51, declaring this might be the year the House votes in favor of statehood. The recent and persistent intervention by a Missouri congressman into a procurement decision by local officials demonstrates that Norton may be dreaming or at least had better prepare to fight.
At last check, the statehood bill had only 197 co-sponsors. That makes clear not every Democrat is on board (there are 235 in the House this term). Bo Shuff, executive director of DC Vote, said the goal is to secure 218 co-sponsors as a show of majority support. “I’m thrilled where we are,” he continued, noting that his group held a Lobby Day this week, meeting with new representatives on both sides of the aisle. “I think you will see things start to move.”
Congressional representatives have been a tad distracted. They’ve had to deal with a monthslong government shutdown; a fake emergency declaration; the arrival of a U.S. attorney general who seems ready to do the bidding of a corrupt executive; and President Donald J. Trump’s former personal lawyer telling secrets.
With all that swirling around, it’s hard to fathom how Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr., the Democrat who represents the 1st District of Missouri, has the time to continue his meddling in DC government affairs. Last week, he sent a letter questioning the judgment of DC Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey DeWitt and the majority of the DC Council in approving negotiation of a sole-source contract with Intralot, the Greek-based company currently running the city’s lottery system. The CFO plans to begin talks for a new contract with Intralot that will include setting up the District’s sports wagering system.
“I am extremely curious and seeking answers as to how this sole source contract is in the best interest of the District and its citizens,” Clay wrote in his Feb. 21 letter, first reported in The Washington Post. “Rather, the action appears to assist a large international company that is facing some obvious financial difficulties.”
A day later, in the tradition of Gilda Radner, it appeared Clay had said never mind. On Twitter, Norton indicated that she had just spoken “with my good friend Rep. Lacy Clay about his inquiry on the DC lottery contract. I appreciate he is not pursuing the inquiry. Rep. Clay is an original cosponsor of my #DCStatehood bill and supports home rule.“
Obviously, Clay had not consulted with Norton prior to big-footing in local affairs. Making matters worse, after several days of silence he denied to the Post that he had, in fact, decided to rescind his request for information. For years, Republicans were the villains, injecting themselves in DC’s business on everything from needle exchange to abortions for low-income women. Now, it appears a Democrat may be ready to assume the role — over a gambling contract, no less.
Help us.
“It was surprising when we saw it from Clay, since he is a co-sponsor of the statehood bill,” said Shuff, adding that Clay should be sent the same message that’s given to Republicans: “Hands off DC. We’re perfectly capable of governing ourselves.”
Rep. Clay’s spokesperson promised me on Tuesday to “try and get a response” to the questions I raised about motivations, but I haven’t heard back. In the Post, Clay said he intends to introduce legislation on online gambling and that’s why he continues to want the CFO to respond to his queries.
Seriously? Raise your hand if you believe that lame excuse.
Who is this Clay guy, anyway?
He has been a member of the House since 2001. There were questions last year about nearly $200,000 that Clay’s congressional campaign paid his sister, a lawyer and Realtor. He claimed she provided fundraising, compliance, record-keeping and community-organizing help to his campaign. The Federal Elections Commission has rules about hiring relatives; it’s unclear whether there has been any formal action against Clay or his campaign. Currently Clay is a member of the House Financial Services Committee as well as the Government Oversight and Reform Committee.
It’s true he signed on as an original co-sponsor to the statehood bill as early as Jan. 3, 2019. Did he understand what he signed? Was it merely a formality? Perhaps the more significant question is, How did Clay become so “curious” about the lottery contract?
Speaking on WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi Show last week, Mendelson suggested that competitors who want in on the action may be creating the controversy. I mentioned in a previous column that while the council had approved the sole-source contract, I expected more spitballs to come from the sidelines.
Sources inside and outside the government mentioned that Clay may have been responding to a request from friends, including someone who may also be a fraternity brother. Among the names that surfaced during my reporting were Warren Williams, Tom Lindenfeld and Jim Hudson — all of whom should know that appealing to federal officials in matters related exclusively to the city is, as one council member said, “a no-no.”
Hudson has been involved in Democratic politics for decades. He co-chaired Adrian M. Fenty’s 2007 mayoral campaign. “I don’t know anything about what’s being done by Rep. Clay,” Hudson told me Sunday. He denied advising anyone about the current sports wagering and lottery contract.
Lindenfeld also served as an adviser to Fenty’s first mayoral campaign, and in 2014 served as a consultant in Bowser’s mayoral race. Lindenfeld was forced to leave the latter operation, following problems associated with work he’d done in the 2007 Philadelphia mayoral bid of then-U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah. Lindenfeld did not respond to my requests for comment.
Williams was a member of a team that had sought the lottery contract in 2008, which was ultimately derailed by behind-the-scenes political shenanigans involving, among others, then-CFO Natwar Gandhi, then-Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray and then-Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham. Their actions forced the city to rebid the contract in 2009; a whistleblower lawsuit followed. Oddly the initially approved bid had Intralot working in partnership with the Williams group known as W2Tech. Williams did not respond to my request for comment.
We may never know who pushed Clay to become involved. One thing is certain in my view: He won’t be the only Democrat during this current Congress to believe they have a right to second-guess and supplant the authority of local officials elected to act in the best interest of District residents.
jonetta rose barras is a DC-based freelance writer and host of The Barras Report television show. She can be reached at thebarrasreport@gmail.com.
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