It seemed a Dickensian moment in DC — not the famous Tale of Two Cities but rather a variation with one city simultaneously experiencing two seemingly opposing financial challenges Or maybe it’s more aptly described as “déjà vu all over again.” talk this week about whether DC should or shouldn’t use public funds to help build a new sports stadium at the Robert F Kennedy site in Northeast seemed reminiscent of the fight in 2004 when then-Mayor Anthony A Williams announced an agreement to return Major League Baseball to the nation’s capital eventually approved by the DC Council after much back-and-forth triggered significant economic development on the surrounding blocks that combined with massive projects at the Navy Yard and The Wharf dramatically transformed large sections of Ward 6 Mayor Muriel Bowser has forged a tentative agreement with Josh Harris and his Washington Commanders ownership group to bring back the football team It has played its home games in Maryland for decades after then-Mayor Sharon Pratt fumbled negotiations with Jack Kent Cooke for a new stadium at RFK prompting his frustrated and angry departure.  Displaying perseverance and greater skillsmanship Bowser and her administration have produced a $3.7 billion preliminary deal $2.7 billion of which would come out of the Washington Commanders’ and NFL’s wallets The agreement goes well beyond the mere construction of a football stadium to include recreation retail and housing on the nearly 180-acre site.  but we’re also bringing new jobs and new revenue to our city and to Ward 7,” Bowser said during her announcement earlier this week who joined the legislature only this past January said the stadium deal “signals it’s a new day in Ward 7!” with the stadium project and the eventual completion of the adjacent Reservation 13 residents of that section of the city could see a vibrant counterpoint to development in other parts of the city.  “It’s a phenomenal proposal,” said one longtime business executive who was in the city for the fight over Nationals Park “The city will benefit significantly over a period of years.” a civic leader who helped change some zoning regulations in a push to create a livable and lively downtown beginning in the 1990s offered strong support for the mixed-use RFK stadium deal In a letter sent earlier this week to Council Chair Phil Mendelson and his colleagues Lynch noted that “locating the arena at Gallery Place … was a tremendous boon for all.” He said the city has also “seen what has transpired in Southwest by bringing the baseball stadium to the area,” a transformational project that attracted myriad residential retail and entertainment offerings to the adjacent blocks “The key to success is having mixed uses — where people live That is exactly what is being proposed for the RFK site,” Lynch continued “The upside for DC residents will be many — jobs who previously served as communications director for former Ward 7 DC Councilmember Vincent Gray and is a longtime political operator with deep knowledge of city affairs told me during a recent interview that “Josh Harris is either a visionary or he has a sentimental connection to the District.” Perhaps both are true Thies said passage of the deal will signal to other investors that DC is open for business After a pandemic that wreaked havoc on what had been a thriving economy there’s no question that the city needs a few breaks Under the current framework, the District will pay about $1 billion of the overall price tag That includes $500 million to cover “horizontal and non-vertical” stadium costs that could be paid for through an extension of the ballpark fund which would be known as the Sports Facilities Fee Another $175 million would be raised through a revenue bond to help build a parking garage; Events DC would provide $181 million from its reserves for parking facilities as well And similar to other major development projects the city would be on the hook for infrastructure costs estimated to come in at around $202 million that pesky $1 billion number has haunted the city for much of the year When Congressional Republicans approved a continuing resolution to fund the federal government reducing its spending to its fiscal year 2024 budget level.  That meant District officials were required to cut spending by $1.1 billion A Senate-approved bill sought to relieve the city of that obligation; however House Speaker Mike Johnson has still not brought it to the floor more than a month later Using a little-known 2009 law that permits DC to exceed its congressional appropriations by up to 6% under certain circumstances District officials have been able to reduce that $1 billion in mandated cuts to about $400 million.  based on revenue estimates released in February by DC Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee the city faces a revenue shortfall of $1.3 billion over the next four years in large part because of the economic impact of reductions in the federal workforce The Commanders deal is “a good opportunity for the DC to reset the table at a time it is economically unstable,” said Thies Nationals Park and Capital One Arena have favorably affected the city’s economy sports facilities generated $5 billion in economic activity in 2022 and 7.4 million visitors in 2023.  DC’s financial circumstances have instigated much hand-wringing especially among the far-left political class and their supporters their fears are as perennial as their calls to raise revenues through tax increases.  Many of the people in that group have severe myopia They also suffer amotivational syndrome.  Consider that they are advocating that one of the most valuable pieces of property in the city’s real estate portfolio be used primarily for low-cost housing a longtime member of the legislature’s far-left caucus called the Commanders agreement a “bad deal for DC” in a statement released by his office earlier this week.  taxpayers will be on the hook for over $1 billion for a stadium that would sit unused 335 days a year,” continued Allen It cannot be an economic engine with only eight home games and a handful of concerts It won’t be active most of the year like Capital One Arena or Nats Park.” allowing it to be used year-round; the city has estimated at least 40 large-scale events could be held there annually with other private events that would utilize parts of the facility And according to the publicly released site outline the stadium would consume only 11% of the 180 acres leaving more than enough space for other amenities including recreation hotels and housing — all of which Ward 7 residents have sought for decades Still, John Capozzi, a Ward 7 resident and member of the “Homes Not Stadiums” group which is pushing to get an initiative on the ballot that would prohibit the construction of a stadium on the site “The city deserves better than the NFL coming in and taking control of the RFK site The dreams and desires would be [more] fairly reflected by District citizens.”  Some of Capozzi’s anti-stadium comrades, namely the initiative campaign’s chair Kristin Furnish and its treasurer Adam Eidinger, were recently fined for violating DC election laws They deliberately and systematically engaged in massive fraud that involved using correction tape or Wite-Out to tamper with voters’ information on qualifying petitions for Initiative 83 the ballot measure on ranked choice voting according to a DC Board of Elections report their actions should have resulted in ballot disqualification instead of seeking a criminal penalty as permitted by law the Elections Board fined four members of the I-83 team a total of just $37,500 based on a miniscule fraction of their violations The DC Democratic State Committee and I have both called for the DC Council to conduct an investigation Despite my obvious disdain for this gang of election violators their new initiative — if it’s deemed eligible for the ballot — is likely to come too late since Bowser and Harris have made clear the council must provide some funding in the city’s FY 2026 budget for the deal to go forward Work will begin on the stadium next year and is expected to be completed in 2030 although four members attended the Bowser-Harris press conference That’s a short walk from the minimum seven votes needed to win approval.  In 2024, a Washington Post-Schar Poll found that the majority of District residents (76% of the 1,683 surveyed) said they wanted the Washington Commanders back within the city’s borders; more specifically 75% of those who lived in Ward 7 and 8 and 77% of residents in Wards 5 and 6 wanted the team’s return There is every reason to believe the stadium deal will be approved by the council Folks should understand that the public spending on the stadium and related infrastructure would come from the District’s capital budget — not the operating budget the stadium deal coupled with the revenue shortfall does provide an opportunity for DC elected officials to get serious about ensuring the city’s long-term financial stability.  the challenge will be to explain to the public how the city intends to address the current needs while funding the Commanders project,” said the business executive “It’s hard to sell the community on the long-term gain when faced with immediate financial problems.” it’s time to reduce the cost of government in DC sharpening policies and agency efficiencies and spending money where it best serves residents while yielding maximum bang for the buck Doing so means controlling operating expenses — not rejecting capital expenditures out of hand I recalled a working-class middle-aged mother and her 20-something son I met years ago at a meeting of the Far Northeast-Southeast Council The two had decided they wanted to buy a house but needed more money for their down payment The money he had been paying for rent went into a savings account They reduced spending on things they concluded were nice but not necessary.  they were a few months from reaching their financial goal and moving into a place they could call their own.  Their story was offered to illustrate how difficult it was for African Americans to purchase homes in the city I was greatly impressed by their determination That short-term pain was now leading to their potential long-term economic opportunities DC’s current fiscal crisis is not insurmountable including Mayor Bowser and Council Chair Phil Mendelson they can simultaneously close the revenue gap and secure a more prosperous economic future for the city by sealing the Commanders deal.  Enduring hard times and maintaining great expectations don’t have to be mutually exclusive jonetta rose barras is an author and DC-based freelance journalist, covering national and local issues. She can be reached at thebarrasreport@gmail.com Leave A Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Log in to comment on videos and join in on the fun. Watch the live stream of Fox News and full episodes. Reduce eye strain and focus on the content that matters. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All market data delayed 20 minutes. none of that was enough to offset what would be a bite into GM’s profits from the tariffs we are updating our full-year EBIT-adjusted guidance to a range of $10 billion-$12.5 billion including a current tariff exposure of $4 billion-$5 billion,” Barra wrote She added that GM will continue to engage with the administration on trade and other policies as they continue to change there are ongoing discussions with key trade partners that may also have an impact,” Barra wrote “We will continue to be nimble and disciplined and update you as we know more.” She struck optimistic notes about the future in her letter “GM’s business is growing and fundamentally strong as we adapt to the new trade policy environment In an interview with CNN (WBD-2.74%) Barra waved off the possibility of higher prices for customers “We believe… pricing is going to stay at about the same level as it is,” Barra said “Pricing changes in our industry at least monthly Other GM executives have been more pointed in their fears of tariff-induced economic problems GM earlier this week pulled its 2025 profit guidance due to uncertainty caused by the tariffs The executive added that the company would provide an update once it has a clearer idea of the trade war’s impact GM also announced it was halting its stock buyback program with Jacobson saying it is awaiting “more clarity” on tariff policies before buying any more stock The Detroit firm reported its first-quarter earnings Tuesday morning beating expectations with adjusted EPS of $2.78 on $44.02 billion in revenue But its stock was down a little more than 2% Tuesday morning Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Catahoula - A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday at Dion Madonna Hall for Charles "T-Ed" Barras A visitation will take place at Dion Hall on Thursday January 9th from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM and will continue on Friday from 8:00 am until time of service A rosary will be prayed at 10:00 AM on Friday Father Bill Melancon will officiate the Memorial Service.  He lived a life deeply entrenched in the rhythms of the land he loved so much embodying the spirit of the swamplands and Atchafalaya embracing a simpler way of life that resonated with the very essence of nature itself Much of T-Ed's happiness stemmed from moments shared with his beloved late wife letting the world fade away for those precious moments Those days of laughter and joy defined the essence of their love a bond that remained unbreakable even in her absence He lived for the time spent with his children Every smile and every laugh were treasures that filled his heart with immeasurable joy passing down wisdom and unforgettable stories about life in the bayou Blaine and Roxanne "Nunnie"; brothers Mervin (Laura) and Michael (Deborah); sisters Annabelle (Jessie) and Maryann; grandchildren Dusty LaGrange and Brent LaGrange (Robin); great-grandchildren Logan Schexnider and Braylin Kibodeaux; brother-in-law Charles and Angelle Latiolais Barras; brother Brennan Dauphine and Rylie Dauphine; and brothers-in-law Pellerin Funeral Home (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors By Ken Duhé Rivas says the team aspect Barras experienced is by design “It is important to emphasize that students … drive this work,” she says.  