To: Chairman Phil Mendelson

CC: Councilmembers Brianne Nadeau, Mary Cheh, Brandon Todd, Kenyan McDuffie, Charles Allen, Vince Gray, Trayon White, Anita Bonds, David Grosso, Elissa Silverman, and Robert White.

Dear Chairman Mendelson,

We, the undersigned, call for you to exercise your power as Chair of the Council to remove Councilmember Jack Evans as Chair of the Finance and Revenue Committee and from his post on the Judiciary Committee.

Councilmember Evans’ misconduct has been well documented in the Washington City Paper, Washington Post, District Dig, and other media. His blatant attempts to use his public office for private financial gain, and the fact that he is now under investigation by a grand jury , make it impossible for him to continue business as usual.

The loss of public trust, and even the perception of corruption or abuse of that trust, casts a pall over government decisions. In this case, the abuse of the public trust goes far beyond mere perception. The Council cannot afford to have decisions made by a committee as consequential as Finance and Revenue continue to be marred by questions of impropriety or influence peddling. The Council also cannot have someone who is under grand jury investigation overseeing government ethics via a post on the Judiciary committee.

In similar circumstances in the past, Councilmembers have lost their posts as Committee chairs, and there is no reason this case should be any different.

Sincerely,

(Please email mhanson@workingfamilies.org if you would like your organization listed as a sponsor.)