The story of Mayor Adrian Fenty's secret soujourn to Dubai last week -- made public only after Fenty had returned to the District -- seemed innocuous at first. But within days things have changed, and now the Mayor is seen as some combination of a Big Oil proxy, an accepter of bribes, an anti-Semite and, most importantly, a cheapskate.
Fenty is getting heat from Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, for going to some sports game. He confirmed that he attended a women's professional tennis event in Dubai during his stay, and by doing so became implicated in an International Scandal. Before the tournament's start, organizers had "brought on international condemnation" by excluding Israeli player Shahar Peer from competition.
Fenty claims to have been unaware of the scandal, and maybe he was.
“We believe the mayor when he said he was unaware of the situation until he got there, said Ron Halber of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. “But I think he lost a good opportunity to expose a blatant international example of anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism.”
Fenty is also in hot water for letting the United Arab Emirates pay for his plane tickets and accommodations, which may be perceived as "gifts," which politicians are not allowed to receive, ever.
The non-profits are going insane over this! For example, consider this guy Tom Fitton, founder of the "government reform group" Judicial Watch, and his little platitude for Fenty: “Whose payroll is he on -- the D.C. taxpayers or the Dubai government’s?"
Well, we believe he is on the D.C. payroll. But thank you anyway, "Judicial Watch."
Jim Newell advocates for nonsense at Wonkette and IvyGate.