LSU is committed to achieving excellence in all areas and telling the stories of how our students and university as a whole continue to succeed and elevate Louisiana for the benefit of all '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/rabbis-must-speak-up-for-israel\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=trVE1vqsWQfg9ewz9tWxqRREMYHZw8uaJzCKGR51AGI-1746444231-1.0.1.1-BOMl5_BPtbLnYoS617Mz2FBvNU2dhDSAItI1G3ng2a0" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); Committee members deliberately used correction fluid — Wite-Out or perhaps Liquid Paper — or correction tape to alter some data provided by 4,802 voters who signed qualifying petitions circulated by the Initiative 83 campaign committee and on its behalf The altered information tainted 12% of the 40,000 or so signatures that were submitted Official Code 1-1001.16 and the Board’s guidance permits and violated the election laws,” according to the BOE order signed by Chair Gary Thompson and issued this week Neither Rice nor Eidinger returned my telephone calls seeking their responses and they allowed [the initiative] to be put on the ballot anyway,” Deirdre Brown who chaired the Vote No on Initiative 83 committee told me during an interview last week after a meeting in which the Elections Board finally took action against some of the violators Brown said “no one contacted me” about the April 9 meeting: “I found out after the fact.” This is despite her demonstrated interest and concerns; last year, she filed a lawsuit in the DC Court of Appeals that the Elections Board “erred by not invalidating all petition signature lines where [Wite-Out] was used; by not invalidating all petition pages by circulators where [Wite-Out] was used on the pages that they circulated”; and “by not providing a detailed accounting of which signature lines were invalidated and which signatures with the use of [Wite-Out] were not invalidated.”  Brown said she believes the primary motivation for the BOE enforcement is that oral arguments in the court case are expected to be held soon especially since the BOE makes reference to the case in its order and comes across as a bit peeved in a footnote that it has been pulled into litigation as a result It’s hard to take the sound of righteous indignation as anything but performative the questions about Wite-Out began in January 2024; the BOE registrar warned Schiller about changing anything on petitions in March; and the board heard at an August hearing about the full scale of the fraud it wasn’t until last week that the board decided to do something Those are not the actions of officials who are concerned about violations of the law Based on the contents of a petition verification report prepared for that August meeting by BOE Executive Director Monica Evans it’s clear to me the BOE failed to honor the spirit or the letter of the city’s elections laws or regulations.  the three-member panel surrendered to expedience both of which are critical to the maintenance and operations of a clean and fair elections system The official transcript from the board’s Aug 2 meeting includes testimony from several individuals concerned about the procedure established for the public to monitor the petition verification process Longtime observers like Dorothy Brizill and Gaby Fraser were also appalled by what they saw If voter information on a petition doesn’t match what’s in the BOE records “you cannot amend it or correct it to make it match,” Fraser said in her statement to the board “Every sheet that was altered with [Wite-Out] should have been invalidated and thrown out,” added Fraser president of the Metropolitan Women’s Democratic Club “In all my years monitoring the BOE — reviewing petitions [for] initiatives and referendums — I have never known of a committee that submitted petitions using [Wite-Out],” asserted Brizill “The committee must have thought they could willy-nilly use [Wite-Out] to correct names addresses and even tamper with the affidavit of the petition sheet.” what action he and his colleagues intended to take “to make sure it does not happen in the future.” He thanked her for her comments but never answered her question During an interview with me earlier this week Brizill told me that last year she spent three days conducting research on the issue at the Library of Congress “I could not find a single jurisdiction that allowed the use of Wite-Out or ‘correcting tape’ on election petitions or documents.” Understanding the seriousness of the violation the BOE could have rejected outright all petition sheets where the fraud was evident significantly reducing the total of qualifying signatures That had been the practice of past BOE members.  his integrity during his tenure as BOE chair from 1990 to 2004 was never in doubt When he and his colleagues were confronted with massive petition fraud their actions resulted in the then-incumbent mayor They ignored the fraudulent activity of Make All Votes Count DC campaign members and greenlit the initiative for the November general election offering the excuse that they had no choice because the proponents had met the numerical signature mandate the BOE has belatedly decided to take at least some responsibility for its previous negligence It has acknowledged the violations perpetrated by some of the initiative leaders The solution crafted by Thompson’s BOE is really no better The penalty imposed is not commensurate with the seriousness of the offense Following the recommendation of its general counsel Eidinger and the other two pay a combined $37,500 Elections officials agreed to that sum as part of a negotiated settlement during a closed-door meeting in February 2025 The total penalty amounted to $300 for each of 125 violations found on sheets that the four of them had distributed It does not cover the full scope of 4,802 violations that are acknowledged in every official the BOE is authorized to levy a fine as high as $2,000 for each violation which means it could have issued a penalty of $9.6 million — a far cry from $37,500 Guilt on a charge of falsifying information is based on a standard of “strict liability,” meaning that “intent isn’t relevant,” explained Thompson during last week’s meeting adding that the violators had said they did not know using Wite-Out was impermissible Confession: I am no fan of ranked choice voting the idea of open primaries is certainly appealing to me my position or that of any voter on the initiative is not at issue What should animate everyone is the need to protect the integrity of the city’s voting process and its election laws There are tons of questions surrounding the BOE’s handling of I-83 I asked some of them via email after the meeting last week.  petition circulators must obtain signatures from 5% of the registered voters citywide to qualify for the ballot They must also collect signatures from 5% of registered voters in at least five of the District’s eight wards.  The signatures from voters in Ward 8 and Ward 5 — two of the District’s predominantly Black wards — were not included in the ward-by-ward review of a random sample to determine whether the submitted signatures met the required geographic distribution I also asked why the BOE ignored the previous practice of discarding entire petition sheets when fraud was discovered had such a minimal fine been levied for an offense that is considered a criminal violation of the law And why hadn’t the board moved to rescind its approval of the ballot initiative after having found the fraudulent activity “I-83 is currently being litigated in two cases so the Board has no additional comments,” Sarah Graham But hadn’t the Elections Board by its enforcement action confirmed at least the thrust of Brown’s allegations some members of the Make All Votes Count DC committee have acknowledged according to BOE officials and published news reports that they had used correction fluid on qualifying petitions for previous ballot initiatives.  Sources told me that Wite-Out was used on petitions for Initiative 82 which was the measure that led to phasing out the tipped minimum wage which decriminalized recreational marijuana use by adults.  The DC Council should immediately open an investigation into the BOE’s handling of these three ballot initiatives A common thread through all of them is the involvement of Eidinger who served as the secretary of the Make All Votes Count DC committee He is one of the leaders of a new initiative to stop development of a stadium for the Washington Commanders football team at the RFK site in Northeast That odor you’re smelling is likely corruption.  Should Stroud and Evans be terminated from their positions Should Mayor Muriel Bowser and the council remove Thompson from the board This budding scandal comes as the Republican Party under President Donald Trump is aggressively attempting to restrict the voting rights of millions of Americans establishing a regime that demands among other things a specialized voter identification and verification class and gender discrimination of the early 20th century — the kind that people in the South fought to eliminate even at the cost of their lives But even without Trump trying to blast us all back to the past Thompson and his team’s handling of the I-83 petition process is wrong DC voters should have the confidence that the letter and spirit of DC laws and regulations have been followed whenever an issue or even a candidate is placed on the ballot before them As someone who grew up in the segregated South and worked as a community organizer for a few years across Mississippi I have absolutely no tolerance for anyone — whether it’s Trump or officials in a predominantly African American government — knowingly interfering with the management and operation of a fair and honest election Too many people were killed or maimed for the right to vote This post has been updated to correct references to Gaby Fraser Leave A Reply and website in this browser for the next time I comment The circulators as well as the board members who allowed this travesty to proceed should be charged and prosecuted I hope rank choice voting will be in place or if not that this initiative be put on the ballot again I grew up in segregated south in 50 60’s so I understand your concern We need rank choice voting especially for Ward where i live But if the total legal intiative is not enough lets do it again in their “puissance” ignored the manifold lessons of Congress’s treatment of D.C Of course they ‘re right: guess who suffers They signed the petitions by the tens of thousands far more than those discounted and the subject of the fine passed the initiative by massive margins all across the city who would seize on any point to disenfranchise the supermajority of voters in all 8 wards Baras who disrespects what was “a fair and honest election.” and part of my life was lived during segregation educator and curator Cheryl Edwards during a recent interview with me “My mother always told me when you are faced with your enemies partially accounts for the seemingly indestructible resilience possessed by many African Americans in the U.S It also appears to fuel Edwards’ efforts to resurrect an exhibition that was recently canceled after she spent more than two years curating it was expected to open this month at the Art Museum of the Americas located in DC The AMA is part of the Organization of American States (OAS) an institution comprised of 35 member countries the group passed a resolution honoring people of African descent The exhibition was to be an extension of that recognition.  Before the Americas fell victim to President Donald Trump’s frontal assault on diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and his administration’s elimination of funding for various U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) programs Edwards told me during an extensive interview via Zoom The cancellation affected more than two dozen artists; academic scholars and individual collectors who had agreed to speak on educational panels; and several major institutions — the OAS the DC Public Library’s flagship Martin Luther King Jr the National Museum of African American History and Culture American University’s Katzen Arts Center and Addison/Ripley Gallery — that had loaned artwork for the show from their private collections.  Edwards and others are holding a reception at The Kreeger Museum to help replace government funds that were snatched from the project because of the AMA’s cancellation and to demonstrate public and private support for the artists and their works “It’s not enough to be upset,” Edwards told me during our conversation In the face of discrimination based upon race everything related to this seminal project seemed to be going well enough that Edwards said she could “breathe.” Her fundraising efforts were paying off Edwards received a call from AMA’s director indicating the OAS finance chief was ordering a halt to the project until “they could decide whether it was going forward or not.”  Edwards said she told Ospina that she would have to “write an email and tell people” what was happening while Edwards was in Costa Rica for an arts residency Ospina phoned her to say the Before the Americas exhibit was canceled It was two hours before my opening [for the residency] She was instructed to call me and tell me that.  Edwards hoped to bide time until she could return to the U.S She believed she could make up the funds that had been cut since she had already raised $5,000 for the exhibition from other sources This is terminated because it’s DEI.”  