Vince Gray: Fenty's "Cronyism" Will Cost Him Primary
Actually, September 14 is only the primary between Democrats Mayor Adrian Fenty and City council chairman Vincent Gray --but the district is a safe haven for Democrats, and no one's running as a Republican.
Gray has emerged as the front-runner and admits he got a boost from voters who simply do not like the mayor.
"Initially when it started, even though I've been the council chairman and in city wide office now, they were voting against the mayor in many instances. But as we've gotten out here in then nearly last six months, and indicated what our message is on education, economic development, public safety and restoring public trust. I think they've moved over from I don't like him, to this is a candidate I want to support," Gray said.
The Fenty campaign has accused Gray of not owning up to his mistakes since he's been in public office.
Gray responded saying the mayor's trying to hide from his own record of helping out friends.
"The mayor has raised these issues because of his own cronyism. $82 million dollars going to his own fraternity brothers. That now has been established. Two of his fraternity brothers heading firms that got the opportunity to control tens of millions of dollars of construction contracts on recreation centers in this city. This is an effort to blunt an issue that has been raised about him and his management," Gray said. Gray also responded to a recent campaign ad from Fenty in which Gray's public service record, particularly while director the city's Department of Human Services, of the was called into question. Charges that ranged from losing $36 million in federal aid due to lost paperwork to having a court order him to improve child services.
Gray emphatically responded to the claims from Fenty and told Dickerson, "When you look at that 'so-called' information, there are fallacies in it. The issue around foster children. That was something that had happened in the administration that preceded the mayor I worked for [former mayor Anthony Williams]. We actually discovered that checks were being sent to vacant lots. [Williams] called a press conference to announce that we had discovered this."
"If you look at my record, especially as council chair as a representative of Ward 7, I'm very proud of that record."
Watch Monday's Washington Unplugged also featuring CBS News Chief Political Consultant Marc Ambinder and Senior Political Producer Jill Jackson with a look-ahead to the news of the week.
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