-Todd St Hill

October 1st, 2024

The FBI recently arrested Washington D.C. councilmember Trayon White for taking money and other gifts to pressure District agencies to award contracts to businesses that provide violence interruption programs.

Ward 8 city councilmember Trayon White’s political career appears to be on a razor’s edge as of late, with his bribery trial set to begin in a little over a month. Despite his legal troubles, Ward 8 residents have expressed critical support for their council member. 

Deshawna Bowman, a worker at a restaurant White frequents, and a Ward 8 resident of 3 years, said,  “I just feel as though he has honestly been sort of a target when it comes to legal troubles simply because he’s a young Black man.” 

Ever since his arrest in August, White has enjoyed continued support from local residents. Shortly after White was released from jail tweets surfaced on the social media platform X of supporters shielding White, still in his bathrobe, from the press cameras. The crowd was chanting, “We love Tray!” and “Ward 8!”

“I definitely feel like he was baited in,” Bowman said. 

Councilmember White was indicted and pleaded not guilty to bribery charges. According to the FBI affidavit, White is accused of taking over $156,000 in kickbacks and cash payments in exchange for extending contracts between non-profit Life Deeds, Inc. and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), and the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONES).

According to the FBI Indictment, On August 9, 2024, at approximately 10:30 am White allegedly met with a  “Confidential Human Source 1” (CHS1) who allegedly gave him a $5K payment. On the same day, after meeting with White the CHS1 signed a plea deal.   

Bowman told The Wash in response to the indictment, “It’s just so crazy because the things that they were saying were part of the bribery case; These are things that could potentially help the community.” 

Bowman was referring to the violence interruption and prevention programs District agencies oversee. One of White’s  roles on the council was overseeing the DYRS and ONES agencies as a council member. DYRS and ONES contracted with Life Deed Inc. Violence interruption has gained popularity as an alternative to - often - heavy-handed policing among communities that often experience high rates of violence. 

Some Ward 8 residents are more critical of their elected officials than others. Jordan Payne, a Ward 8 resident and small business owner in the Anacostia neighborhood, expressed critical support for White, and said there's more to be done in Ward 8.

“I still find myself seeing a lot of kids in the community bored, having nothing to do. There's not the type of activities and program set in place to make sure the kids stay off the street and are doing something more constructive with their time,” said Payne. 

Keon Hill, another Ward 8 resident, is familiar with White’s work in the community. Hill mentioned White has launched several initiatives to end youth violence, and bring housing, employment, and family services to Ward 8. Hill, who admits he is not a politico, knows a good leader with good intentions when he sees one. 

“The things he’s done can’t put out the positive things he’s done,” Hill said, noting that the work White has done for the Ward 8 community and the city has bought White some social grace. 

“They know we wit 'em.” “They know he’s got that kind of power, but they don’t want to see it, for real,” Hill said

Payne, however, wants his elected officials to be accountable for their actions stating,

“I don't think we should show them grace. I think we need to set an example out of them to try to make sure people don't make those same mistakes because we see it time and time again.” 

Bowman still feels White is being targeted, but said   “Sometimes you do the crime, you have to do the time.” 

In and op-ed to East of the River news, Phillip Pannell, a longtime community activist and president of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, wrote 

“All of the immense good that our Ward 8 Council Member has done for our community is in no way negated by the photos and recounting of his alleged illegal activities. What is so sad is that his upward vocational, economic and political mobility was accompanied by an ethical and moral decline.” 

Pannell announced his race for the Ward 8 council seat as a write-in candidate last month.

White is not the only elected official found to be misusing their political position. 

In August, the same month of White’s arrest, now-former Navy Yard Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC8F) Commissioner Clayton Rosenberg was sentenced to five years and three months, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

His fellow commissioners removed Clayton Rosenberg from his position in a special August meeting of the 8f commission. Members of the ANC issued formal statements earlier this month. 

Edward Daniels, ANC8F Chair, said, “There is no place for corruption and misuse of public funds as an elected official.” 

“All of us should expect more from our elected officials, and we can do better as a city,” ANC8f Secretary Brian Strege said.  

Bowman told The Wash that White should be held to a higher standard.“When you do get into these higher roles like a council member, it's just a different kind of ethics you have to follow,” he said.

Since Councilmember White's August arrest, the D.C. Council has launched its own investigation through an ad hoc committee. On September 17th, White was removed from his committee positions, pending his trial, in a closed-door session of the ad hoc committee. 

“We owe it to the residents of D.C. to conduct an independent investigation,” said Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie just before the meeting was closed to the public. 

The people I interviewed view Trayon not only as being from humble and notoriously difficult beginnings but also as having a continued presence in his community, which has bought him social credit and buoyed his political career. Yet, curiosity over the details surrounding White’s case continues to grow even amongst his most ardent supporters. 

For White and Ward 8 residents old enough to remember,  his case and the charges sound eerily familiar to former Mayor Marion Barry and his legal troubles. Marion Barry,  the city’s two-time mayor and three-time councilmember, was perhaps D.C.’s most pivotal political figure, his summer youth empowerment program placing the city's youth with government and private sector summer jobs changed many young people's lives for the better. Barry’s positive  influence and politics came with controversy. 

Barry was arrested on cocaine charges in a 1990 FBI sting operation that many people thought to be a set up. Barry’s political comeback, however, became a part of his enduring legacy. White, like Barry, has focused most of his political career on championing programs that impact Ward 8’s most vulnerable residents. 

In its seeming embrace of Ward 8 residents, maybe White can find support, and accountability. White is running for a third term on November 5th. U.S. District Judge Randolph Contreras has given White’s defense team until Nov. 15th to review evidence in his case. The city council's ad hoc committee is set to deliver the findings from their independent investigation on December 16th.