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Photo by brian hefele on Flickr.
Once you pop, the scandals don't stop: Andi Pringle, Mayor Gray's new deputy chief of staff, resigned after only 10 days. Pringle admitted to voting in DC while living in Maryland. ... Chiefs of staff tend not to hang around too long. (City Paper)

Driver intentionally hits cyclist: A pickup truck driver intentionally hit a cyclist on Rhode Island Avenue, knocking him to the ground. WABA says the law is inadequate to deal with this and is pushing a private right of action for intentional cyclist assault.

House bill doesn't cut Metro funding: The initial House transportation appropriations bill does include WMATA's $150 million for repairs this year, Bob McCartney notes. House Republicans tried to cut it in an earlier round, but it survived in the final agreement. It's on page 37 of the bill text.

Silver Line snippets: Rep. Frank Wolf inserted language into an appropriations bill to give Virginia the majority of seats on the MWAA board. Meanwhile, the feds are close to committing funding to the second phase of the Silver Line. (Examiner)

Don't photograph anything in DC: DC police want online tipsters to report "suspicious" activities, including, "Taking photographs or videos of security features, such as security cameras or security check points." Since every federal building includes an abundance of security cameras and checkpoints, every innocent tourist will now be under suspicion.

Mark Center: planning disaster, terror disaster: A recent report cites the vulnerability of Mark Center to a truck bombing. DoD relocated many employees from transit-rich locations in Arlington to the transit-poor Mark Center to reduce leasing costs. (Time)

Cathedral crane crashes: A crane repairing earthquake damage at the National Cathedral tipped over yesterday and crashed onto several buildings. Only the crane operator was hurt. (Post)

Great Streets delay elicits ire: Mayor Gray's plan to reduce funding for the Great Streets project on Lower Georgia Avenue has upset residents who are now petitioning the Council to prevent the cut. (TBD)

And...: It's taking longer to inspect and modernize Metro's escalators. (Examiner) ... Drunk driving wasn't always considered a serious danger. (TBD) ... A third farmers market opens east of the Anacostia. (DCist)

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Eric Fidler has lived in DC and suburban Maryland his entire life. He likes long walks along the Potomac and considers the L'Enfant Plan an elegant work of art. He also blogs at Left for LeDroit, LeDroit Park's (only) blog of record. 

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RE: driver intentionally hits bicyclist

We don't need new legislation or new laws to address this. We need the existing laws to be enforced.

When a driver intentionally hits a pedestrian and bicyclist, it is assault with a deadly weapon, plain and simple. The bicyclist should petition or apply for criminal charges to be pressed against the driver. In addition, the bicyclist should file a civil suit for medical expensive, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Our existing laws handle this just fine, if they are exercised and enforced.

by Alan on Sep 8, 2011 9:10 am • linkreport

Pringle admitted to voting in DC while living in Maryland.

So..., is voting fraud a felony or not?
Also, will the DC electoral committee take measures to prevent voter fraud in the future?

Driver intentionally hits cyclist

Since there is video evidence, I'd think that assault with a deadly weapon should not be hard to prove in court. Not sure the law needs to be changed. What needs to change is the attitude of "the law", i.e. the police towards bikers.

every innocent tourist will now be under suspicion.

Welcome in Washington, DC, capital of the land of the free.

Mark Center: planning disaster, terror disaster

It can not be smart to put a secret data mining operation on top of a hill, next to a 12 lane highway. What was wrong with Ft Belvoir North? Speaking of that, the opening of the new center there is causing mayhem on the Fairfax County Parkway exit to itself (formerly Rolling Rd), because the new exit has not finished yet.

Thanks Feds! Great timing!

