DC Council Approves Ethics Reform Bill | News

WASHINGTON (AP) - The D.C. Council has approved a broad package of ethics reforms and sent it to Mayor Vincent Gray for his signature.  The
Council has been under pressure because several members and Mayor
Vincent Gray have drawn the scrutiny of federal and local
investigations.

The Council approved the bill Tuesday by a 12-1 vote. Councilmember Tommy Wells, a Ward 6 Democrat, voted no, saying the bill didn't go far enough to limit the influence of corporate donors.

Thomas joined a majority in voting
for the Ethics bill--although Thomas had not one word to say in support
of the legislation--he continues to deny all interviews: Weeks ago FBI
and IRS agents raided the councilman's home as part of a federal
investigation into his allegedly converting three hundred thousand
dollars from a kids baseball program to his personal use
 

 The bill creates an ethics board with the power to punish members for violations. It also calls for the expulsion of any councilmember who is convicted of a felony, although district voters would have to approve that provision.

The bill was amended Tuesday to allow the council to impeach a member for serious misconduct. Impeachment would require 11 votes from the 13-member council. Councilmember Marion Barry was one of two members who voted against the amendment.

Council Chairman Kwame Brown calls the Ethics bill a milestone for the
legislators. It establishes an Ethics board and code of
conduct---Legislators will be allowed to keep their outside jobs, but
the amount they can keep in their constituency services fund has been
cut in half to 40 thousand dollars.

Reported by Bruce Johnson 9NewsNow