FORMER D.C. MAYORAL CANDIDATE SULAIMON BROWN takes the stand today before the a City Council committee investigating the hiring practices of Mayor Vincent C. Gray. Mr. Brown claims he was paid by Gray campaign aides and promised a job in return for leading a smear campaign against then-incumbent Adrian M. Fenty. Mr. Brown’s appearance comes after a months-long game of cat and mouse between the former minor candidate in the 2010 mayoral race and the Government Operations and the Environment Committee, led by Ward 3 Democrat Mary M. Cheh, according to The Washington Times. A D.C. Superior Court order issued last week demanded his testimony before the committee. Mayor Gray, a Democrat, has denied the allegations.
THE D.C ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE will release the findings today of its five-month investigation into Council member Harry Thomas Jr.’s fundraising group, Team Thomas, The Washington Times reports. The new Attorney General Irvin Nathan is leading the investigation. Mr. Thomas, Ward 5 Democrat, is the chairman of the council’s Committee on Economic Development.
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METROPOLITAN POLICE ARRESTED A 25-YEAR-OLD Landover man for the fatal shooting on Friday of a McKinley Technology High School football coach, The Washington Times reports. Police charged Oma Crawford with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the weekend slaying of Ralph Thomas, 36 of Temple Hills. Mr. Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene around 8:35 p.m. Friday in the 100 block of T Street Northeast.
ONE PERSON IS DEAD AND TWO MORE ARE INJURED in an early morning stabbing in Centreville, according to the Associated Press. Fairfax County police responded to the scene around 5:30 a.m. in the 13000 block of Braddock Springs Road. One person was pronounced dead at the scene while the others were taken to a local hospital.
MARYLAND’S $34.2 BILLION BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2012 marks one of the largest state spending increases in the country next year, according to a study sponsored by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers, The Washington Times reports. The Maryland General Assembly in April passed a $34.2 billion budget, which includes $14.6 billion in general fund spending — an increase from last year’s $13.2 billion, or roughly 11 percent. The study proposes that the increase could be a sign of the state’s steps toward economy recovery but warn “their fiscal health is not likely to return to pre-recession levels for some time,” association Executive Director Dan Crippen said.
THE SIXTH-ANNUAL CINDERELLA BALL was an afternoon of dinner, dancing and dapper clothing on an otherwise ordinary Sunday afternoon, The Washington Times reports. Hosted by the House, a Woodbridge, Va.-based student leadership center, the ball is a chance for students with disabilities to attend a formal dance.
D.C. CHAIRMAN KWAME R. BROWN’S LINCOLN NAVIGATORS are back in the spotlight after emails obtained by the Washington City Paper surfaced last week that include Department of Public Works employees discussing Mr. Brown’s requests. Mr. Brown attempted to return the first luxury sport utility vehicle because he did not like the interior color. Now, both cars remain parked and in the city’s possession. The Navigators were paid for with taxpayer dollars, and Mr. Brown has said he “takes full responsibility” for the scandal, reports The Washington Times‘ Tom Howell Jr.
A D.C. POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER is due in Prince George’s County court today for charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and manslaughter. Officer Richmond Diallo Binns Phillips is held without bond for the deaths of 20-year-old Wynetta Wright and her 1-year-old daughter Jaylin. Officer Phillips is an eight-year veteran with the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington Times reporter Andrea Noble reports.