Metro's escalators

Today, only one out of four escalators broken in Rosslyn. Better than yesterday, but it was still on of the upgoing ones. What do those three station managers do?

by Jasper on Sep 8, 2011 9:16 am • linkreport

The cyclist is waiting for MPD to do it's investigation before taking further action. The need to positively ID the driver. The woman in the red car gave her information and is willing to be a witness. We'll see if the district prosecutes.

by thump on Sep 8, 2011 9:18 am • linkreport

I thought the near daily failures in the old Barry era administrations was hilarious to watch, but I have to give credit where it is due...Gray is certainly trying hard to give Barry era failure a run for its money.

Out in 10 days because a supposed skilled political operator committed felony voting fraud and also apparently operated her business in the District with a lapsed business license. Simply amazing.

I give her credit though. Atleast she left of her own accord and right of way, rather than Grays first batch of failure who stuck around collecting the biggest paychecks they had ever seen until they were let go.

by freely on Sep 8, 2011 9:18 am • linkreport

re: Driver intentionally hits cyclist:

That video is pretty horrifying. Why does there need to be a special law? Isn't this just aggravated assault? If a guy walked up to someone on the street and took a swing at them with a baseball bat, wouldn't it be aggravated assault? Whats the difference between a bat and a car as far as deadliness of the weapon? Can any DC lawyers or cops explain the law here?

by DAJ on Sep 8, 2011 9:23 am • linkreport

To those saying "don't existing laws already cover this?!"

They probably do, but since law enforcement usually seems to take the position that people on bikes or walking should just get out of the way of cars, these cases are often ignored. Though luckily it looks like in this case they are following up.

by MLD on Sep 8, 2011 9:31 am • linkreport

As others have pointed out above, there are exiting criminal charges that fit this conduct, including serious felony charges, such as assault with a deadly weapon. There is no requirement that an officer witness the crime occurring in order to prosecute the driver, or even, frankly, to make an arrest if circumstances warrant If the cyclist and driver of the red car found a cruiser at the next intersection and told the officer, "Hey, that guy in the green Toyota pickup with orange pylons sitting in its bed just drove straight into this cyclist, after yelling and swearing at him," that's enough for MPD to stop the driver, arrest him, and charge him.

by Paula Product on Sep 8, 2011 9:36 am • linkreport

@Freely, based on your beliefs (nonobjective as they are) we should reading soon that Pringle is being prosecuted. That is what happens when felony's are committed isn't it?

As a DC resident, I feel really bad for the next mayor, whomever it may be...because the environment created by the media and other radicals will make governing..very..very hard. Kinda like what we're currently experience with this presidential administration and how much harder will it inevitably be for the next one...of either party.

*sigh*

by HogWash on Sep 8, 2011 9:38 am • linkreport

Driver intentionally hits cyclist

BTW, the biker was riding in an unsafe position. It would have been safer to ride more to the left. You have to claim your lane. Ride in the middle of the lane, or even a bit left of that.

The problem with driving halfway on the line like this biker did is that cars still think they can pass you in that lane, and they should not.

by Jasper on Sep 8, 2011 9:43 am • linkreport

Driver intentionally hits cyclist

I don't know, that cyclists looks pretty arrogant. Perhaps his air of entitlement was needling the pickup truck driver. It's similar to the well-documented phenomenon of abusive men who beat their kids and wives: they're driven to it by sass and backtalk of various forms. If only our more vulnerable members of society would understand they can be attacked with impunity at any time by various psychotic bullies--and adjust their behavior accordingly--the world will be a much safer place.

I mean, sure, the cyclist has a legal right to be there, but there's no reason to provoke people unnecessarily. Plus I saw a cyclist riding without a helmet that time.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 9:46 am • linkreport

Was the move to the Mark Center for saving money or for BRAC? or is that the same?

Apparently, the Mayor will NOT hire the best people. Somehow the city hasn't fallen apart yet.

What WABA wants is a new civil suit. This is just donuts for personal injury lawyers. You **might** get this driver in some sort of criminal assault case, but I don't think it is likely. Hitting him with an aggressive driving charge would stick much easier.

Trying to hit him up for damages in a civil case -- and then asking for attorneys fees (which is another part of WABA's plan) -- not so much.

