D.C. Mayor: “I Did Nothing Wrong” in 2010 Campaign

Gray’s re-election decision “within the next few weeks”

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray affirmed Friday that he "did nothing wrong" in his 2010 campaign, which is the subject of a long, ongoing federal investigation.

On Kojo Nnamdi’s "Politics Hour" on WAMU-FM, the mayor called in and News4’s Tom Sherwood again asked him when he plans to announce whether he’ll run for re-election and whether the shadow campaign needs to be addressed before another campaign.

"I think there are questions that will be asked, and we’ll be prepared," Gray said. "I have said I did nothing wrong from the very beginning and I’m not going to change that position. There’s no reason for me to change that position. So in terms of me answering the question what I did or didn’t do, I have said that and I will say it again and again."

Gray said voters should consider what his clean administration has accomplished, not what happened during the campaign.

"I hope what people will focus on, frankly, is what this administration has done," Gray said. "There are articles that have been written that talked about these issues in the administration. There have been no issues with this administration in terms of untoward activity. You look at the things that we said we would do, those are the things that we have done. It’s very unfortunate that those things happened during the campaign, but they did happen in the campaign."

Four high-level aides to Gray's 2010 campaign pleaded guilty to felony charges, and more charges are likely. All of those convicted have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen also secured unrelated convictions against a D.C. Council chairman, a councilmember and a former councilmember.

The businessman suspected of funding the shadow campaign, unidentified in court documents, is Jeffrey Thompson, according to people familiar with the investigation, who have spoken in the past on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information.

Court documents show Thompson is the subject of a grand jury investigation. However, he has not been charged and his lawyer has repeatedly declined to comment on the investigation.

With fewer than six months before the Democratic primary that traditionally decides the race, Gray said he plans to announce "within the next few weeks" whether he plans to seek re-election.

Gray, a Democrat, has been coy about his plans. Next year's April 1 mayoral primary will be the earliest in the city's history, and three D.C. councilmembers are among those running for mayor.

Candidates can start collecting signatures to get on the ballot beginning on Nov. 8 -- three weeks from now. In his appearance on WAMU, Gray noted that "the time is becoming more compressed."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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