What's next in the Trayon White alleged bribery scandal

Cuneyt Dil

Trayon White in one image is exiting the courtroom, in another he is allegedly accepting a bribe captured in an FBI recording — Council member Trayon White exits courtroom on Monday (left). On the right, he is allegedly accepting a bribe captured in an FBI recording. Photos: Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto via Getty Images and FBI arrest affidavit

D.C. Council member Trayon White's bribery charge could take until next year to be resolved, but the short-term fallout will likely weaken his legislative power — and potentially remove him from office.

Why it matters: White is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But life is coming at him fast:

His colleagues will assemble a special committee on the D.C. Council to review the allegations that he accepted $156,000 in bribes from a local government contractor.
Council chair Phil Mendelson will move to remove White as chair of the Committee on Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs. A majority of members so far support it. Mendelson announced that the vote will take place on Sept. 17, when the council returns from recess — but some want it done earlier.

There's more: White now has to answer for whether he lives in Ward 8.

The FBI affidavit raised questions about whether White lives in an apartment building in Navy Yard. Some geography: Ward 8 is largely made up of neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. And while it includes a portion of Navy Yard, his apartment is allegedly beyond that borderline — technically Ward 6.
After his arrest on Sunday, news cameras outside the swanky building took footage of a white Tesla bearing the Ward 8 Council member's license plate.
The council's committee will probe "questions about residency," Mendelson said.

Can White be expelled from office? His colleagues can decide if they want to vote on expulsion, likely after the special committee finishes its work.

Does he remain on the ballot? White is still the Democratic nominee for Ward 8. He's cultivated a passionate base of support as a populist, and some see him as the heir to former Ward 8 Council member and Mayor Marion Barry.

His base could stick with him — but it all depends on how the case proceeds until Election Day Nov. 5.
A person cannot serve as a council member if they have been convicted of a felony while in office.

Is anyone running against him? His only opponent is Republican candidate Nate Derenge.

It's also plausible that someone might try to mount a write-in campaign. That faces long odds unless White is convicted before Election Day and his candidacy is moot.

What's next in the bribery case? The next court date is Sept. 19.

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What's next in the Trayon White alleged bribery scandal

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