Given the amount of noise coming for new laws from WABA makes you think the plaintiff's bar snuck in and took over.

by charlie on Sep 8, 2011 9:47 am • linkreport

Another Mayor Gray Scandal!?

Looks likes its time for another DC Voting Rights rally.

by Cyclone on Sep 8, 2011 9:48 am • linkreport

@Jasper

Please, the guy isn't riding all the way over hugging the white line on the right, he's clearly riding in a space where a car would have to partially move into the other lane to pass. Not to mention the fact that this isn't remotely a case of someone trying to squeeze by, but a case where the driver passes with enough room and then intentionally cuts the cyclist off and hits them.

The middle of the lane is often covered with spilled car oil/grease/gunk and riding in the car's wheel track is safer.

by MLD on Sep 8, 2011 9:50 am • linkreport

As a DC resident, I feel really bad for the next mayor, whomever it may be...because the environment created by the media and other radicals

Not sure enforcing a media blackout on endless roiling waves of scandals coming out of the Gray administration is going to be forthcoming. Heck, the relatively clean Fenty administration had to deal with minute criticism as well (c.f. the trumped-up frat brother nonsense, Ticket-Gate, etc, etc...)

We have local media in order to shine a light on this kind of rot. Perhaps the next mayor will make an attempt to professionalize the mayor's office, rather than following the grand DC tradition of rewarding various bottom-feeders and cronies. One can always hope.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 9:51 am • linkreport

Uhh... Can I report MPD to MPD as acting suspicious?

by David F-H on Sep 8, 2011 9:54 am • linkreport

What WABA wants is a new civil suit. This is just donuts for personal injury lawyers. You **might** get this driver in some sort of criminal assault case, but I don't think it is likely. Hitting him with an aggressive driving charge would stick much easier.

Why on earth not? And if not, isn't that evidence of a massive shortcoming of existing law? I'm not proud of it, but with the current legal protections, if this guy pulled this trick with someone I was riding with, and I managed to catch him at a light, I'd beat him until he was a thin layer of sauce on the pavement. It's only the idea that the justice system might provide some recourse that prevents vigilantism.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 9:56 am • linkreport

You **might** get this driver in some sort of criminal assault case, but I don't think it is likely.

It's pretty standard to do so, in most cases. Even purposely hitting to bumper of another car with malicious intent is a prosecutable crime. Once your car purposely makes contact with someone or something, the laws (are suppose to) come down hard.

by JustMe on Sep 8, 2011 10:00 am • linkreport

Hogwash,

Please do illustrate how my views are "non-objective". Really...this should be good.

And yes, I fully expect Pringle to be prosecuted. She will likely work out a deal, you have to murder someone in this town to actually get jail time for anything but she is going to face the music (as anyone should have to) for one or a variety of issues:

1. Felony voter fraud. She admitted it to the press. Not much to hide behind there.

2. Tax fraud. I am sure MD is looking at Pringles tax returns for the past couple of years to see if she as a legal resident, was claiming residency elsewhere to avoid taxes. Same for DC.

3. Operating a business in the District with a lapsed license. DCRA will have to fine her now because as I said before, she admitted it to the press.

I know in your world, Barry would still be the beloved Mayor for Life and Gray's problems are just part of DC's "culture", but in the real world people lose their jobs, go to prison, pay fines etc, and are generally laughed out of town for these things. I really long forward to the day DC will finally give up its unofficial "bananna republic" bumper sticker it so proudly wears and joins the 21st century.

by freely on Sep 8, 2011 10:02 am • linkreport

the environment created by the media and other radicals

There's nothing radical about taking a staffer to task about fraudulently voting in a state she doesn't even live in. Funny that you consider cracking down on bad behavior "radical." Or maybe you're just an apologist for Gray's incompetence. Sadly, that's not radical at all-- that's actually pretty normal.

