Nine days after disgraced former D.C. Council member Jack Evans resigned from office for ethics violations, he walked in a parade alongside the District's mayor and the D.C. Council chairman.
Evans marched on Sunday in the DC Chinese New Year Parade. He walked behind a banner for The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, which organized the parade.
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told Evans it was "inappropriate" for Evans to make an appearance alongside elected officials, a representative for Mendelson told News4 on Monday.
Mendelson told Evans not to participate in the presentation of a ceremonial resolution at the event, which Evans agreed to, the representative said.
Evans declined to comment.
Evans resigned on Jan. 17, two business days before his colleagues on the D.C. Council were expected to expel him. An internal investigation found that he violated the council's code of ethics by accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in outside income without properly disclosing it.
Some of his clients were "prohibited sources" with business before the Council. One such client was Colonial Parking. Evans worked to block proposed tax increases that would have affected the company.
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He remains under federal investigation.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
The commander of the parade, Raymond Lee, told News4, "Council Member Evans comes every year. All the Council members are invited."
When asked about Evans' resignation and the federal investigation, Lee said he was unaware that Evans resigned and knew nothing about the investigation.
Evans' appearance at the parade was his first in public since his resignation. It has sparked speculation that he is positioning himself to regain his old seat. Six candidates have already announced plans to run in the June primary and special election. A crowded field could benefit Evans in a winner-take-all election where he has 28 years of name recognition.
Evans could avail himself of public financing to avoid taking money from developers or other big businesses.
