A showdown between the mayor of the District of Columbia and the first-ever elected attorney general has been averted for now.
At issue is Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposal in her new budget to water down some of the new attorney general’s powers, particularly when it comes to reviewing government contracts.
After a five-hour council roundtable on the dispute Wednesday, D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie issued a statement saying the matter needs more public discussion and it appears the mayor and attorney general agree.
"The mayor is happy to have more public debate on the matter and separate the proposed changes to the AG’s powers from budget negotiations," Bowser spokesman Michael Czin said.
While Bowser is not withdrawing her proposal, the council is expected to remove it from the budget and hold more public hearings on the issue in the coming months.
Attorney General Karl Racine not only opposed Bowser’s proposal, he also would like to see his office given more power and a larger budget.