by JustMe on Sep 8, 2011 10:05 am • linkreport

Re: shifting attitudes on drunk driving: if you ever see Hitchcock's North by Northwest in a theater today, there's one scene that always gets a big laugh. At one point, Cary Grant is forced to drink a bottle of liquor by the villains and put behind the wheel of a car on a cliffside road, hoping he'll drive off the road and kill himself and make it look like an accident. Instead he's picked up by the cops for drunk driving. There's a courtroom scene where he tries to convince the judge of his incredible story, at the end of which his mother witheringly says "Oh, really, Roger, just pay the $2."

by jfruh on Sep 8, 2011 10:07 am • linkreport

I am sure MD is looking at Pringles tax returns for the past couple of years to see if she as a legal resident, was claiming residency elsewhere to avoid taxes. Same for DC.

This is hard to say. Income taxes are (slightly) higher in DC than MoCo. Property taxes in MoCo are MUCH higher, whether you're a resident or not. I don't think there's a tax evasion angle to this one, unless she still has a house in DC and claims it as her primary residence while living in MoCo, in which case it makes the vote fraud claim difficult (but it's pretty clear she doesn't own a house in DC; I'm just arguing that's the only tax-fraud angle available to her).

by JustMe on Sep 8, 2011 10:09 am • linkreport

Considering she has a District registered Business (albiet with a lasped license), her taxable (income) liabilities would be greatly more diminished in the District than it would be in MD. While the income tax rate is higher, I can't imagine how her tax bill wouldn't be lower in DC than MD all things considered.

Considering this so called skilled politico couldn't figure out where to vote, I wouldn't be surprised if she was also gaming either the District, or MD in terms of taxes.

I guess we will see.

by freely on Sep 8, 2011 10:16 am • linkreport

@ MLD:the guy isn't riding all the way over hugging the white line on the right, he's clearly riding in a space where a car would have to partially move into the other lane to pass. Not to mention the fact that this isn't remotely a case of someone trying to squeeze by, but a case where the driver passes with enough room and then intentionally cuts the cyclist off and hits them.

I am not saying that anybody at any time has the right to drive bikers of their bike. This driver should be prosecuted at least for assault with a deadly weapon, and possibly for some form of attempted murder, as his attack was clearly intentional.

I am only saying that it is safer to claim your lane. You specifically DO NOT want cars to be able to pass you by by only partially moving into another lane. That creates dangerous situations because it is hard for car to pass while respecting the 3 ft passing rule.

In this case, there was little the biker could have done.

by Jasper on Sep 8, 2011 10:24 am • linkreport

@Jasper,

Your point is valid, but the bottom line is, the driver of the pickup truck interpreted the cyclists attempt to position himself in a safe and responsible manner as a provocation. It's the same fundamental attribution error that certain folks make here and elsewhere quite often. In the scenario where drivers are behaving as reasonable adults, staying a bit more to the left might have been preferable. In this case, it would've inflamed the bullying manchild in the pickup truck even more.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 10:28 am • linkreport

Oboe, glad you're back from summer vacation. And I see it did you a lot of good. And I'm sure you'd agree that the civil suit system isn't designed for vengeance. It is designed to answer the question "I'm hurt....please pay." But please, go ahead with you threats to beat up drivers. Or better yet, just get your open carry and wear the pistol on your back over the lyrca. That should deter some people. Some.

by charlie on Sep 8, 2011 10:44 am • linkreport

"I am only saying that it is safer to claim your lane. You specifically DO NOT want cars to be able to pass you by by only partially moving into another lane. That creates dangerous situations because it is hard for car to pass while respecting the 3 ft passing rule."

That's interesting - I routinely ride close to the right hand line (often technically in the curb lane, or right on the line) because if there's a break in parked cars, I'll pull into the curb lane and allow cars behind me to speed up and pass. I do this as a matter of courtesy; but Jasper's right, it might make things less safe. I'll have to reconsider.

by dcd on Sep 8, 2011 10:45 am • linkreport

@charlie,

Oh, please... As I made clear, it's not something I'm proud of, and I hope I'm never in that situation. But if someone blithely, intentionally, and without provocation assaults someone I care about, the normal human reaction is to go after them. Got any kids or loved ones? What's your response if some stranger slapped them in the face? My guess is you wouldn't be bleating out, "I'm hurt, please pay." I'm not a violent person at all, but bullying behavior is the one thing that drives me berserk.

