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Trout Report Calls for Referrals to US Attorney General--The Special Committee on Investigation of Capital Projects of the Department of Parks and Recreation voted this morning
at its 11:00 meeting to release to the public the “Report of the Special Counsel to the Special Committee on Investigation
of Capital Projects of the Department of Parks and Recreation. The 257 page report is in direct response
to the inquiry of the Committee on Library, Parks and Recreation, then chaired by Councilmember Harry “Tommy”
Thomas, Jr. (D-W-5).
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Superior Court Judge Winfield Grants Council’s Motion to Compel Testimony of Key Figure in DPR Contracting
Investigation—Ward 5 Councilmember
Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr. announced today
that DC Superior Court Judge Susan Winfield has granted
the Council’s motion to compel the testimony of Omar Karim, principal owner of Banneker Ventures and the Liberty Law
Group, two firms that figure prominently in the DPR contracting investigation. Judge Winfield ordered that the deposition
of Mr. Karim take place on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 in a closed proceeding.
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Council
Holds Emergency Session to Pass Measures Authorizing
Enforcement of Karim Subpoena and Prohibiting Settlement
Payment—In an emergency legislative session today, the Council of the District
of Columbia unanimously adopted the "Enforcement of Subpoena of Omar Karim Resolution of 2010" and the “District
Settlement Payment Integrity Emergency Act of 2010.” Ward 5 Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr. introduced
both measures as part of the continuing inquiry into the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) capital
project contracts routed circuitously via memorandums of understanding from the agency through the Office of the Deputy Mayor
for Planning and Economic Development to the DC Housing Authority, and then sole-sourced to Mr. Karim’s firm, Banneker
Ventures, LLC.
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Thomas Announces Council's
Selection of Special Counsel to Investigate DPR Contracts—Ward 5 Councilmember Harry "Tommy" Thomas, Jr.—Chair of the Council's Committee on Libraries, Parks
and Recreation and Chair of the Council's Joint Public Oversight Roundtable on the Contracting Process Related to Parks and
Recreation Roundtable—announced today that the Council has retained Robert P. Trout of the law firm Trout Cacheris to
serve as special counsel regarding the inquiry into the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) contracts.
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Council Approves Measure Shifting Parks and Recreation Projects to the Office of Public Education Facilities
Modernization—Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr., Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries, Parks and
Recreation, thanked his colleagues today for voting unanimously to support legislation he submitted at the Council’s
December 15, 2009 legislative session shifting management responsibility of Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) projects
from Banneker Ventures to the District’s Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM).
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Thomas to Issue Subpoenas to DMPED Staff Members David Janerone and Jackie Glover to Appear Before Council
on the Transfer of DPR Funds to DCHA—Ward 5 Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr., Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries,
Parks and Recreation, today announced that he will issue subpoenas to Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic
Development staff members David Jannarone, Director of Development, and Jackie Glover, Program Manager, requiring their appearance
before the Committee regarding the transfer of Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) funds to the District of Columbia
Housing Authority (DCHA).
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Thomas
Issues Subpoena to DPR Interim Director Hartsock to Appear Before Council on the Transfer of Agency Funds to the DC Housing
Authority—Ward 5 Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr., Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries,
Parks and Recreation, today issued a subpoena to Dr. Ximena Hartsock requiring her to appear before the Committee at 10 am
on November 16, 2009 to testify regarding the transfer of Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) funds to the District of
Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA). DPR representatives failed to appear at the joint hearings held on Friday, October 30,
2009 and Thursday, November 5, 2009 inquiring into the transfers. Dr. Hartsock had received letters preceding each hearing
requesting participation.
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Council Passes Thomas Bill to Restrict Payments of DPR Funds to DCHA and Require
Council Notification of all DPR Transactions of $75,000 or More—Ward 5 Councilmember Harry
“Tommy” Thomas, Jr., Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries, Parks and
Recreation, today introduced emergency legislation to restrict payments of the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) funds to the District of Columbia
Housing Authority (DCHA) and require Council notification of all DPR transactions of $75,000 or more. The Council passed the bill by a vote
of 10 to 3.
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Thomas Requests the Testimony of CFO Dr. Natwar Gandhi
at Council Roundtable on the Transfer of DPR Capital Improvements Funds to DCHA—Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Tommy” Thomas, Jr., Chair of the Council’s
Committee on Libraries, Parks and Recreation, announced today that he has requested that Dr. Natwar Gandhi, the District’s
Chief Financial Officer, testify at the Council’s October 30, 2009 roundtable regarding the transfer of Department of
Parks and Recreation capital improvement funds to the DC Housing Authority.
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