Press Release: Statement on Ad Hoc Committee vote to Expel Councilmember Evans

By Press Release On Dec 3, 2019 Last updated Dec 3, 2019

News Release — Office of DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

CONTACT:

Lindsey Walton

Tuesday December 3, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC – DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson released the following statement regarding the Ad Hoc Committee vote to expel Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans from the Council:

“We were each elected to represent the public. We were not elected to un-elect our colleagues. The voters are supreme: they decide whom to elect, and whom to vote out of office. For each of us our compact with the public is unilateral. So the circumstances must be extreme for the Council as a body to intervene.

After months of revelations and a thorough investigative report by O’Melveny & Myers, everyone agrees that Mr. Evans’ conduct is far worse than simply inappropriate. The public’s trust in our government – in the Council, particularly – has been shattered. Over and over, people question the integrity of our votes because of a pattern and practice of one member, Mr. Evans, to participate when he should not have because of proven conflicts of interest.

The foundation of good government is trust. We have lost that. It will take time to rebuild. But it won’t be rebuilt if the Council’s reaction to this scandal is merely a censure vote. The trust won’t be rebuilt as long as Mr. Evans remains on the Council. While the issue of one person’s behavior is important, concern about the status of our institution is more critical.

Citizens expect us to be the best. Not just our best selves, but a cut above everyone else. Yet, in fact, we are just ordinary people. Nevertheless, citizens have the right to hold us to basic standards of trust, honesty, and integrity. We hold ourselves out to exemplify these standards when we run for election, and when we fail to uphold these standards, our troubles are our doing.

It is a sad day when legislators must vote to expel one of their colleagues. And it is very sad for Mr. Evans and his family who never wished this. But when it comes to the reputation of the Council, I have to put principle above friendship and partisanship.

I expect that the full Council will receive the Ad Hoc Committee’s report on December 17^th, will set a hearing for the first week in January, and will vote on expulsion two weeks later.”

– 30 –