And, yes, the civil suit system has a compensatory *and* retributive aspect. That's why punitive damages are awarded.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 11:02 am • linkreport

Vacation was great, BTW. Amazing how far away urbanist and transport issues seem at 12k feet.

Also, since this sort of thing (obviously) makes me cross-eyed with anger, I'll skip the follow-up.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 11:05 am • linkreport

@oboe:

I don't really see that the cyclist was arrogant.

I'm puzzled however as to why he would have let the truck get that close to him in the first place. The moment the truck slowed, came into his space, and appeared to want to engage in confrontation, he should have increased the distance between them. He had plenty of room to the right to get out of the way of danger.

Cyclists have a right to the road, but if a car is moving into you, you need to move out of the way of danger. It's foolish to just sit there and let them hit you. Once they pass, write down their license plate number and report it.

Also, if you're comfortable and able to do so, you do have the option to follow them down to engage in confrontation on your terms instead of his. In this situation, following them down would not have worked, but in downtown traffic situations, a lot of time cars are caged in gridlock.

by Brookland Rez on Sep 8, 2011 11:16 am • linkreport

@Brookland Rez - ...if a car is moving into you, you need to move out of the way of danger. It's foolish to just sit there and let them hit you.

oboes comment that the cyclist was arrogant was mocking a common attitude among drivers that anyone cycling on the road has an arrongant sense of entitelment (perfectly illustrated by the driver of the pick-up).

Is your comment, quoted above, meant to be taken seriously?

by Tina on Sep 8, 2011 11:23 am • linkreport

@Brookland Rez,

It's not clear that the cyclist knew the driver was coming into the lane until too late. If you spend time on the road, you know that drivers often pass too close for comfort. It's almost always a good idea to hold one's line rather than take radical evasive actions--in this case, into the "door zone."

My thought on seeing the video was that neither the driver nor the cyclist expected to make contact until the cyclist was hit. That obviously doesn't absolve the driver any more than we'd absolve someone who shoots another with a gun when he was "only trying to send a warning shot."

(My arrogant comment was intentionally ironic... The fact that the cyclist was in the street is often enough to bring on charges of "arrogance" and "entitlement").

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 11:26 am • linkreport

@Freely, Please do illustrate how my views are "non-objective". Really...this should be good.

Well..hmmm..let me take a stab at it.

I have yet to see a post from you that isn't highly critical of the Gray administration. Most of them continue the same "here's comes barry again" and "I told you so" lines of attack.

That said, in the modern world most people would consider the source of such as nonobjective.

Ex..someone who never has anything good to say about biking..at all times 100% negative...would not be considered very objective would they? Someone who always have everything negative to say about white people, black people, polkadot, homosexuals etc wouldn't be considered objective would they? These are the sort of examples I use to justify my belief that you are a nonobjective source.

Was that good enough illustration for you?

Also, since it was made clear in my response to your previous attack that I've never supported Barry, everyone with the ability to read will see that your consistent reliance on the age-old "you support Barry" is simply you an example of you spinning out of control and unable to debate the merits w/the personal attack. Fortunately, it matters not. Keep that sort of "baiting" to yourself.

@JustMe, if you took the most minimal amount of time to comprehend what I said, you would realize that my comment/concern extends to any mayor..whether I like him or not. I even analogized what's going on now in the Obama administration and how critics of him (as well as his defenders) will have to at some point eat crow because the pendulum will swing the other way. The "new" standards will be set and expect critics/defenders to come out swinging.

