WASHPO: Barry Tops Peers in Contract Spending
Some Work Seems To Have Little to Do With City Business
By Joe Stephens and Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 6, 2009
In recent years, D.C. Council member Marion Barry has spent far more of taxpayers' money on outside contracts than his colleagues, and he has few records indicating just what the city got in return.
Newly released documents show that from fiscal 2007 to 2009, Barry's office spent more than $252,000 on outside contracts, eclipsing the second-biggest spender, Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large), whose office spent $45,000.
The Washington Post obtained the contracts of all council members since fiscal 2005 through an open records request. The majority of council members, including Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), when he was the Ward 4 council member, awarded sole-source contracts for Web site design and newsletter production. Some of the work blurs the line between campaign activities and constituent services.
Barry (D-Ward 8) paid for a variety of consulting services, media relations assistance and temporary workers. Some of the work appears to have little connection to city business. One consultant hired to address poverty in Ward 8 lived in Ohio.
The contracts have come under scrutiny since council officials disclosed that Barry's ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt received a contract while they were in a romantic relationship last year. Their rocky affair, which became public when Barry was arrested and charged with stalking her July 4, has exposed the lack of oversight of sole-source contracts and earmarks. The charges against him were later dropped.
Watts-Brighthaupt was paid $15,000 before her contract was ended. Although she was hired to address poverty issues, she developed a program for "emerging leaders." Records show that Watts-Brighthaupt produced a draft of a report on "Emerging Leaders of Ward 8." The report's cover sheet identifies it as being produced in "spring 2009"; elsewhere in the report, a computer status line includes the wording "First Submission: -7/9/2009."
Barry's office also paid the Bowen Group $50,000 in fiscal 2007 and 2008 for helping plan a D.C. "Summit on Poverty." The firm and its chief executive, Sharon L. Bowen, are based in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Bowen did not immediately return a reporter's telephone call Wednesday.
In another instance, his council office appeared to pay for campaign-related activities.
A November invoice from Pro Image Communications states that on Oct. 1 the company fielded a "request for appearance Get out to vote for HS seniors."
A Pro Image representative accompanied Barry to a related appearance at Anacostia High School. In three other instances, documents show that the company helped Barry with media relations related to his support for the appointment of Roland W. Burris (D-Ill.) to the U.S. Senate. Pro Image was paid $83,000 over three fiscal years.
Go 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
By Joe Stephens and Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 6, 2009
In recent years, D.C. Council member Marion Barry has spent far more of taxpayers' money on outside contracts than his colleagues, and he has few records indicating just what the city got in return.
Newly released documents show that from fiscal 2007 to 2009, Barry's office spent more than $252,000 on outside contracts, eclipsing the second-biggest spender, Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large), whose office spent $45,000.
The Washington Post obtained the contracts of all council members since fiscal 2005 through an open records request. The majority of council members, including Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), when he was the Ward 4 council member, awarded sole-source contracts for Web site design and newsletter production. Some of the work blurs the line between campaign activities and constituent services.
Barry (D-Ward 8) paid for a variety of consulting services, media relations assistance and temporary workers. Some of the work appears to have little connection to city business. One consultant hired to address poverty in Ward 8 lived in Ohio.
The contracts have come under scrutiny since council officials disclosed that Barry's ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt received a contract while they were in a romantic relationship last year. Their rocky affair, which became public when Barry was arrested and charged with stalking her July 4, has exposed the lack of oversight of sole-source contracts and earmarks. The charges against him were later dropped.
Watts-Brighthaupt was paid $15,000 before her contract was ended. Although she was hired to address poverty issues, she developed a program for "emerging leaders." Records show that Watts-Brighthaupt produced a draft of a report on "Emerging Leaders of Ward 8." The report's cover sheet identifies it as being produced in "spring 2009"; elsewhere in the report, a computer status line includes the wording "First Submission: -7/9/2009."
Barry's office also paid the Bowen Group $50,000 in fiscal 2007 and 2008 for helping plan a D.C. "Summit on Poverty." The firm and its chief executive, Sharon L. Bowen, are based in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Bowen did not immediately return a reporter's telephone call Wednesday.
In another instance, his council office appeared to pay for campaign-related activities.
A November invoice from Pro Image Communications states that on Oct. 1 the company fielded a "request for appearance Get out to vote for HS seniors."
A Pro Image representative accompanied Barry to a related appearance at Anacostia High School. In three other instances, documents show that the company helped Barry with media relations related to his support for the appointment of Roland W. Burris (D-Ill.) to the U.S. Senate. Pro Image was paid $83,000 over three fiscal years.
Go 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