New DC Mayoral Poll!

The Democratic Mayoral Primary race has become too close to call according to a poll taken by Bernard Demczuk, Assistant Vice President at George Washington University. The contest is clearly between Fenty and Cropp.

Demczuk a longtime democratic activist surveyed voters in all eight wards and says the voters he sampled at local Super Markets reflect the historic voting populations and patterns in city-wide elections. Here’s what he found! Adrian Fenty got 41.20%, Linda Cropp 38.00%, Michael Brown 8.60%, Vincent Orange 6.50%, Marie Johns 3.80%, undecided 1.60%.

 

650 voting Democrats at 25 sites were surveyed from Mid April to May 6^th.

Demczuk says women were more represented than men because they vote in greater numbers.

 

The race for Council Chairman is too close to call if you believe his numbers!

Vincent Gray has 47.60% and Kathy Patterson has 47.50%.

 

For the At Large Council seat the incumbent is clearly ahead.

Phil Mendelson has 57.90% compared to Scott Bolden’s 33.49%

 

The demographics were broken down this way by Demczuk; Blacks 64.90%, White 31.60%, Hispanics 2.70%, Asian .60%

 

From his Super Market survey Demczuk concludes in part that voters in general feel satisfied with the quality of life in the city; but do not feel the city is heading in the right direction. Blacks in particular he concludes are very angry at the lack of affordable housing, poor education and crime. Whites on the other hand are generally pleased with the city and its government. Many whites, however believe the city government must prevent the city from becoming all rich and all white.

 

In what might come as a surprise to some, Demczuk says the new stadium and building a new hospital virtually never surfaced as issues, not even in black neighborhoods.

 

It should be pointed out that Bernard Demczuk’s survey is weighted toward a larger than usual black turnout.

Gwen Hemphill

In my thirty years of covering DC, I can’t think of a more tragic ending to a public servant’s career! Gwen Hemphill stood before US District Court judge Richard Leon on Monday, May 22^nd and said “to my God, family and friends, I am deeply sorry and ashamed...I wanted (Washington Teachers Union President) Ms. Bullock’s approval…who I thought of as a mother figure...I put aside my faith, my values."

In those two sentences, I suppose the former WTU office manager and Co-Chair of Mayor Tony Williams re-election campaign was trying to explain how a career - a life - could turn so wrong!

I may be wrong; but it seems to me Judge Richard Leon felt that putting this 64 year old grandmother with questionable fragile mental and physical conditions away for the next eleven years is kind of like killing an ant with a stick of dynamite! Before passing sentence Judge Leon said to Hemphill, “I will never understand...The legacy you might have left your grandchildren has been destroyed”.

However, Leon refused prosecutors call for a 19 year sentence. He said, “If I could sentence you to community service for hundreds of hours, and be a model, I would."

Federal guidelines that originated in a Congress hell bent on appearing tough white collar criminals didn’t give the judge more discretion. In sentencing Hemphill to 132 months, Leon told her “you will bear the burden of your conduct for the rest of your life." He said her actions had cost DC teachers more than four million dollars.

Hemphill will remain free for another two months. On July 22, she’ll report to a federal prison; probably in Alderson West Virginia where the Washington Teachers Union President is serving time. Bullock, the 65 year old mastermind of the four million dollar embezzlement scheme, got two years less than Hemphill because of a plea bargain and her agreeing to testify against both Hemphill and WTU secretary Treasurer James Baxter will be sentenced on June 5.

Candidates, Schools, Baseball

I hope you watched the second DC Mayoral Debate on 9 News this past Wednesday. It aired at 9am but you can still watch it right here on your computer; here’s my take! The five major Democratic Candidates have squared off more than twenty times and their performances show it. They are polished, well informed on the issues and know what their opponents are going to say; privately everyone is saying it’s still Adrian Fenty’s race to lose! He leads Cropp by single percentages in the polls. If that’s true Fenty didn’t hurt himself and his opponents failed to lay a big glove on him in the one hour broadcast. Linda Cropp appears to be the establishment candidate whether she wants to or not; getting Mayor Tony William’s endorsement only drives the point home. It both helps and hurts; but she’s right when she says that any of these candidates would have quickly accepted such an anointment from the Mayor. During the debate Cropp seems to have too many facts. Viewers get lost in the many programs, dates and dollar amounts. Privately I’m told the Council Chairman is conducting her own poll and should know the results fairly soon. Michael Brown and Marie Johns continue to impress; but the question everyone continues to ask is can they win? Same for Vincent Orange who is emerging as the on camera candidate with the best lines and most energy!

The next most sought after endorsement? Would you believe …Marion Barry?

On a baseball matter. Marion Barry and other losing council members raised a lot of questions about how little money the minority partners put up to become part of the winning Ted Lerner team. My sources say in some instances the amount was a mere $100,000!

On the DC schools? What’s the talk about turning the sometimes troubled Ballou Senior High in Southeast DC over to a private entity without public debate?

Barry response!