End result: less governing..more bickering/partisanship.

by HogWash on Sep 8, 2011 11:39 am • linkreport

In addition, the bicyclist should file a civil suit for medical expensive, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

And who's going to represent him? What if all he has is $800 in bike damage? Is a lawyer going to waste their time with that? They key thing about this law is that it allows for the cyclist to collect damages PLUS attorney's fees.

The "special law" makes it easier to recover payment for damages in a civil case. This is not about criminal charges.

We don't need new legislation or new laws to address this.

This video is meant to serve as an example of the kind of behavior this law will address. But, yes, in this case the cyclist happens to have video evidence. So this case may not be the perfect example. The perfect example is this situation without video evidence. Unfortunately there is no video of that.

So again, this video is a representation of the behavior that is so often not recorded. We may not need a new law for this case, but we do for the dozens like it. The reason the law needs to be changed is that not everyone has a helmet cam.

I fail to see why charlie thinks it will be harder to win a civil case than a criminal one, considering the lower standard of evidence in a civil case.

Cyclists have a right to the road, but if a car is moving into you, you need to move out of the way of danger. It's foolish to just sit there and let them hit you. Once they pass, write down their license plate number and report it.

If he knew the driver was going to hit him, he probably would have left, but really, is that something that one could reasonably expect. It's easy to say what you would do when not in the fog of war.

If I stoped and wrote down the plate number of every driver who got close to me I'd never make it home. And who exactly should one give these plate numbers to?

"officer, here is a list of a-holes."
"Thanks, will add them to our system."

by David C on Sep 8, 2011 11:40 am • linkreport

@ dcd:That's interesting - I routinely ride close to the right hand line (often technically in the curb lane, or right on the line) because if there's a break in parked cars, I'll pull into the curb lane and allow cars behind me to speed up and pass. I do this as a matter of courtesy; but Jasper's right, it might make things less safe. I'll have to reconsider.

Claim your lane, you have the right to be there, use it. You want to force cars to fully change lanes when passing you. Otherwise, you'll end up in situations very much like this one, where cars try to squeeze by and push you off the road, although hopefully the driver won't be aiming for you. What happens is that a driver thinks that they can squeeze partially into another lane and then finds he can not, veers back, squishing you into the side of the road. The reason for claiming your lane is that you want space to your right in case a car, for whatever reason, comes too close to you.

Sure, when the curb lane is empty you can change lanes and let cars by. That is courteous, reasonable and polite. Just make sure cars will let you back in when that lane ends.

Bikers are vulnerable road users. It is good to make yourself a bit bigger so that cars have a harder time dismissing you.

by Jasper on Sep 8, 2011 12:30 pm • linkreport

"I have yet to see a post from you that isn't highly critical of the Gray administration".

Well, the obvious response is that the man hasn't done one thing, not one... in the 9 months in office that hasn't deserved a healthy level of scorn, disgust and disappointment from the entire electorate.

The mayor of my little rural hamlet lost his job when I was a teenager because he had "directed" the towns 10 person Public Works department to hire the kid of a friend for a summer job paying $3.75 an hour. After he lost his job, his family had to move out of town because of the ire of everyone. It would be nice if a sense of "shame" would return to politics. I give Pringle credit. She recognized the problem and decided to eliminate the issue. I wish Grays other hand picked super stars had the same sense of shame.

Gray handed out jobs to people who wouldn't be hired at the soon to come Walmart(s), totaling millions of dollars of year in additional useless city payroll and your response is just "eh".

I have no idea why the multi level of scandal, which this city hasn't seen since Barry doesn't embarrass you. It should. You should be irate.

Seriously, all hyperbole aside any McDonalds manager that had managed his burger shack in the way Gray has managed the city, would have been fired months ago.

The man is simply ill qualified for the job at hand. He is either ignornant and oblivious as to the decisions his personal hires make and he by extension agrees with, or he doesn't care...until it blows up in his face.

by freely on Sep 8, 2011 12:36 pm • linkreport

Sure, when the curb lane is empty you can change lanes and let cars by. That is courteous, reasonable and polite. Just make sure cars will let you back in when that lane ends.

