Fenty Mum About "Personal Vacation"
By MATTHEW STABLEY
Updated 8:15 PM EST, Mon, Mar 30, 2009
WASHINGTON -- D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty was back in office Monday after vanishing for four days.
Fenty called the trip personal and wouldn't disclose any details. We agree he should be allowed some time off to rest and recharge or attend to family business or whatever, but considering how hard he was on former Mayor Anthony Williams about his traveling, we want more from Fenty or we start calling him Waldo.
"You have to have an engaged, accountable mayor who spends time overseeing the agency directors," Fenty the candidate said in 2005. "It's a day in and day out job."
No kidding! Look what happened while you were gone, Mayor Fenty: DC Trades Fire Truck, Ambulance for God's Blessing.
"I was on a personal vacation and I had a really great time," Fenty said Monday. "I really appreciate your asking."
It's not always personal, though, is it? He traveled to the Middle East and Dubai early this year for what he said was a personal trip but then disclosed Dubai had paid $25,000 of his expenses. Last year, China paid $11,000 for his Olympic trip. The Washington Post, for one, wants the mayor to pay them back.
Fenty insisted no one paid for any part of his most recent trip.
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray wants more disclosure from Fenty, too.
"I certainly have no idea where the mayor was," he said. "I knew the city administrator was going to be away because he had warned me, but again, I think this is information that should be made public."
Gray also acknowledged Fenty's right to privacy by insisted the city government should know where he is when he's gone.
City law does require some disclosure of gifts, but the law may not be clear enough. Some council members are considering toughening the city's ethics law, sources said.
"No one ever signed up as mayor of any big city and didn't think they were going to get asked questions, especially tough questions," Fenty said. "It's part of the job."
First Published: Mar 30, 2009 7:02 PM EST
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