Opinion: Kwame Brown Will Take You Down

If you did something illegal and Kwame Brown knows about it, you should be worried.

Brown, the disgraced former D.C. Council Chairman who resigned from office as part of a plea deal, is cooperating with federal investigators.

I know Brown, and to the extent that I can, I know what makes him tick.

For more than eight years I watched closely as his political career sprouted wings, took flight and then crashed. I was an early critic of his loose regard for the truth and was among the first to raise concerns about the way he handled campaign funds.

Knowing what I know about Brown, I can safely assume that he is not a guy who will take one for the team. He is all about Kwame Brown and always has been.

Like most people, Brown does not want to spend a day in prison. I am also sure he wants to avoid or minimize the burden that hefty fines could add to his mountain of personal debt.

You can bet that he will send someone up the river to save his own skin.

So, if you broke the law and Brown knows about it, run -- don’t walk -- to the nearest FBI office. Turn yourself in. Do it today before Brown does it for you.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not knocking Brown for fingering possible criminals. I support those who work for the cause of justice.

Indeed, I was delighted yesterday when Judge Richard Leon announced that Brown’s sentencing was delayed nearly two months so that he could “complete his cooperation."

A lot of cooperating can happen in two months!

Brown may be able to shed light on public corruption, identify people who broke campaign laws or unveil wrongdoings not yet imagined. There certainly is no shortage of suspects.

It is, however, important to point out that it took federal prosecutors and the threat of jail to loosen Brown's jaw. He could have come clean and aided investigators months, if not years ago.

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