Ah, there's the rub.

It's significantly more dangerous to be continually merging into and out of traffic like this. If there's little other traffic on the road, and speeds are relatively low, moving into the parking lane may be appropriate. If not, you'll just be pulling out in front of fast-moving traffic--some of whom will feel entitled to run into the back of you.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 12:46 pm • linkreport

@oboe:

I didn't pick up on the irony.

When the truck pulled up and was speaking, how close he was to the cyclist to me is too close for comfort. I would have pulled away at that moment, even if it meant moving into the door zone. At this point, the truck being so close was a greater risk.

I agree that this does not absolve the driver of the truck. No one is going to argue that the cyclist had any fault. I'm just saying that regardless of who's at fault, I'm going to make sure I stay safe.

by Brookland Rez on Sep 8, 2011 12:52 pm • linkreport

I have yet to see a post from you that isn't highly critical of the Gray administration.

Ok, so in this case we have someone who thought Gray would be a disappointment in office, make poor decisions when bothered to make them at all, and generally be worse than Fenty on the corruption front. He has consistently made those predictions before, during, and after the election.

Nearly a year on, Gray's term so far has in fact been characterized by lassitude and petty corruption.

While you dismiss that person as "not objective" a more generous approach might be to use the term "correct".

It kind of reminds me of the debate during and after the Iraq War--those who were consistently correct are nowhere near as credible as those who were wrong. After all, the people who were right from the beginning were just unserious cheese-eating, surrender-monkey hippies who hate war. Those who thought we'd just swat aside Saddam and plunk down a Jeffersonian democracy in Iraq but changed their mind 5-6 years in when the situation was unsalvageable are the *real* prescient ones.

by oboe on Sep 8, 2011 1:04 pm • linkreport

charlie,

Mark Center was selected because it was the only option that could meet the 9/12/11 deadline and meet the set back requirements. The other options either could not meet the set back requirements or could not be ready by the deadline.

by Rj on Sep 8, 2011 1:27 pm • linkreport

@Oboe, well I'm not disappointed in my mayor. There are things I wish had not happened but I am most certainly NOT disappointed. So your logic that because someone who has never given the man the time of day is "correct" because his predictions (in his mind) are true, then I must be willing to accept that they were right doesn't make sense. You must start from an objective place. The tea party hasn't and neither has freely.

Had this "corruption" been outside the norm for american politics, then I would surely be disappointed with his tenure as Mayor. But 9 mos in? Nah..not hearing it. Now if the next mayor decides to continue the long-standing political practice of hiring friends/relatives even AFTER it's been "now" established that it's wrong, then it will be fair and completely understandable for his supporters and critics to be disappointed.

Since the beginning, Gray's "problems" in office have been inextricably linked to the city council, something I don't recall happening before.

I don't think the Iraq war is a good comparison because we're dealing with deaths, billions of dollar and a human capital investment on a large scale. In this case, the "scandals" amount to continuing (as I've repeated here before) the standard practice of hiring friends/relatives. Such as Fenty hiring his godfather as the city's AG w/o a peep from the community. It didn't bother me that Fenty hired his godfather because to some extent, I know that's exactly what happens around the country..and so do all of you.

When Gray starts to govern in a way that's inexecusable, then I won't excuse him. But calling an administration a failure over continuing standard hiring practice just doesn't cut the muster. So freely's disappointments amount to much of nothing.

@Freely, I came to DC under William's tenure so I didn't experience the Barry scandals.

