WASHPO: Marion Barry's role in grant probed
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Excerpt:
By Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 28, 2010; 9:52 PM
As Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray were cracking down on earmarking city funds last year, council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) worked to push through a large transfer to the struggling Historical Society of Washington, D.C., for exhibits at its downtown building.
Thomas won council approval of a $1 million grant to the financially strapped nonprofit group, using money that was transferred from the Department of Parks and Recreation to the D.C. Public Library and on to the historical society. And council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) acknowledged in an interview that he contacted the chief financial officer's office when the group's last payment of $250,000 was delayed.
The $1 million transfer came to light last week after the District sued the historical society for failing to repay an additional $250,000 the city officials said was accidentally deposited into the group's bank account in June. Since then, Barry has been trying to get the CFO's office to clear up the debt.
Thomas said the expenditure was not an earmark but a transfer of capital funds to the city-owned Carnegie Library. The society holds a 99-year lease to the library at 8th and K streets NW across from Walter E. Washington Convention Center. "That's a piece of history," Thomas said.
Thomas said he and Barry did not speak about the grant, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2009. But several government and historical society sources said Bellamy complained to city officials, including Barry, that the D.C. Public Library was slow in making the money available to the society.
In an interview, Barry acknowledged he called the chief financial officer's office in June about the final payment. "I sure did. What's wrong with that?" said Barry, who added that he has made similar calls on behalf of other groups.
However, he would not address allegations by government sources that he and the society's executive director, Sandy Bellamy, are romantically involved. He would only say that he and Bellamy, who accompanied him to a gala for the D.C. Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, are friends. Bellamy declined to comment on their relationship.
Excerpt:
By Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 28, 2010; 9:52 PM
As Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray were cracking down on earmarking city funds last year, council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) worked to push through a large transfer to the struggling Historical Society of Washington, D.C., for exhibits at its downtown building.
Thomas won council approval of a $1 million grant to the financially strapped nonprofit group, using money that was transferred from the Department of Parks and Recreation to the D.C. Public Library and on to the historical society. And council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) acknowledged in an interview that he contacted the chief financial officer's office when the group's last payment of $250,000 was delayed.
The $1 million transfer came to light last week after the District sued the historical society for failing to repay an additional $250,000 the city officials said was accidentally deposited into the group's bank account in June. Since then, Barry has been trying to get the CFO's office to clear up the debt.
Thomas said the expenditure was not an earmark but a transfer of capital funds to the city-owned Carnegie Library. The society holds a 99-year lease to the library at 8th and K streets NW across from Walter E. Washington Convention Center. "That's a piece of history," Thomas said.
Thomas said he and Barry did not speak about the grant, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2009. But several government and historical society sources said Bellamy complained to city officials, including Barry, that the D.C. Public Library was slow in making the money available to the society.
In an interview, Barry acknowledged he called the chief financial officer's office in June about the final payment. "I sure did. What's wrong with that?" said Barry, who added that he has made similar calls on behalf of other groups.
However, he would not address allegations by government sources that he and the society's executive director, Sandy Bellamy, are romantically involved. He would only say that he and Bellamy, who accompanied him to a gala for the D.C. Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, are friends. Bellamy declined to comment on their relationship.