She never received a copy of that correspondence Ospina did not respond to my telephone calls to AMA seeking a comment about the cancellation of the event “This means that if you are not a straight white male who wants to do art about a particular racist period of American history then you and your creativity and your work are not acceptable,” said Edwards Soon after taking office, Trump and his minions went to war on USAID and on DEI. Ironically, Trump once celebrated diversity and inclusion The concept and policy had been features of the Obama administration and were later expanded under President Joe Biden but they were generally embraced or at least accepted by Trump in his first term.  Trump has taken a sledgehammer to any initiative that has even a whiff of diversity They have fired thousands of workers and erased or caused the cancellation of myriad programs in their feeble and flawed campaign to elevate the image and stature of white men in America This week, Trump issued a new executive order called “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which appears intent on misrepresenting the country’s full narrative which is not a law but rather a statement of policy directs various agencies to take actions that would essentially ignore indisputable facts drawn from this country’s history It’s truly the book-banning movement jumping from the page to museums and parks The order takes aim at the Smithsonian Institution particularly the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the various exhibitions contained therein It also appears to be a restructuring of the board of regents with a directive to appoint “citizen members to the Smithsonian Board of Regents committed to advancing the policy of this order.” Everything that is happening is not what America is supposed to be,” sculptor Margery Goldberg said of the Trump administration’s rapid-fire actions in its first two months Having owned and operated Zenith Gallery in Washington for 47 years she has witnessed and experienced a great deal of political upheaval in the city and the nation Zenith has showcased many of the country’s and the DMV’s most talented artists Next week her curated exhibition The Wonders of DC Trees opens at the MLK library; that show was funded by Events DC and supported by Casey Trees which has lost $9 million of its federal funding since Trump’s arrival “All this is doing is making artists do more,” said Goldberg We are not like law firms and  universities That is the sound of the gauntlet being thrown by the arts community Trump and his democracy-hating crew have pulled Defense Department curricula that included reference to the famed Tuskegee Airmen whose service helped save thousands of lives during World War II; the resulting outcry led to at least a partial reversal They went on to remove a listing of Black military veterans buried at Arlington Cemetery — including who served in the Navy during the Korean War who served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993 and later as secretary of state under former President George W Trump and his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were roundly assailed for attempting to erase Jackie Robinson from a government website After the public uproar and the realization that Robinson Hegseth and his gang of incompetents restored the information about the Hall of Famer I am angry — actually on the verge of experiencing an episode of what is characterized in my hometown of New Orleans as “Creole crazy.” Already Trump has forcefully inserted himself into the arts and humanities sphere hard-working members of the board of directors of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and announced that he himself would serve as chair He also has forced cutbacks at the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  are part of his sustained campaign to elevate a particular culture and cultural aesthetic over another there can be no denying the presence and powerful influence of people of color in all segments of American society — long before DEI or affirmative action or any other government initiative.   The Before the Americas exhibition considers the Americas to include North Central and South America as well as the Dutch The artists to be showcased are members of the Americas’ wow class of creatives over many decades: Wifredo Lam Edwards said that the featured artists “often confront racial and colonial constructs challenging the invisibility of their contributions within art history.” She said the exhibit explores the various influences on their work especially around interconnectivity and the concept of “ancestral memory.”  “There is ancestral intelligence that you see pass from generation to generation when people do things particular things that they’ve not been taught citing as an example similarities in the use of certain colors shapes and designs among artists from different eras and places is a massive undertaking that those of us who understand the importance of building and maintaining a diverse public square representative of all voices and visions are being called to protect from these attacks on our creative institutions as well as the artists who fuel and sustain them.  “I am sure that this is happening all across the United States I want artists to know so that they can be prepared,” Edwards said with the right quotient of that determination embedded in her mind and spirit by her parents and other African Americans She is negotiating with two local institutions to bring the exhibition to their spaces this year and next She also hopes to organize a tour in late 2026 “I’m not [going] to let this government stagnate arts and culture,” continued Edwards This post has been updated to clarify fundraising numbers for the Before the Americas exhibit Leave A Reply has considered at least two legislative proposals that seem to deliberately diminish the agency and influence of District residents in their government despite the fact that they finance the majority of the city’s $11 billion local budget The legislature’s actions mimic President Donald Trump’s governing style including his penchant for muzzling citizens and squeezing them out of the public square Consider the Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 approved 10-2 by the council this week; the bill awaits the mayor’s approval The measure would permit the legislature to conduct substantial business and secret closed-door meetings with its members Mayor Muriel Bowser or other designees — all without providing any advance notice to the public or any report about the substance of their conversations or any conclusions that may have been reached The council is expected to hold a hearing on a permanent version of the bill on April 22 While the public may get a chance to weigh in I do not expect any significant changes.  That means the emergency measure likely will be in place for 90 days — to be followed by a temporary version in effect up to 255 days Essentially, the District’s legislature will no longer be covered under the city’s 15-year-old law aside from legislative meetings and committee sessions where votes are taking place Good luck finding out what lawmakers are doing daily to earn the millions of dollars you are paying for them and their staff There certainly won’t be anyone demanding a five-point memo detailing what they did during the last five days “The public should not be excluded from discussions which may seriously and negatively impact their lives through public health crises and public safety (acts of terrorism),” Robert Brannum a Ward 5 resident and former advisory neighborhood commissioner wrote in a letter sent to every councilmember.  “This is not just a leak in the dam of anti-open government but rather a vast and fast river flooding the demand for transparency and public participation,” he added.  In Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community acclaimed author and political scientist Robert Putnam offered critical analysis and insights about the importance of civic culture and citizen participation to the quality of government and society “What really matters from the point of view of social capital and civic engagement is not merely nominal membership but active and involved membership,” he explained the Trump administration isn’t concerned about citizen interaction it has deployed an outside team headed by controversial tech billionaire (and co-president) Elon Musk whose minions have sealed off computerized systems from government executives and employees the White House has barred members of the media from White House press events and foregone any real attempt to properly inform the public about internal deliberations and decisions The DC Council has not taken such dramatic actions but removing itself from the open meetings/open government regime places it on a slippery slope Mendelson and others have promised they are not abandoning their commitment to transparency They have argued that the open meetings law enacted in 2010 has impeded their ability to hold conversations about important matters with each other They have blamed the law for the cancellation of their once-monthly council-mayor breakfasts seemingly to avoid a public display of disagreements between the executive and legislative branches As an example of the purported need for a return to secrecy they have cited a planned field trip that members of the Committee on Housing were warned against holding because they would have had to alert the public or open it up to the public which would somehow have intruded in the work of elected officials the District’s law as written already permitted members to hold emergency closed-door meetings for issues related to health public safety or confidential negotiations Legislators recently used the law to prevent the press from attending the briefing provided by the Latham & Watkins law firm to the special ad hoc committee considering whether to expel then-Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White Sr They also closed out the public when legislators were briefed about potential active shooter protocols It’s clear the council isn’t seeking flexibility or clarification It is seeking what it gave itself: a broad exemption and the opportunity to go MIA.  Start stamping pictures on milk cartons.  Days before the council’s Trumpian dance, Mendelson held a public hearing on the Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 — the permanent version of emergency and temporary measures he shepherded through the legislature late last year.  The fact that the council’s adoption of emergency and temporary versions of this significant legislation slipped by the public underscores my assertion that the council seems to be systematically cutting off the citizens from their government advocates and residents are just now being provided an opportunity to weigh in.  The legislation’s effect is to make it more difficult for residents to challenge decisions by DC government agencies by requiring that a “reviewing court or tribunal shall defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation of a statute or regulation it administers so long as that interpretation is not plainly wrong or inconsistent with the statutory or regulatory language or legislature’s intent.” It’s a case of the proverbial fox guarding the hen house the bill would most assuredly weaken citizens’ positions in any fight against the government or its functionaries who frequently ignore how their decisions impact the lives of ordinary residents.  “How can an agency’s interpretation be a reasonable interpretation of a statute it administers and also be plainly wrong or inconsistent with the statutory language or the legislature’s intent?” asked Sheryl Barnes in her testimony on behalf of the Chevy Chase Voice “Appending the C and D word salad does not make this a good piece of legislation; it is now more opaque but perhaps that is your goal,” added Barnes.  Mendelson has cited a 2024 Supreme Court decision that overturned a 1984 ruling in the Chevron case with the justices now declaring that courts can exercise their independent judgment when determining whether a federal agency’s actions were within its statutory authority most of the other witnesses who appeared at the council’s public hearing criticized the local legislation and raised questions about how it might impact residents challenged Mendelson’s contention that his bill is necessary “Nothing about the Supreme Court overruling Chevron and eliminating deference to federal agencies interpreting federal laws requires the D.C courts to do the same — or to alter the status quo in any way — for our local agencies interpreting our local laws,” she said in her written testimony Swanson asserted that Mendelson’s bill would shift “tremendous power from the Council and the courts to the executive.” “This shift in power is likely to harm our most vulnerable residents by allowing executive agencies to undermine programs that the Council has created,” said Swanson.  “There is a real risk that the Council upends this careful balance and expands deference in a way that slams the courthouse doors shut on District residents,” she added Even before the current assault on open government the executive and legislative branches maintained a system filled with impediments to residents’ ability to connect with them citizens who need to speak with managers at key government agencies often have to travel miles from one office to another to seek solutions to their problems; a centrally located government square is a thing of the past Public hearings are frequently held during work hours and often downtown away from the most affected neighborhoods — even when the topic is public education or public health When residents manage to make their way to the John A Wilson Building — DC’s city hall — legislators often do not begin their sessions at the published hour forcing some citizens with limited available time to leave before giving their testimony while residents fund the government — including the salaries of elected officials — the legislature rarely takes budget discussions to community locations DC’s open government is neither open nor easily accessible Putnam detailed the problems related to the loss of civic culture and citizen engagement: decreased voter turnout a lack of willingness to serve on community committees and commissions Those are the consequences and challenges with which DC has been grappling even before the pending Interestingly during Mendelson’s monthly press briefing held the day before the council’s standard legislative sessions a reporter with the Washington Informer newspaper asked the chair how he might explain the weakening of the open meetings law to residents who are already suspicious of the government Mendelson — a man who once was a community activist challenging the actions and jargon of city officials — simply repeated a version of what he had said to other media representatives who were palpably disturbed and irritated by the proposal Ward 5 resident Brannum never expected to hear what he thinks is the real story. “I think they are knuckling to Donald Trump,” he told me during an interview before Tuesday’s vote. He cited the recent presidential order that established a federal advisory commission reportedly to ensure a “safe and beautiful” nation’s capital.  “There will be backdoor communications between federal agencies and certain District agencies,” said Brannum a longtime political operative and former DC government employee “They are going to be negotiating away what they have “I’m not going to give away my freedom,” continued Brannum “You are going to have to take my freedom.” There should be little doubt that DC is in a fight with congressional Republicans and the White House bully His executive order is the most recent blow Neither the mayor nor the council will be able to win without the majority of the city’s 700,000 residents No one should expect citizens to suit up and come on the field unless they have been fully informed An eviscerated open meetings act diminishes the possibility of DC’s ultimate victory Leave A Reply and shield the District government from liability related to shoddy construction performed by developers it may have supported through grants or loans District officials promised to make them whole Now it’s running for cover with an anti-liability clause in a bill the mayor has claimed will benefit residents as she attempts to flaunt her affordable housing creds “The Rental Act seems to be consistent with the District priorities are not in the best interest of residents,” attorney LaRuby May told me via email have been representing several of the women homeowners May wrote that they are “deep in litigation” in their DC Superior Court and DC Court of Appeals cases Bowser made no reference to the women being betrayed by their own government when she asserted during her press conference last week that “our collective citywide commitment to affordable housing has made DC a national model for success.” that the city’s “hard-won progress is at risk We now must act with similar urgency to protect the affordable housing that is home to nearly 100,000 Washingtonians and ensure our ability to build more housing.” “We do that by rebalancing our housing ecosystem and leveraging the right tools and the right policies to meet this moment,” Bowser added The bill must be approved and funded by the DC Council before it can become law and implemented developers and organizations like the DC Building Industry Association called the Rental Act a “critical step toward stabilizing DC’s Housing market at a time when affordability and investment are both under significant pressure.”  told me earlier this week that “we’re studying the bill.” Gabriel Shoglow-Rubenstein, spokesperson for Attorney General Brian Schwalb, said “no comment” to my email request for a response to the mayor’s legislation. That seemed odd since last month Schwalb announced the creation of a “Housing Protection and Affordability Initiative,” creating a new senior counsel position while shifting three other lawyers to assist with that focus It appears Bowser and her team — Nina Albert deputy mayor for planning and economic development director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) — failed to reach out to tenants many of whom raised questions about current efforts by the mayor and the damage that could be caused by changes to TOPA there’s no copy of the legislative text posted with Bowser’s press release and PowerPoint overview It also wasn’t available on the DC Council’s legislative website as of Friday morning even though Bowser last week said she hoped the council would at least hold a public hearing on her bill prior to the submission of her proposed fiscal year 2026 budget in early April told me during an interview earlier this week that the legislation “seemed rushed” and that it “really is favoring landlords and developers.” He said it doesn’t address what he sees as the underlying issue which is “exorbitant rents and low wages and how do we deal with that.” “It misses the mark and potentially leaves a lot of District residents literally out in the cold,” added del Pielago noting that he is particularly concerned that Bowser’s proposal would stymie tenant representation on the public housing board by extending the Stabilization and Reform Board that was supposed to be temporary “Why does the legislation not include mandatory reforms to Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) recommended by the DC auditor?” asked Meg Maguire chair of the NW Opportunity Partners Community Development Corporation which has advocated for affordable housing in the city “A sloppily administered IZ program is operating without data and failing to recertify income eligibility. Who benefits from IZ — longtime DC residents or primarily newcomers? Why is it taking so long to fill units “Failures in IZ do not instill confidence that TOPA ‘reforms’ would be any better administered,” said Maguire an ecosystem recognizes the interconnectedness or interdependence of a group of organisms or people If a real system of affordable housing is to be created and preserved it must address the production or maintenance of rental units and buildings It also has to incorporate a healthy volume of single-family homes and the abundance of local businesses that serve both populations We should be able to expect policies and programs to be implemented and leveraged to benefit the entire city While Bowser and others threw around the word ecosystem a figment of the executive’s imagination.  It lacks a system — to say nothing of an affordable housing ecosystem Since the creation of the Housing Production Trust Fund the District has spent billions of dollars without consistent planning and without sufficient consideration of the impacts on communities or the people who live in those communities officials have been driven by political considerations including their own personal political survival seemingly each time Bowser and her team have been challenged to think and operate holistically they have ignored or dismissed such appeals Consider, for example, when Ward 3 Councilmember Matt Frumin urged Bowser in 2023 to purchase the Intelsat site in Upper Northwest near the University of the District of Columbia The 13 acres could have brought affordable workforce housing and additional academic facilities to that community Despite a petition with hundreds of residents’ signatures Before that she ignored entreaties from citizens for the city to bid on the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel that was on the auction block for $140 million a modest sum given the site’s size and amenity-laden location Advocates and others believed the site could become a mixed complex of rentals and condominiums that included units for families with three or more children If Bowser had embraced such innovation or if her administration had taken a thoughtful rather than scattered approach to the expansion of affordable housing in the city considering the personality and needs of each community rather than convenience or the desires of developers she probably could have legitimately used the word ecosystem her legislation erodes the promise of any such achievement The council will have to consider how to provide much-needed relief to those business owners while anticipating the pressure on the court system and ensuring that residents with documented economic problems are provided with resources to help mitigate the changes Del Pielago argued that the mayor is “trying to ram down laws that really aren’t going to help residents” and that “the council can’t make the court change its rules.”  But Bowser’s proposal doesn’t stop there With her modifications to the District’s landmark TOPA law she would handicap the residents of market-rate buildings where more than 51% of units are above 80% of the median family income These are renters with economic fluidity that would allow them to effectively use their TOPA rights possibly converting their buildings to cooperatives or condominiums and creating a more stable housing environment combats urban displacement and helps tenants become homeowners.” It was initially created under the 1980 Rental Housing Conversion and Sales Act.  when a multifamily rental building is placed on the market for sale Sometimes low-income or working-class renters use this right to negotiate an agreement with a corporation or developer interested in purchasing the building The tenants essentially agree to a sale with a company willing to make desired improvements to their building corporations and developers would prefer the ability to make an offer even if some of them have lived in their building for 20 or 30 years A spokesperson for Deputy Mayor Albert said that renters in market-rate apartments have tended to take buyouts rather than exercise their TOPA rights Except that those buyouts wouldn’t be available were it not for those TOPA rights the city would be denying them leverage in a critical transaction that could affect the quality of their future housing.  decision-makers lacks key data about DC’s rental housing that should inform any policy changes: The city still hasn’t produced the long-delayed “database on buildings under rent stabilization so how do we know the basic facts about ‘naturally occurring’ [affordable] housing and who lives there?”  “The legislation seriously limits the opportunity for residents to purchase their buildings and will accelerate private corporate acquisition of buildings that are serving people of limited means,” Maguire added she and her team argued mostly that the proposed Rental Act will “result in fewer unintended consequences” and “restore investor confidence and increase investments in multi-family housing.” Bowser doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that her plan would make a number of tenants vulnerable to the system rather than fueling their economic advancement and improved living conditions as homeowners wasn’t it just a few years ago that she declared Black homeownership one of her administration’s key priorities Speaking out of both sides of one’s mouth isn’t easy chair of the newly constituted Committee on Youth Affairs conducts his performance oversight of the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children and the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) this week he will be confronted by this reality: Four years after a federal judge agreed to release the DC government from a three-decades-old lawsuit thousands of the city’s youngest and most vulnerable residents continue to be endangered New layers of bureaucracy have been created DC officials flagrantly violate local and federal laws CFSA social workers carry caseloads that exceed acceptable standards The agency has circumvented established foster care placement procedures and does not adhere to mandated investigation timelines “You can’t stop a crisis if you’re in a crisis,” said child welfare expert Christian Greene a former CFSA ombudsman who currently has a whistleblower lawsuit against the District “Who’s holding CFSA’s feet to the fire?” asked Marla Spindel executive director of the nonprofit DC KinCare Alliance which has filed eight lawsuits against the city for its continued practice of maintaining a hidden foster care system via questionable informal custody arrangements.  “Are [investigators] going out in a timely fashion when they get a call that’s an emergency situation Are they actually able to do a meaningful investigation and implement whatever needs to happen to make sure the child is safe?  “Or are they having to sort of slap a Band-Aid on it because they don’t have the time?” wondered Spindel Answers can be found in the city’s handling of children’s deaths. In 2023, a total of 41 deaths were reviewed by CFSA, according to its Annual Child Fatality Review Report published last month I was most appalled by DC’s reaction to the deaths of three teens — ages 15 Francisco Diaz ruled their deaths “accidental.” He similarly labeled the deaths of four other young people between the ages of 19 and 24 from fentanyl mixed with other drugs.  When I sent Diaz an email questioning his determination replied: “The OCME is in the midst of managing a mass fatality event,” referring to the collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter in which all 67 passengers and crew members died Adams passed on the guide for determining the manner of death used by Diaz and medical examiners nationwide “Please keep in mind that each of the District’s fatality committees write their own reports based upon their review of all of the information available to them,” he added.  “Any death of a child is unfortunate,” said Tanya Torres Trice “We are troubled by the uptick in drug usage that we are seeing and we want to be part of the solution.  “The three teenagers who did die were not involved at CFSA during the time of their death and the [OCME] makes the determination of death,” Trice added during an interview with me earlier this week the CFSA report must include a review of the death of any child who had involvement with the agency in the previous five years The accidental death determination suppressed the overall homicide rate for 2023 though Mayor Muriel Bowser had declared a public emergency opioid crisis that year DC’s Metropolitan Police Department apparently did not track down the persons who had sold or given the drug to the three children The OCME could have labeled the teens’ deaths as homicides “Intent to cause death is a common element but is not required for classification as homicide.” Trice said CFSA has a substance use disorder unit that works closely with the DC Department of Behavioral Health “so when we see signs or suspect young people are engaged in using illicit drugs we are able to refer them for support and assessment.” She also said twice yearly MPD conducts sessions with social workers to help them understand any trends police are seeing The OCME and the Office of the Attorney General are members of the CFSA fatality review committee who was appointed the DC ombudsperson for children in January 2024 and who reports to the DC Council She demurred when I asked her about the medical examiner’s “accidental” determination offering that members of the committee all care about children and are committed to protecting them It’s jargon all the time with a side helping of impotent policies and empty political gestures Children are killed in the nation’s capital with impunity “I think that that is a reaching statement with the assumption that nobody cared and I don’t believe that to be the case,” Trice pushed back in my interview with her.  Last year, DeAndre Pettus was arrested and jailed in connection with the death of his 5-year-old son The father was charged by the Office of the U.S Attorney for DC with cruelty to a child but then released from jail Diaz ruled the manner of that death “undetermined.” Adams said in an email that the cause and manner of death are “still pending” and the “final determination has not been recorded yet.” it’s often preceded by myriad incidents of abuse neglect or maltreatment — a punch in the chest a beating that draws blood but doesn’t take the last breath.  Only 4,084 of those calls were accepted for investigation 714 were already linked to open investigations and 936 categorized as informational and referrals involving missing were directed to other agencies or organizations were “screened out” because they reportedly didn’t meet requirements to open an investigation Last year, DC law required that abuse and neglect complaints be examined within 30 days. Then last month, the council approved mayoral legislation that changed the mandated time limit to 45 days Investigations involving a fatality or sex trafficking may take up to 60 days under the new statute Parker voted to support the change both when he was a member of the Committee on Facilities and Family Services — which then had jurisdiction — and earlier this year after becoming chair of the reorganized Committee on Youth Affairs He promised a few weeks ago to respond to my request for comments about the state of the city’s child welfare system “Changing legislation is a façade,” said Greene “It just makes adults feel good about the mess they created.” would be ensuring the agency has the resources and wherewithal to meet the original deadlines for completing investigations 38% or 1,442 of CFSA investigations were listed as incomplete; 41% or 1,538 were considered unfounded; and 16% or 606 were substantiated.  Trice said many of those incomplete investigations are “sitting open for documentation reasons only always prioritize safety and being in the community before I will prioritize documentation.” But isn’t the documentation critical to the outcome of the investigation the timetable for investigations has become entwined with the shortage of social workers and the fact that caseloads have exceeded the established standard of 12 to 15 cases per person more than 20 workers were carrying between 20 and 46 cases Trice asserted that DC isn’t the only government facing a personnel shortage She said after the pandemic many social workers left the field she reassigned social workers from CFSA’s in-home foster care administration bringing in 30 people who had been managing low caseloads in their prior positions the foster care population began to increase “We hover around 550 children now and about 900 or so in our in-home.  in addition to already being short with our workers we saw the flu come and take us out,” said Trice.  In her 2024 annual report Jones-Jesz highlighted complaints her office received that year including “two constituent complaints where there were reasonable grounds for the removal of the child/children from the home.” “The removals did not occur until in one CFSA In-home case a child was seriously injured by the caregiver requiring hospitalization,” according to the ombudsperson’s report “In another [child protective services] investigation a 1-year-old was being supervised by the mother who was under the influence of substances and clearly unable to care for the child.” That report also called attention to several constituent complaints that necessary documentation in their cases “was missing … and not entered per CFSA policy The complaints filed with the ombudsperson make clear that a solution may seem adequate initially but then create its own challenges — particularly in the absence of adequate resources “A safety plan [for a child] put on paper means nothing if the case count for a social worker is up to 42,” Greene said It’s all deceptive, said some advocates, who continue to talk about DC’s hidden foster care population, which I exposed more than three years ago in my investigative report for The DC Line, “Still Broken: DC’s Child Welfare System.” Last summer, DC KinCare Alliance and Ropes & Gray LLP filed two federal lawsuits accusing the city and CFSA of “violating the rights of multiple low-income D.C children and their relative caregivers under federal and D.C laws.” There were already six other such cases DC KinCare — a nonprofit that provides legal representation and other supports for children and relative caregivers — has complained that District officials have “consistently and repeatedly engaged in the custom and practice of kinship diversion.” CFSA determines that “the child can’t safely remain in the home even with services with their parent because the safety issues in the home are so acute.” “Then they divert the children to live with a relative and sort of wash their hands of the case The relatives are left holding the bag with no supports no right to even care for the child,” continued Spindel District Court for the District of Columbia “By ignoring the legally required removal placement procedures the [city] averts the legal and financial responsibility to support the children and their relatives.” The most recent lawsuits contend that DC withheld more than $40,000 that should have gone to children and their relatives acting as foster parents The people who promised to ensure the city adhered to the standards established in order to resolve the federal lawsuit — former CFSA directors Brenda Donald and Robert Matthews as well as court monitor Judith Meltzer — are all gone Advocates had a hunch the city couldn’t be trusted to keep its word They pushed long and hard for the creation of the Office of Ombudsperson for Children Jones-Jesz is already the second person to hold the job.  “We have a pretty broad mission for the office We’re an independent agency,” she told me “I see our role as to be a part of the community to help improve outcomes for children and families specifically children who have been involved with [CFSA].” This year her office will review “child protective services (CPS) caseload sizes and caseload counts for individual case workers We will also begin to monitor for [CPS] investigation backlogs past the 30-day requirement for case completion and closure.” Jones-Jesz also said that she will focus on child fatality reviews “We’re launching our own review of those particular cases in hopes to generate a very focused child’s fatality report.”  Solutions and actions are better — like finding out how three teens got their hands on fentanyl and died from an overdose Psalm 23.6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever we announce the passing of Celeste Barras Buhler She was a resident of Central and a graduate of Central High School She attended Southern University and A&M College where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Nursing was her passion and Celeste touched countless lives in hospitals and hospice organizations around Baton Rouge Her passion for helping extended to everyone lucky enough to know her She adored her two daughters and supported them in every way she could Cheering her girls on from the stands at softball games spending quality time with family and friends cooking for anyone who said they were hungry and clipping her rose bushes were just a few of the things Celeste loved and cherished Her witty personality and infectious laugh were qualities that attracted anyone she met Celeste is survived by her husband of 12 years Autumn Vessier and Dakota Haynsworth; parents She was preceded in death by her grandparents Services will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home on June 28 with a memorial service to begin at 2:30pm A committal service will immediately follow in Resthaven Gardens of Memory please consider donating to Celeste’s two daughters Resthaven Gardens of Memory & Funeral Home Is there any unethical or corrupt DC official whom Frederick D Does he not think residents have the right to demand an honest and responsible government Is it acceptable that politicians continue to receive taxpayer-financed salaries after deliberately and blatantly violating the law?  Those questions crossed my mind as I watched the DC Council’s recent public hearing held in advance of its vote next week on a resolution that would expel Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White Sr White was arrested — and subsequently indicted by a grand jury — after he was caught on tape agreeing to accept $156,000 in bribes offered by a DC contractor turned FBI informant The bribery-accepting spree was halted by White’s arrest in August according to federal government documents and videotape evidence.  At White’s arraignment on a federal bribery charge Cooke entered a plea of not guilty on his client’s behalf His criminal trial is scheduled for January 2026 Council Chair Phil Mendelson announced plans to remove White as chair of the Committee on Recreation Mendelson also established an ad hoc committee that included all councilmembers except White Its responsibility was to investigate whether he had violated any DC laws or rules that govern legislators’ behavior and activities was later hired to assist with the probe and make recommendations the investigators concluded that there was substantial evidence against White The council committee recommended his expulsion.  I had reached that conclusion months earlier The FBI affidavit made it difficult to ignore that bribes had been taken and that White had offered to create additional opportunities where he could accept more bribes The level of corruption was breathtaking.  Still, the process of relieving the legislature of a low-performing, crooked politician, who never provided the representation Ward 8 residents needed and deserved, has been allowed to drag on so long that the upcoming vote will occur a month after he was sworn in for a third term.  in a page taken straight from the Donald J Trump book on how to get away with political corruption challenged the council’s authority to discipline one of its members and to take the actions necessary to restore the public’s trust During my nearly 40 years covering local politics I had seen countless versions of that very scene After his tenure from 1987 through 1989 as DC corporation counsel — that’s what the city government’s top lawyer was then called — Cooke appeared to be on speed dial for every corrupt government official and politician Most were indisputable violators of the public’s trust judicial system provides that everyone is entitled to legal representation was he prohibited from turning down a case Was there no situation where his ethics compelled him to say no When then-Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. was arrested and charged with buying clothing cars and trips using $350,000 of taxpayer funds earmarked for underserved youth Cooke was among the first lawyers to stand with him the man who would become the city’s first elected attorney general represented Thomas in federal court before he was sentenced to 38 months in prison.  Cooke was also on the scene when Council Chair Kwame Brown was arrested and charged with bank fraud for falsifying loan documents he signed to purchase his home and a boat; he was also charged with campaign finance violations avoiding any significant jail time with six months’ home detention for the fraud charge; he also agreed to resign his elected position.  Cooke also represented several individuals who were involved in a major campaign finance scandal that ensnared the mayoral election committee of then-Council Chair Vincent C. Gray.  While Gray was never actually charged with wrongdoing a prominent health care business executive Cooke represented former Mayor Marion Barry Jr on a variety of charges: evading taxes; accepting a loan from a business owner in a breach of council rules; and violating campaign finance laws Cooke’s handling of the latter seemed particularly relevant to his performance on White’s behalf earlier this week during the council’s public hearing Back in the mid-1990s, Cooke and David Wilmot, whom I dubbed “The Tag Team” in an article published in the City Paper questioned whether the acting head of the Office of Campaign Finance had the authority to charge Barry with any violations since the official’s tenure had technically expired That strategy made it possible for Barry’s mayoral committee to avoid criminal charges and face just a $1,600 fine after Mendelson and Chair Pro Tempore Kenyan McDuffie explained the council’s case against White Cooke declared that his client denied all “allegations Cooke argued that there were “procedural defects and deficiencies” in how the council dealt with White’s case He said the “matter should be dismissed and put on a proper track.” he challenged whether the council even had the authority to conduct an investigation asserting such powers belong only to the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability (BEGA) He noted that the statute permits individuals to appeal its rulings to the DC Superior Court or the DC Court of Appeals.  