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Va. state Sen. Dick Saslaw blasts D.C. politicians for ethical lapses Va. Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw blasts D.C. politicians for ethical lapses
(about 1 hour later)
A Virginia state senator mocked the legal troubles of D.C. politicians at a meeting in Alexandria on Tuesday night, saying “there’s got to be a shuttle bus between the penitentiary and [the D.C.] Council” after scandals involving city lawmakers, and describing Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) as “up to his ass in alligators.” A Virginia state senator mocked the legal troubles of D.C. politicians at a meeting in Alexandria on Tuesday night, saying “there’s got to be a shuttle bus between the penitentiary and [the D.C.] Council” after scandals involving city lawmakers and describing Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) as “up to his ass in alligators.”
State Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (Fairfax), the Senate majority leader, attacked his fellow Democrats while briefing the Alexandria City Council on an ethics bill that was watered down, then passed, during Virginia’s recently concluded legislative session. Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (Fairfax), the Senate majority leader, attacked fellow Democrats while briefing the Alexandria City Council on an ethics bill that was watered down and then passed in Virginia’s recently concluded legislative session.
Saslaw said, as he has before, that you can’t force politicians to behave more ethically simply by passing legislation. A case in point, he said: this week’s revelation, from businessman Jeffrey Thompson, that Gray knew of an illegal, off-the-books fundraising effort by Thompson on his behalf. Another: the recent criminal convictions of former D.C. Council members Harry Thomas Jr., Kwame Brown and Michael A. Brown. Saslaw said, as he has before, that you can’t force politicians to behave more ethically simply by passing legislation. A case in point, he said: this week’s revelation, from businessman Jeffrey Thompson, that Gray knew of an illegal, off-the-books fundraising effort by Thompson on his behalf. Another: the criminal convictions of former D.C. Council members Harry Thomas Jr., Kwame R. Brown and Michael A. Brown.
“Hell, in D.C., there’s got to be a shuttle bus between the penitentiary and that City Council chambers,” Saslaw said. “They got three, three since last election have gone to jail or resigned, and the mayor’s up to his ass in alligators.” “Hell, in D.C., there’s got to be a shuttle bus between the penitentiary and that city council chambers,” Saslaw said. “They got three, three since last election have gone to jail or resigned, and the mayor’s up to his ass in alligators.”
[Watch Saslaw’s remarks.][Watch Saslaw’s remarks.]
Thomas, who pleaded guilty to two felony counts of embezzlement, is serving a three-year prison sentence. Kwame Brown, who pleaded guilty to bank fraud and misuse of campaign funds, spent less than a day behind bars as part of his sentence. Michael Brown is on supervised release. Thomas (D), who pleaded guilty to two felony counts of embezzlement, is serving a three-year prison sentence. Kwame Brown (D), who pleaded guilty to bank fraud and misuse of campaign funds, spent less than a day behind bars as part of his sentence. Michael Brown (I) is on supervised release.
Saslaw also took a slap at Prince George’s County that dates back to 2010, when then-County Executive Jack Johnson was arrested for masterminding a corruption conspiracy that netted him as much as $1 million in bribes and implicated his wife, Leslie Johnson, and several developers, county officials and businessmen. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. Saslaw also took a slap at Prince George’s County that dates back to 2010, when then-County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) was arrested for masterminding a corruption conspiracy that netted him as much as $1 million in bribes and implicated his wife, County Council member-elect Leslie Johnson (D), and several developers, county officials and businessmen. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.
“A county executive had taken hundreds of thousands worth of bribes,” Saslaw said. “His wife -- and that must have been some bra, because when the FBI broke in, entered the house, she had $77,000 in $100 bills in there, plus she just flushed $100,000 check down the toilet. Their laws on reporting campaign contributions and everything are far stricter than ours.” “A county executive had taken hundreds of thousands worth of bribes,” Saslaw said. “His wife — and that must have been some bra, because when the FBI broke in, entered the house, she had $77,000 in $100 bills in there, plus she just flushed $100,000 check down the toilet. Their laws on reporting campaign contributions and everything are far stricter than ours.”
The tirade brought a dry rebuke from D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), who pointed out that Virginia most certainly does have ethics problems of its own, including the indictment in January on corruption charges of former governor Robert L. McDonnell (R). The tirade brought a dry rebuke from D.C. Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), who pointed out that Virginia most certainly does have ethics problems of its own, including the indictment in January on corruption charges of former governor Robert L. McDonnell (R).
“One need only look to the last sitting Republican governor, who appears to be up to his ass in alligators,” said Evans, who is running against Gray in the District’s April 1 mayoral primary. “Those who live in glass houses should refrain from throwing stones.” “One need only look to the last sitting Republican governor, who appears to be up to his ass in alligators,” said Evans, who is running against Gray in the District’s April 1 mayoral primary. “Those who live in glass houses should refrain from throwing stones.”
Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille (D), who was presiding at the meeting Tuesday night, said he was concerned about the senator’s remarks and tried to interrupt, but Saslaw spoke too quickly.Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille (D), who was presiding at the meeting Tuesday night, said he was concerned about the senator’s remarks and tried to interrupt, but Saslaw spoke too quickly.
“This isn’t a church but I was trying to keep it clean,” Euille said. “That’s why I wanted to cut him off. Was it inappropriate? Perhaps yes.” “This isn’t a church, but I was trying to keep it clean,” Euille said. “That’s why I wanted to cut him off. Was it inappropriate? Perhaps yes.”
A spokesperson for Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, who has spent much of his first term promoting anti-corruption efforts, did not have an immediate response to Saslaw’s remarks. Nor did Gray’s office. A spokesman for Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker (D), who has spent much of his first term promoting anti-corruption efforts, did not have an immediate response to Saslaw’s remarks. Nor did Gray’s office.
“All I did was state the truth,” Saslaw said Wednesday afternoon. “What’s there to feel sorry for? Either you’re honest or you’re not . . . You got to elect people who can distinguish between right and wrong. People will look for shortcuts, but short cuts get you in trouble. “All I did was state the truth,” Saslaw said Wednesday afternoon. “What’s there to feel sorry for? Either you’re honest or you’re not. . . . You got to elect people who can distinguish between right and wrong. People will look for shortcuts, but shortcuts get you in trouble.
“But if anybody was offended by what I said, I apologize.”“But if anybody was offended by what I said, I apologize.”
Mike DeBonis and Patrick Svitek contributed to this report. In January, Saslaw called the U.S. attorney’s office on behalf of McDonnell to attest to his character.