D.C. Mayor Fenty comes under fire

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By David C. Lipscomb

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty had just wrapped up a morning news conference on federal stimulus dollars going to a local internship program.

As usual for the mayor's multitude of announcements and appearances, a handful of reporters lingered to ask about subjects not on the agenda.

On Monday, it was bicycling. Mr. Fenty, a well-known triathlete, was confronted by a reporter from a local news radio station about video showing Mr. Fenty and his bicycling team running stops signs and red lights and slowing traffic along D.C. area roads with a motorcycle police officer in tow.

Mr. Fenty answered the inquiries with comments about exercise and road safety.

"Do I strike that balance each and every time I ride my bicycle? No," Mr. Fenty said. "Should I do a better job? Yes. Will I? I will work as hard as humanly possible."

He referred questions about the use of a motorcycle escort to the Metropolitan Police Department.

WTOP Radio investigative reporter Mark Segraves broke the story later Monday. It was immediately held up by a D.C. Council member and the police union chairman as an example of the mayor abusing the power of his office.

The story was just the latest to strike the theme.

The 38-year-old mayor won all 143 precincts in the city's Democratic primary three years ago after a populist campaign largely based on a record of fulfilling constituent service requests as a council member.

But since spring he increasingly has come under fire for what some describe as a heavy-handed, authoritarian style of governing.