The council does not provide for such a remedy he protested — although I presume any person believing themselves to have been treated unfairly or illegally can file a complaint of some sort with the court “Nowhere in the DC Code is the council given authority to enforce violations,” said Cooke.  He also claimed that the council was relying on an outdated resolution introduced during the previous Council Period 25 the expulsion was no longer properly before the legislature legislators approved the carryover to Council Period 26 Cooke also hinted at possible racial discrimination accusing the council of following a different procedure than it did in 2019 when considering the expulsion of Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans he said the council began its investigation only after BEGA had opened its case against Evans seemingly suggesting that the council relied on the board’s inquiry when preparing its own recommendation.  the council took multiple actions in 2019 regarding Evans’ violations of ethics rules Lawmakers initially reprimanded him for misusing government resources when he was seeking outside employment a report prepared by the ethics officer at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority was leaked to the press; the document raised questions about actions Evans may have taken on behalf of a constituent attorney was considering Evans’ role in a case involving a media display company that was under investigation in Washington state These two factors prompted a new round of complaints from several people including at-large Councilmembers David Grosso and Elissa Silverman.  who refused four times to explain his behavior to investigators and colleagues Evans actually spoke at least five times to the investigation team and publicly to councilmembers It wasn’t until after that action that BEGA notified him and his lawyers that it intended to reopen and expand an investigation it had paused attorney never charged Evans with any offense Evans reportedly negotiated a settlement with BEGA that included payment of a penalty for his misuse of government resources It could be that Cooke’s maneuvers during the council hearing were designed to confuse and intimidate Perhaps the challenge of authority would cause at least one or two legislators such as new member Wendell Felder of Ward 7 (There must be a five-sixths supermajority vote for the expulsion to proceed That doesn’t leave much wiggle room.)  Felder did not respond to my email request for a comment Aside from trying to stymie the expulsion vote Cooke also appears to have been signaling his next steps He undoubtedly will try to appeal to the courts making arguments similar to those he presented before the council.  And you can bet Cooke or White will suggest racial discrimination or FBI misconduct the latter evocative of Trump’s favorite playbook That move was telegraphed when White walked into the council chamber of the John A Wilson Building wearing a T-shirt with the image of Fred Hampton a Black Panther member allegedly murdered by law enforcement with the assistance of the FBI To connect Hampton — a locally and nationally prominent leader in Chicago who provided services and worked for unity — to a bribe accepted by a Black elected official who also schemed to hustle money from mental health services available to vulnerable residents is sacrilegious it’s apparent to me that nothing is really sacred to him.  which is unquestionably straight from Trump’s book on how to claim to be a public servant without actually being one Facing the dire effects of a resolution to continue funding of the federal government approved by the Republican-dominated U.S House of Representatives that would essentially snatch $1 billion from local revenues District of Columbia elected officials and residents have placed their hopes for a financial rescue in the Senate Key Democrats in that chamber have lambasted the Republican measure arguing that it would hurt vulnerable Americans while decrying the unfair treatment of the District which would require the DC government to spend at the Fiscal Year 2024 budget level is yet another stopgap effort to prevent a shutdown of the national government It also camouflages the repeated failure of federally elected officials to do what most state legislators do every year: Develop and pass a balanced budget The federal government could shut down at midnight on March 14 if a CR is not approved Senate Democrats have introduced legislation that would extend that deadline until April 11 with what they have characterized as a “clean” bipartisan resolution although Republicans have deemed it a nonstarter CRs have included a provision allowing DC to operate under its existing budget spending local revenues collected from District residents This time, in a Willie Sutton move House Republicans deliberately trapped DC in their resolution deciding to treat it as a federal agency — essentially rescinding its approved FY 2025 budget and mandating $1 billion in spending cuts Republicans locked in the District for the same reason Sutton spent decades robbing banks: “That’s where the money is.” If Republicans use this as precedent to continue to treat DC as a federal agency that could be tantamount to a de facto repeal of home rule resulting in the city being stripped of authority and control over revenues collected from its residents for local services and programs Might they ultimately try to gain control of the District’s reserve accounts Senate Democrats have promised to push for language exempting DC from the CR Protecting the rights of 700,000 DC residents is important it’s unclear whether they will be  successful let’s not be naïve: Democrats are in a serious battle defending Medicaid to say nothing of the many federal jobs that are being needlessly eliminated by an unelected billionaire acting co-president.  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has reversed course and says he’ll vote for the Republicans’ CR is understandably worried about the optics and effects of enabling President Donald Trump and the GOP to dictate the terms of a government shutdown if one were to occur But if enough Democrats vote to allow consideration of the CR that could put the DC government on the chopping block It also could help consummate — notwithstanding a week of lobbying on the Hill by DC elected officials statehood advocates and ordinary citizens concerned about the city’s future — a prediction by Terry Lynch the head of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations a coalition of churches that provide services to many of the city’s most vulnerable residents. “Dark days are coming to the District,” he said during an interview earlier this week about the challenges facing the city Lynch offered that there won’t be sufficient child care because there will be too few aides Some schools won’t have enough teachers and will be forced to close There also won’t be enough police to keep the streets safe And trash is not going to get picked up on time.  DC was already facing a challenging financial future, as I mentioned in my column last week before Republicans decided to effect their snatch and run Circumstances in the city have quickly become a crisis.  I sought to speak with DC Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee about the dire state of affairs He said through his spokesperson that his schedule was “full” and he could not speak with me City Administrator Kevin Donahue did not reply to my email requesting an interview with him “It is a perfect storm,” said one government insider who requested anonymity in order to speak freely and because they were not authorized to comment on behalf of the Bowser administration This insider noted that over the next three years DC could be grappling with budget cuts totaling nearly $3 billion He characterized the Republican demand for $1 billion in spending reductions midway through the current fiscal year as just the beginning.  Already the city was facing a $22 million revenue shortfall for FY 2025; from 2026 to 2028 the cumulative number is projected to reach $1.3 billion primarily due to the impact of cuts in the federal workforce DC could lose as much as $900 million in federal funds if the GOP moves forward with planned reductions in Medicaid The District uses Medicaid to provide health care to hundreds of thousands of its neediest residents; 70% of the costs are reimbursed by the feds During a press conference that DC elected officials held earlier this week at the foot of the Capitol Mayor Muriel Bowser warned that the House-approved CR would require public works and some human services programs would hamper the goal that she and Trump share of making DC the most “beautiful” city in the world.  had set a similar goal in the 1990s of making DC the “best capital city in the world.” He and others in Congress increased investments in DC instead of stripping it of much-needed revenues that group of Republicans approved legislation creating a financial and management control board to rescue the District A decade or so later, DC Appleseed, then led by attorney Walter Smith, joined with a group called Our Nation’s Capital to develop a blueprint — largely unfulfilled — for realizing that same achievement The feds have fallen short of their special responsibilities to the city.  Trump and other Republicans seem to have locked into a punitive relationship with the District A few have introduced legislation to repeal outright the DC Home Rule Act of 1973 there is an effort to modify sections of the charter according to sources I spoke with earlier this week some of those same sources said that before Trump was inaugurated he summoned former Virginia Congressman Tom Davis to Mar-a-Lago ostensibly to discuss the return of a control board Davis — one of the key architects of the five-member panel in his role as head of the House panel with oversight of DC — did not reply to my telephone message seeking details about his meeting with the president.  Bowser also made a trip to see Trump in Florida She indicated at the time that the meeting had gone well But even with her attempts to build a cordial and somewhat collaborative relationship with the president and his team he continues to mention intermittently the idea of a federal takeover of the city or certain services None of that history mattered to House appropriators It likely won’t matter to Senate Republicans I was less than sanguine about Democrats’ ability to get a new “clean” CR passed given Republican control of Congress and the White House I doubt that the District will end up avoiding the $1 billion mandate for spending reductions in FY 2025 it may be an opportunity for District leaders to make the tough choices they have shied away from since the end of COVID and the loss of federal relief funds especially those in the far-left wing of the DC Council There is a clear need to reduce the size of the government including the programs and workforce.  Consider that in January, DC Auditor Kathy Patterson released a data brief indicating the outsize growth of full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in the DC government The DC population grew by only 2.3% in that same time A reduction also is merited because of the increasing availability of sophisticated technology for the public and private sectors cuts like those required by the House through the CR must be implemented with forethought and precision — not recklessly.  