Breakfast links: Federal raid roundup
Feds raid councilmember’s house
FBI and IRS agents raided the home of Councilmember Harry Thomas and confiscated his SUV and motorcycle. The investigation is related to allegations that Thomas spent $300,000 of public money on himself. (Post)
Structure sparks conflict in McPherson Sq
Park Police arrested 31 Occupiers yesterday. The standoff started shortly after protestors started constructing a “temporary” wooden structure in McPherson Square. (Post, City Paper)
Group questions NPS contracts
An advocacy group for the Mall has asked the Interior Department’s IG to investigate the Park Service. The group alleges NPS unlawfully renewed concession contracts for now-defunct Tourmobile. (City Paper)
Antis get their just desserts
A few residents strongly opposed a mixed-use project at the Friendship Heights Metro. Now the developer has sold the site to Pepco and neighbors will get a power substation instead of restaurants and shops. (Examiner)
Johnson sought quid pro quo
A federal court will sentence disgraced former County Executive Jack Johnson on Tuesday. Prosecutors just revealed that Johnson spent much of his last year in office arranging lucrative contracts and sinecures for himself. (Post)
Parking at all costs
One Manhattan condo tower includes parking spots connected to residences 11 stories in the sky. Residents ride a car elevator to access their sky garages, which are estimated to be worth $800,000 each. (NYT)
Public spaces require good design
Walkable neighborhoods can’t happen without successful public spaces that encourage a variety of uses. Even shops and kiosks can enliven a place. Just throwing down a plaza with a few benches isn’t enough. (NYT)
And…
A Maryland court ruled that WMATA has sovereign immunity. (Examiner) … Is our transportation network continually underfunded because of bad PR? (Streetsblog) … Tolls start today on the $2.5-billion ICC. (Examiner)