Mayor Gray Urges His Camp to Cooperate With Investigations

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray wants every person on his staff -- and his former campaign staff -- to cooperate fully with the FBI investigation into hiring and campaign tactics, as well as related probes by the D.C. Council, the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance and Ethics and a House committee on Capitol Hill.

The FBI is assessing allegations that Gray's campaign last year improperly paid a minor mayoral candidate to harass then-Mayor Adrian Fenty and later gave that candidate, Sulaimon Brown, a $110,000-per-year city job. Several staffers already have been interviewed by the FBI.

Gray's remarks Tuesday came as one of his strongest allies on the council, Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh, asked for subpoena power in her review of high salaries paid to Brown and top officials in the Gray administration.

The House committee that oversees the District has complained that some staffers are reluctant or refusing to be interviewed.

Gray, who replaced his chief of staff last week, can't order former staff members or campaign aides to testify before Cheh but said he wants them to.

Gray also said he thought Capitol Hill should let local authorities and the U.S. attorney conduct investigations before getting involved, but that won't affect his cooperation.

The investigation surrounding Gray this early in his term is distracting him from a difficult budget due April 1 and other looming issues, sources close to the mayor said.


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