If the rescue offered initially by the Senate does come to fruition The mayor and council should make the spending reductions they should have made last year This is an opportunity for fiscal responsibility and accountability In a letter to the mayor and council chair dated April 27 when the city was just starting to deal with the effects of the COVID pandemic Patterson recalled actions that she and other elected officials were forced to take in the 1990s the council approved a combination of spending and wage cuts: “A cut to base pay of 6% in FY 1995; a cut to base pay of 4% in FY 1996; six furlough days in FY 1995; and six furlough days in FY 1996.” “It was a difficult period that no one then serving would want to repeat and yet the situation you face today may be even more dire,” Patterson wrote in her 2020 letter She echoed that in an interview with me earlier this week — only five years later Most of the money goes out in paychecks,” Patterson told me DC — the so-called federal agency — is receiving the same unprofessional and inhumane treatment as most federal entities under the current administration President Trump and his billionaire sidekick Elon Musk have rampaged the government firing tens of thousands of workers and stripping agencies of their taxpayer-provided revenues all under the guise of ending fraud and abuse the dangerous duo intend to use money from those cuts to fund Trump’s priorities most notably presenting a larger tax break to his billionaire friends including Musk I had hoped to read news reports revealing that DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb had filed a lawsuit to prevent Congress and the Trump administration from acting against the DC government federal judges around the country have delayed or outright halted aspects of the Trump-Musk assault on the national government and the theft of taxpayers’ money Even a temporary one could offer the time necessary to mitigate the harmful effect of across-the-board budget cuts.  on Tuesday — the day of the House vote on the CR — the DC OAG touted a lawsuit against Cloakroom District residents and their elected officials have a major decision to make Bowser has garnered a few Republican friends on Capitol Hill He offered that she won over select House members during the standoff involving changes to the city’s criminal code via DC Council legislation that was subsequently repealed by Congress She’s still the adult in the room,” said the political operative during our interview earlier this week expressed a similar sentiment in my discussion with him “I hope the mayor’s office continues to engage officials and staff on the Hill and in the administration,” he said declining to offer more about how he sees the relationship developing over the next several years It’s true that Bowser has demonstrated polished diplomacy and a degree of toughness in dealing with Trump his allies and congressional representatives She is walking a livewire with the president He may like her one moment and throw her under a moving bus the next His fragile ego requires constant stroking Bowser’s responsibility is to DC residents; that will put her in direct opposition to Trump and congressional Republicans at times I don’t think the mayor and council are just blowing smoke,” said one longtime civic leader with demonstrated legal prowess noting that the cuts will most likely prevent the city from delivering critical services and harm residents If the House version of the CR ends up becoming the law with DC suddenly treated as a federal agency the city could make the argument that Congress’ action was “arbitrary and capricious,” said the civic leader “My own opinion is that [the mayor and council] should sue.” Leave A Reply That was the question I asked myself hours before the polls opened Nov Vice President Kamala Harris was right: After having dealt with then-former President Donald Trump for eight years was exhausted — tired of the blatant lying; tired of his penchant for bullying anyone who doesn’t kowtow to him and his exaggerated assessment of himself which is far worse than his overstatement of his financial wealth; tired of his 18th-century attitude toward women as set pieces for his personal enjoyment or mistreatment; and tired I have likened Trump to the escaped contents of Pandora’s box — but with the hope still stuck inside He has been a force of unadulterated evil that requires full attention and fight — not unlike some of the racist white folks I encountered in parts of Mississippi during the civil rights era in the early 1970s as he racked up victories in state after state it became apparent that the answer to my question in the title of this column was “not anytime soon.” While votes are still being counted Trump appears to have won the popular vote and has secured well over the 270 electoral votes needed for victory but for all of us with any modicum of decency and civility; for women especially those who had already died because of devastating abortion laws; and for Harris She was drafted into a mission that mandated a suspension of doubt and required an unprecedented amount of energy and dedication Harris had only 107 days — a severely abbreviated calendar in U.S politics — to make her case to the country’s voters many of whom didn’t know who she was and were too lazy to conduct their own research Trump had been campaigning since his loss in 2020 making deals with billionaire business owners and co-opting traditional media organizations who gave aid and cover to his nauseous ideas Do not discount the fact that as a woman of color Harris faced overt and covert gender discrimination instigated in no small measure by Trump and his team As I became disturbed by the results of Tuesday’s election would give me after telling her about some disappointment that I had experienced and that I thought meant the end of me and/or the world as I believed I knew it She’d take me by the hand to the small porch outside her shotgun-style home in New Orleans where we lived and tell me: “Look up at the sky Does it look any different than it did yesterday?”  Touch your arms and your legs; do they feel any different You still have an opportunity to get what you want,” she said we’d go back inside for a cup of coffee with chicory and a piece of toasted French bread with butter I was ready for the next round of the battle There will be no Friday morning armchair quarterbacking from me — the kind we have heard all week from pundits who quickly pivoted from their earlier belief that Trump was locked in a tight race that he would ultimately lose citizens who care about maintaining a truly democratic form of government one where the Department of Education or health care for the poor and working class won’t be demolished by fiat by mad men cannot ignore the moment in which we as a nation find ourselves I took my aunt’s guidance with me throughout the 10 years I worked as a community organizer. I shared it with the residents I trained to demand more from their government. I share it now, for those of us who know “a luta continua.” This is no time to run and hide DC residents who have tussled with Trump and his Republican Party during his first term and more recently during GOP control of the House of Representatives cannot grow complacent we know the man who has been elected the 47th president of the United States remains a clear and present danger — even to himself.  DC residents are exhausted from dealing with him — we are bruised no time to roll ourselves out like ready doormats the Rose Garden and the White House must be protected are concerned about the outcome of the national election we surely should raise critical questions about the results from local political races Consider, for example, that Ward 8 DC Councilmember Trayon White Sr. prevailed in his reelection bid — with 18,700 votes or 75.8%, according to the latest count posted by the DC Board of Elections.  Wasn’t he the person who was caught on video and audio tape agreeing to accept $156,000 in bribes and who took $35,000 in cash and stuffed it in his pockets White has been charged with a federal felony; he has pleaded not guilty He is expected to make an appearance in U.S A special committee of the legislature is investigating whether White violated DC financial disclosure laws and the council’s ethics rules Their investigative report is expected to be presented on or before Dec notwithstanding the results of this week’s election a tearful White told a reporter that he hoped his victory “sends a loud message to the DC Council about keeping the decision in the hands of the people.” Let’s hope legislators understand that “the people” doesn’t just include the cult of Trayon White but all DC residents — across all eight wards Let’s hope councilmembers will not be oblivious to the fact that part of their job is to maintain a standard of integrity and hold their colleagues accountable for violating District laws.  Obviously a great many people have concluded Trump is above the law. Or more precisely, all roads to the court have been effectively blocked with his presumptive election. Special Counsel Jack Smith is closing out his case No doubt Georgia’s Fani Willis will not move forward with her prosecution under RICO — at least not against Trump That surely was partially Trump’s motivation for running a third time Should that lawless privilege also be applied to White?  is the fact that the count of “under votes” was substantial in multiple races on the DC ballot according to preliminary results posted by the Board of Elections That contest permits voters to choose two candidates.  believed to be angling for a mayoral run in 2026 which amounted to 62.38% of the votes cast in the four-person race The second-highest vote-getter was independent Christina Henderson whose total number of votes — 83,366 — and percentage — 23.11% — aren’t much better than her performance in 2020 when she first ran for office in a field that included 24 candidates which was 14.77% of the total ballots cast A close review of this year’s results could debunk the myths advanced by Make All Votes Count in their advocacy of Initiative 83 — a measure that would partially open political party primaries to non-members and install a candidate selection system known as Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) as soon as 2026.  RCV would guarantee that officials can’t be elected with anything less than majority support consider that in this year’s at-large race only Robert White reached the supposedly magical 50% threshold Granting Henderson the other two candidates’ votes would still have given her only 36.93% support — in part because of the number of under votes.  Would the machinations involved in RCV really indicate to voters that the victors all have majority support Or would it just add to voter confusion already evident in the at-large results each election cycle If such a large portion of the electorate doesn’t use both at-large votes is it really reasonable to expect the majority of voters to offer their second I-83 supporters are celebrating their ballot victory: 195,586 voters approved the measure while 73,437 rejected it Another 30,792 voters did not weigh in one way or another But the initiative still faces scrutiny from the DC Court of Appeals — and from Mayor Muriel Bowser and councilmembers who must decide whether to provide the minimum $1.5 million needed for its implementation When I spoke by telephone on Tuesday with Council Chair Phil Mendelson before the polls closed he said he wasn’t sure how he might proceed asserting that it is attempting to fix a problem that doesn’t exist Advocates have already started lobbying for funding It’s worth noting that DC is still challenged by a tight budget because of declining commercial property tax revenues Maybe there are a few bright spots in the local election — or not 81,699 failed to mark their ballots in that race according to the unofficial results posted by the Board of Elections.  Perhaps these are people without children in DC Public Schools But District taxpayers are forking over nearly $2 billion for public education; that seems a big reason to get involved Ward 4 had a competitive State Board of Education race between incumbent Frazier O’Leary Jr O’Leary pulled in 13,899 votes (44.69%); his opponent prevailed with 16,881 or 54.27% of the ballots cast.  Were RCV proponents satisfied with those numbers even though 8,009 people didn’t vote?  State Board of Education President Eboni-Rose Thompson brought in 21,999 votes which amounted to 71.42% of the total ballots in that three-candidate race At least there were only 3,797 under votes In the Democratic Party primary in June, Thompson had sought to level up to the Ward 7 council seat, hoping to replace the ailing Vincent Gray, who had announced his retirement. She lost that bid to Wendell Felder who won Gray’s coveted endorsement and this week won the general election with 30,377 votes Interestingly, Gray distributed a statement on Oct 24 indicating that as a result of the onset of early-stage age-related dementia he would no longer be voting on legislation or other matters pending before the council Normally under such circumstances a politician would step down Ward 7 residents will not have full representation for two months or as many as five meetings Should an elected official establish a personal preserve?  While there may be no District law that permits Felder to be sworn in sooner than January the council should long ago have sought to amend the Home Rule Charter to enable temporary appointments when ward vacancies occur — a provision that would have altered the current dynamics District residents should not lose out on ward representation for months on end nor should they be asked to continue to pay the salary of a political representative when I guess democracy over party or person didn’t work in the national races Should I be naïve and expect it to have any agency locally jonetta rose barras is an author and DC-based freelance journalist, covering national and local issues. She can be reached at thebarrasreport@gmail.com The entire sordid affair culminating in the unprecedented expulsion began with White’s arrest by the FBI on Aug 18 and his subsequent grand jury indictment on a federal felony bribery charge for agreeing to accept $156,000 from a DC contractor turned informant Separate from the criminal case, however, an ad hoc committee of the council conducted its own investigation — assisted by the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP — and found substantial evidence that White had violated the legislature’s Code of Conduct and DC’s financial disclosure laws that panel made its recommendation for his expulsion but another month and a half passed before the final vote because a public hearing was required Council sources told me White will have a couple weeks to completely vacate his office at the John A Council Chair Phil Mendelson may temporarily absorb onto his own office’s payroll a few of White’s staffers giving them a month or two to locate other employment The DC Board of Elections must now declare the Ward 8 council seat vacant and schedule a special election to occur within 174 days.  especially since DC law does not prohibit White from running in the special election.  If someone’s behavior has been so egregious during their tenure on an elected body as to earn a unanimous vote of expulsion from colleagues why should that person be allowed to return to the scene of the proverbial crime Shouldn’t there be a permanent prohibition?  