Gray Accuser Refuses to Testify at Hiring Hearing

The former minor candidate for mayor of Washington refused to testify Thursday at a hearing looking into accusations of unethical hiring practices in Mayor Vincent Gray's administration, but he had plenty to say.

Sulaimon Brown's allegations that he was paid and promised an $110,000-a-year job for campaign trail attacks on former Mayor Adrian Fenty started this whole hiring controversy. He made the allegation after he was fired following reports of past run-ins with the law.

But Brown only made a brief appearance in the hearing room Thursday. He refused to testify, questioning the legality of the committee hearing.

Brown was very chatty with the media outside the hearing, though. He seemed to try to accuse the chair of the investigating committee, Council member Mary Cheh, of cronyism herself, and said he shouldn't testify before two councilmen who he considers witnesses in the matter -- former Mayor Marion Barry and David Catania.

"David Catania should not be questioning anyone," he said. "That's obstruction of justice, that's abuse of power, that's witness intimidation. I will not be a part of that witch hunt in there."

Catania has gone on the record as calling Brown a criminal in the media, Brown said.

"He hasn't asked me one question on the record and he's come to the conclusion that I'm a criminal?" Brown said. "And he expects me to go sit there for what? So you tell David Catania to go to hell. And Mary Cheh and her witch hunt."

As for Barry, Brown said he's gone on record at a previous hearing as having had a conversation with Brown about the issue.

"You can't have the people who are holding a hearing supposedly to get to the truth for the District of Columbia residents making statements on the record for ongoing further investigations, and they're lawyers," Brown said. "They should know better."

As for Cheh, Brown said her hearing is hypocritical. He said that she offered a friend of his a job, suggesting that demonstrated her cronyism, but his friend got another job.

"You can verify it through my cell phone records and my own testimony," he said, while refusing to name the friend.

Furthermore, Cheh is a Gray ally, Brown said.

"Mary Cheh is trying to satisfy her constituents in Ward 3 because they're upset she is a friend of a mayor who's a crook."

After Brown left, Council member Mary Cheh signed a subpoena that orders Brown to appear before her committee, the Associated Press reported.

In addition to allegations of cronyism, the Gray administration is accused of nepotism. Brandon Webb, the son of a former District of Columbia cabinet head, testified that he told his mother he wanted a job in D.C. government and was hired the next day, the AP reported. Webb said he told Rochelle Webb that he needed to make at least $65,000 a year to relocate from Arizona to D.C. He was then given a job with that exact salary, as a community outreach specialist for the fire department. He has since resigned.

The Gray administration hired several children of his top aides and advisers. All but one has resigned. Gray has said he didn't know about the hires.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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