Its 11PM; time for the Saturday night edition of 9News. I’m on the set with my Co-Anchor partner Jennifer Ryan when I get the call from producer Mark Keefer. “Marion Barry is on the phone”! Obviously, I can’t stop the newscast; but Councilman Barry was still holding on the line 28 minutes and thirty seconds after the broadcast was over and I was walking back into the newsroom.

“Lies…its all Lies”! In a nutshell that was the former Mayor’s response to the exclusive report that we just aired. It’s all in the proceeding blog so I’ll just go with Barry’s comments here.

Mr. Barry confirms that he was in his Probation Officer’s quarters at the US the District Courthouse on Friday after his minor traffic accident hours before at 12:05am; but Barry insists the “random “ test was expected and he had a previously scheduled meeting with his PO for that day anyway. Our sources say Barry is playing real loose with his facts.

Barry says he took the urine test and learned immediately that it came back negative, like the other tests he has taken since his probation began. I checked back with our sources. They say Barry is probably right! There are two types of tests. One goes out for a few days to a private lab. The other is conducted right on the spot.

Barry says he was not told he could not leave town. “That’s another lie”! According to the Councilman. Our sources say, again Barry is not telling the truth. The Councilman wanted to fly out of town to visit a relative; but was told No! He had unfinished business with the PO...

The one thing Marion Barry does volunteer and my sources confirm is that he refused to allow US Capitol police to administer an alcohol breathalyzer test to him on the spot at first and south capitol streets early Friday morning.

Barry says he didn’t trust Capitol Police so he insisted that he be driven to MPD’s nearest station where he was tested and showed very little alcohol in his system. Barry told me by phone (It’s now 2:05 Sunday morning) that he had a small glass of champagne Friday night. He refused to say if he had been drinking when questioned by Lesli Foster on the air Sunday morning. Barry says he will fight the citation he was given for allegedly pulling his car from a parking space into the path of a Sports Utility Vehicle. He also charged that there are elements in the federal establishment that are trying to discredit them and this reporter and station should know better…..

Marion Barry in Trouble with his Probation Officer!

DC Sources tell me that Marion Barry’s Probation Officer hauled him into his office at the US District Courthouse late Friday for a random Drug test! This after the former Mayor was cited for a minor traffic accident on First Street in Southeast. The time was 12:05 am and Barry says he was leaving a meeting or celebration with a friend when he pulled his 1990 Mercedes out of a parking space into the path of a second vehicle.

DC Police took Barry to the station where he passed a breath test for alcohol; but Barry’s Probation Officer wants to know if the 70 year old Ward Eight Councilman is DRUG free! The time, place and location where MB was socializing have court officials suspicious. Barry tested positive for cocaine and marijuana last November after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge for failing to file his federal and District income tax returns. Random drug testing is part of MB’s probation.

Results from the urine sample won’t be known for a few days according to sources. If Barry’s urine comes back positive for drugs, the judge could order him into inpatient treatment. My source says jail time is not likely. Barry associates say he had planned to travel out of town on Friday and begged out of the urine test. His P.O. wouldn’t have it and ordered Barry to report immediately!

Lerners Looking to Score Quickly!l

Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday May 3^rd, that Washington billionaire developer Ted Lerner would become the new owner of the Nationals. Today, less than a week later DC Sources tell me the Lerner family isn’t wasting time in putting its mark on the new home team and the new stadium project.

There was a private meeting Monday, May 8^th at Lerner headquarters with Ted and son Mark Lerner presiding. Also there, Ed Cohen, a son in law. Sitting across from the Lerners and their senior managers were the city government team headed by Sports and Entertainment Commission Chairman Mark Touhey and Allen Lew the man who is riding point on the publicly funded 611 million dollar stadium construction project.

That first meeting was described as basically an introduction. But a second working meeting is already set for Wednesday May 10^th, at RFK.

Mayoral News

Sources tell me that Mayor Tony Williams and Linda Cropp have been in serious discussions that will result in the mayor endorsing Linda Cropp to succeed him as mayor. I'm told the endorsement could come any day now.

On a personal note - there's an email circulating among friends of former first lady Effi Barry. The Barry family confirmed to me that she is at home battling a very serious illness.

Secret Baseball Meeting

If the Ted Lerner (pictured left) group gets the anointment from Major League to buy the Washington Nats, I’m told the deal was probably sealed during a private meeting last Monday, April 24^th at a private gathering in Northwest DC. Sources who were present tell me that MLB President Bob Dupuy traveled to town for a meeting with the Lerner team that was held in the Spring Valley home of Ed Cohen, son in law to Ted and one of the main players in the Lerner bid to buy the Nats.

Sources say Dupuy was really interested in seeing up close Lerner’s minority partners and making sure their total dollar investment was at least ten percent of the $450 million dollar purchase price that MLB has set. Baseball says it wants real investors and not just show pieces. Those gathered for the meeting were told baseball is impressed with the Lerner team, in particular its clear line of succession that would keep the team in the family for years to come; however baseball also expressed concern that none of the top city officials is supporting the Lerner group. MLB wanted assurances that the Lerner team would be able to smooth things over with local officials who would almost certainly be disappointed should Ted and company be awarded the Nats, beating out the Fred Malik and Jeff Smulyan teams..

Edward Cohen