WASHPO: Council Member Wants Barry Probe Expanded to Include Grant
By Tim Craig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
D.C Council member Muriel Bowser wants investigators to expand a probe of council member Marion Barry to include his role in securing nearly $300,000 in city money for a social services group accused of misusing the funds.
In a July 17 letter to council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D), Bowser (D-Ward 4) said Robert S. Bennett, the lawyer hired by the council to investigate Barry's use of taxpayer money to employ a girlfriend last year, also should look into an earmark for the National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America.
Bower's call for an expansion of the probe comes as all earmarks face intense scrutiny because of mounting evidence of inconsistencies in the way the council funds nonprofit organizations.
According to council documents obtained by The Washington Post, two employees of the foster care group allege that Louis Henderson, the executive director, engaged in "unethical" conduct in administering a $291,000 grant to provide tutoring, life skills instruction and other social services to city youths.
Barry (D-Ward 8) issued a statement last night accepting responsibility for the grant to Henderson's organization. But Barry said, "What's going on with Mr. Henderson and the employees don't have anything to do with the community investment that the program was working on."
Henderson said he was awarded a contract last spring even though he did not meet "some of the guidelines of the grant." To comply with the rules, Henderson said, he teamed with the Rev. Anthony Motley, who is a longtime adviser to Barry and heads up another educational organization.
Motley agreed to serve as the fiscal agent for the contract.
Motley said he deposited the grant money in a joint account he set up with Henderson. "Mr. Henderson was lacking some documentation, and that is why he needed a fiscal agent in order to comply with the requirements," said Motley, who said he takes a 5 percent fee for passing the city money along to Henderson.
Click HERE to continue reading.
For more Congress Heights and River East news visit The Congress Heights Examiner website, http://www.examiner.com/x-13507-Congress-Heights-Community-Examiner
Share on Facebook
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
D.C Council member Muriel Bowser wants investigators to expand a probe of council member Marion Barry to include his role in securing nearly $300,000 in city money for a social services group accused of misusing the funds.
In a July 17 letter to council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D), Bowser (D-Ward 4) said Robert S. Bennett, the lawyer hired by the council to investigate Barry's use of taxpayer money to employ a girlfriend last year, also should look into an earmark for the National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America.
Bower's call for an expansion of the probe comes as all earmarks face intense scrutiny because of mounting evidence of inconsistencies in the way the council funds nonprofit organizations.
According to council documents obtained by The Washington Post, two employees of the foster care group allege that Louis Henderson, the executive director, engaged in "unethical" conduct in administering a $291,000 grant to provide tutoring, life skills instruction and other social services to city youths.
Barry (D-Ward 8) issued a statement last night accepting responsibility for the grant to Henderson's organization. But Barry said, "What's going on with Mr. Henderson and the employees don't have anything to do with the community investment that the program was working on."
Henderson said he was awarded a contract last spring even though he did not meet "some of the guidelines of the grant." To comply with the rules, Henderson said, he teamed with the Rev. Anthony Motley, who is a longtime adviser to Barry and heads up another educational organization.
Motley agreed to serve as the fiscal agent for the contract.
Motley said he deposited the grant money in a joint account he set up with Henderson. "Mr. Henderson was lacking some documentation, and that is why he needed a fiscal agent in order to comply with the requirements," said Motley, who said he takes a 5 percent fee for passing the city money along to Henderson.
Click HERE to continue reading.
For more Congress Heights and River East news visit The Congress Heights Examiner website, http://www.examiner.com/x-13507-Congress-Heights-Community-Examiner
Share on Facebook