BTW, what policies has Gray implemented that you voiciferously disagree with..something we can really gauge his effectiveness?

by HogWash on Sep 8, 2011 1:34 pm • linkreport

When Gray starts to govern in a way that's inexecusable, then I won't excuse him.
------------------------------------------------

Because you will never find anything about this Mayor that is inexcusable.

by Whosaidthat on Sep 8, 2011 1:57 pm • linkreport

@HogWash

Oh, so they didn't know that it wasn't OK to hire friends/relatives for jobs that they were entirely unqualified for? And they didn't know it wasn't OK to pay off a fellow mayoral candidate and then give him a job in the administration afterwards? I guess they're excused then!

by MLD on Sep 8, 2011 2:03 pm • linkreport

@MLD, Oh, so they didn't know that it wasn't OK to hire friends/relatives for jobs that they were entirely unqualified for? And they didn't know it wasn't OK to pay off a fellow mayoral candidate and then give him a job in the administration afterwards?

That much they should've known. I expect that they thought it would go under the radar. But which friends/relatives are you referring to who were "unqualified" for their positions? I thought there was only one.

by HogWash on Sep 8, 2011 2:47 pm • linkreport

"Had this "corruption" been outside the norm for american politics, then I would surely be disappointed with his tenure as Mayor."

Translation: Everyone else did it! Why are you picking on me?

Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectorations (to paraphrase the Daily Show).

by dcd on Sep 8, 2011 3:17 pm • linkreport

Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectorations (to paraphrase the Daily Show).

Of course i don't see it that way. I just find it odd for me to be disappointed that Gray has continued a long-standing hiring practice when I haven't been before now. I guess someone could conclude that I have low expectations but...

It's the Obama conundrum. Let's now be upset that our president vacations..in Martha's Vineyard...when all other presidents have vacationed..many @their own homes. Let's now be upset that we're hosting terror trials in NYC..when we've done that all along.

And guess what? People are "now" upset about these things and have used them to gauge the effectiveness of his administration. Is it fair? Of course not. However it is politics.

by HogWash on Sep 8, 2011 4:20 pm • linkreport

"And guess what? People are "now" upset about these things and have used them to gauge the effectiveness of his administration. Is it fair? Of course not. However it is politics."

Well, there hasn't been anything else to use as a guage of the effectiveness of the Gray administration. I think that's part of the problem - all we have are these mini-scandals. (I agree that many aren't all that significant, the Sulaimon Brown debacle being the exception - but right now, they're the only game in town.)

On a related note - can someone please explain to me how I get those fancy italics, etc. in a post, so I don't have to feel like (more of a luddite) with my quotation marks?

by dcd on Sep 8, 2011 4:55 pm • linkreport

@dcd: throw a and a around the text you want italicized. Look up basic HTML codes for more.

by Michael Perkins on Sep 8, 2011 5:08 pm • linkreport

darn, that should be [i] and [/i], except with the less than and greater than instead of brackets. Honestly it showed up correctly in the preview.

I'll try it here: <i> and </i>

by Michael Perkins on Sep 8, 2011 5:09 pm • linkreport

@Hogwash, *I am not commenting on Gray or any other mayor*

Going on a vacation when other people think you shouldn't is not comparable to engaging in hiring practices of government positions that warrant investigation , e.g to determine if the job position was payback for a favor, or otherwise engaging in activities that are unethical or illegal.

It is not unethical to go on a vacation. Some people might think its neglectful of responsibility but that is not the same as unethical.

There are many people who do not accept corruption or unethical behavior ever, from anyone, under any circumstances.

Yes, you have low expectations if you accept corruption or unethical behavior because you think "thats the way its done".

by Tina on Sep 8, 2011 5:11 pm • linkreport

Thank you kindly.

by dcd on Sep 8, 2011 6:22 pm • linkreport

It looks like the cyclist fell on his own. Without witness and physical evidence nothing is going to happen to the driver.

by TGEOA on Sep 8, 2011 6:49 pm • linkreport

@TGEoA-Thanks for coming out today. Glad you piped in. It's especially useful that you apparently missed the comment where I pointed out that the woman in the red car at the end of the video pulled up and offered to be a witness. She even gave the cyclist her deets so that she could be contacted by him and the police. You probably also missed the part of the video where you actually hear the vehicle striking the cyclist. Observation fail.

by thump on Sep 8, 2011 8:05 pm • linkreport

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