Some people think voters should make the final decision After Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans resigned from office in January 2020 to sidestep an expulsion vote he ran for another four-year term in the Democratic primary that June He received only 376 votes in the hotly contested race Those results placed him second from last; he probably would have done no better if he had jumped into the special election that was held a few weeks later to temporarily fill the vacancy There won’t be back-to-back races this year in Ward 8 — just the one special election That could offer a glide path for a White return Some civic leaders I spoke with earlier this week asserted that among the politically active class fatigue appears to be setting in and morale is fairly low That may discourage would-be candidates from jumping into the race and further suppress voter participation in what is already likely to be a low-turnout election a longtime Ward 8 resident and chair of the DC Democratic State Committee said it “comes down to whether people are looking to turn the page or is Trayon still their guy.”  In a statement about the expulsion sent out by the DC Republican Party Patrick Mara,  said: “We are confident a strong qualified Republican candidate will enter the race and allow voters to choose from someone outside of the Democratic club that has consistently delivered  corrupt politicians to the DC government for decades.” White won a third term by decisively beating Republican Nate Derenge in last year’s November general election local Republicans will have to deliver more than tough talk to win in the special election the outcome of a special election is not always foretold It is an open contest that allows all comers — party members and independents — to participate as candidates and as voters.  former DC Council Chair Arrington Dixon lost a citywide race to David Catania 29-year-old lawyer and openly gay Republican newcomer Brooke Pinto surprised everyone by pulling off a victory against several seasoned politicos in the Ward 2 race The milieu remains trapped in the late 20th century a time when race-based propaganda and sensibilities loomed large and victim branding allowed candidates to persuade voters that only by bonding together could they defeat the power structure holding them down.  it is amazing that 51 years after DC gained quasi political independence and nearly one-quarter of the way through the 21st century such self-defeating techniques and strategies still have potency among the electorate even when the so-called power structure is dominated by people who look like them — like me Ward 8’s economic stagnation is at least partially the result of failed African American leaders who maintain their influence by continuing to manipulate and exploit race and class fears who had held the Ward 8 council seat since 2017 now-deceased mayor and councilmember Marion Barry White has sought to portray the FBI as the villain that FBI-set-me-up plotline is so 1990s.  many White supporters seem stuck in that time warp District Court claiming their voting rights would be violated if the council expelled White The temporary restraining order they requested He has lived on the public trough for eight years The record of his tenure tells a vastly different story.  If he jumps into the special election and wins I’m OK with legislators doing that. Many folks in the ward — and many others who live elsewhere in the city — have had enough of Trayon White. He represents the kind of leadership failure I wrote about in 1995.  business and other leaders collectively identify someone with the skills and talents to prevail in the special election and bring new leadership and a 21st century vision for a new Ward 8 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Stay up to date on exclusive content from CBT News by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our free newsletter to receive all the latest news insight and trends impacting the automotive industry CBT News is part of the JBF Business Media family Contact us: Info@CBTNews.com © Created by CBT News | Atlanta Web Design We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Saturday The church will be open from 9:30 am until 11:00 am for visitation Entombment will follow at Holy Family Cemetery Reverend David Furka will be the celebrant Pallbearers will be her grandsons: Andrew Elias Gift bearers will be Lynn Stephenson and Catherine “Twiggy” Barber Readers will be Elizabeth Cutrera and Emily Ferguson She attended Our Lady of Mercy High School and graduated in 1953 After high school she attended and graduated from Beauty School a pre-med student at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) Martinville where she opened “Janice’s Beauty Salon” and welcomed their first of seven children After Gerald was accepted into Medical School she made a home in New Orleans and welcomed three more children while Gerald did his residency/internship and they welcomed their fifth child Martinville where Gerald worked at the Infirmary and they welcomed their sixth child They finally settled in New Iberia where she assisted Gerald in opening his medical practice and welcomed their seventh child Family and friends will remember Janice for her devotion to her faith and her family who took pride in designing and making Easter and Christmas outfits debutant and wedding dresses for all of her daughters She enjoyed playing a game of bridge with her lady friends at least once a week and never missed a bingo game at Azalea Estates She is survived by her six daughters: Karen Doll and husband Bob Additionally she is survived by her 11 great grandchildren Juliet and Claire Fairley; Harper and Eliette Church; Mary Catherine The family wishes to express its deep thanks and gratitude for the loving care given to their mother by: Annie Mae McFarlin all the staff and caregivers at Azalea Estates Assisted Living and Hospice of Acadiana the family requests that memorial donations be sent to the Team Gleason Foundation Compensation for General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra spiked about 6% last year to $29.5 million due to the company reaching several performance targets and achieving record profits the company said in its annual executive compensation report GM also noted that most other corporate officers reported modest gains is broken down into these categories: $2.1 million in salary with $19.5 million in stock awards from record financial gains in the year $6.6 million in incentive plan compensation and the balance of $1.2 million in other payments for items such as benefits GM Compensation Committee Chair Wesley Bush said in a letter to shareholders included in the filing that he believed the company's payment program played a significant role in GM's record financial performance “Disciplined execution in our core internal combustion engine business while demonstrating that the strategic investments we made in electric vehicles and our software capabilities are paying off,” Bush wrote “Investors have taken notice of our recent performance Barra's targets — and her compensation — improved from a year ago putting her back in the top slot in executive compensation among the Detroit Three In case you missed it: GM reports 2025 pretax profit of $14.9 billion; takes $4 billion charge on China struggles Yet Bush warned shareholders that positive growth does not mean employees should rest on their laurels “While we’ve had a great year at General Motors we’d like to echo something our chair and CEO often reminds her team: ‘Don’t mistake progress for winning,’ ” Bush wrote “Your Compensation Committee recognizes there is more work to do and believes that our shareholders will benefit greatly from that work.” General Motors news: GM announces layoff of 200 auto workers, unrelated to tariffs, as it adjusts production CEO of East Lansing-based consultancy Anderson Economic Group said his team spent a week doing the math and projected that the Detroit Three will see a reduction of about $5 billion in “operating profits” in North America for the rest of this year due to tariffs The company reported in March Farley's total compensation of $24.8 million was down from $26.5 million in 2023 when a record year allowed the executive to collect about 518 times that of the average Stellantis employee but still suffered a net loss of $133 million in the second half GM's executive compensation strategy echoes that of the other automakers aiming to hold executives accountable for their own performance and the performance of the company as a whole GM announced that it would be changing the formula in its executive variable compensation structure to align more closely with the company's four strategic growth areas — internal combustion engine vehicles software and services and autonomous vehicles Failure to progress in electric vehicle production and autonomous vehicle development accounted for declines in Barra's compensation from 2022 to 2023 CFO Paul Jacobson and President Mark Reuss had total compensation of $13.1 million and $18.5 million The report also discloses the ratio of executive compensation against the median of all General Motors employees which is required in the annual executive compensation report The median annual total compensation of all GM employees last year Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press The section on public education written by Lindsey Burke director of the Center for Education Policy at the Heritage Foundation begins with this declarative mission statement: “Federal education policy should be limited and the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” Don’t look for solace in Trump’s selection of Linda McMahon While she may have served a short stint on the Connecticut State Board of Education she — like other announced nominees — lacks any significant expertise in the field in which she is expected to work DC receives millions of federal dollars each year largely for low-income or disabled students and teacher development who as head of the legislature’s Committee of the Whole oversees the government’s public education system declined my request for an interview to discuss what the elimination could mean for the District “The District is currently focused on supporting our federal partners with the peaceful transfer of power,” Kihn wrote in an email sent to me through his communications director “We look forward to discussing our policy positions with the incoming administration at a later date.”  The email made no mention of the nearly 100,000 students currently enrolled in traditional and charter schools in DC; it made no mention of their teachers or their parents Kihn also failed to refer to the thousands of college students who call the District home and rely on loans regulated by the Education Department.  Shouldn’t their futures have at least equal standing with the “peaceful transfer of power” Shouldn’t parents have some idea of the strategic approach Mayor Muriel Bowser might deploy to ensure a well-funded public system of education Perhaps Kihn shares the perspective articulated by Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. In a recent newsletter she offered that schools should not “brace for big cuts in federal funding.” She also asserted that even in the unlikely case the Education Department were to close key programs like those financed under Title I (targeted to students from low-income families) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Perkins grants for career and technical education “could simply be moved to other agencies.” DC has received significant amounts of Title I money for its schools as well as IDEA funding.  responding to the politically sensitive question of whether states could be ineligible for Title I funds if they teach CRT (critical race theory) Roza wrote “no,” noting that the change would require congressional approval When I spoke with her briefly by telephone earlier this week about her newsletter She argued that DC would not be greatly injured When I cited recommendations in Project 2025 she told me that Trump said during the campaign that he wasn’t connected with any of that Even if the scope of Trump’s agenda remains the subject of debate the potential effect on DC looms large if the administration does scale back funding for education or attach unpalatable conditions “We get a significant percentage of our education spending from federal dollars And should that dry up or should those dollars be used as a bartering chip to ensure that a national agenda is enacted on DC I think that would mean we would have to cut programming and services to our young people that need it the most,“ Ward 5 DC Councilmember Zachary Parker told me earlier this week during an interview via Zoom the DC government has allocated nearly $3 billion to public education; that includes federal funding according to government budget documents published on the website of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer The lion’s share of the District’s spending on education comes from local taxpayers the city continues to face financial challenges; even a modest reduction in federal funding could hurt the District I am clear-eyed about the threat that comes,” continued Parker who is a past president of the DC State Board of Education “I am clear-eyed and wise enough to know that we should take Donald Trump at his word that he wants to explore eliminating the Department of Education.”  Parker asserted that abolishing the agency would be a mistake He shared Roza’s assessment that such a move is easier said than done even having someone that is willing to undermine the functions of the U.S would still spell trouble for the country,” Parker said.  “There are two areas that concern me most: One is around the moving away from holding a high bar for what students should learn across the country Department of Education serves as a standardizing force across state lines “[Second] if states were left to their own devices to come up with what students should learn I think that would put vulnerable populations — Black and brown students et cetera — in a disadvantaged position,” added Parker Project 2025 was produced by the Heritage Foundation a conservative think tank long involved with Republican Party politics Even as Trump sought to disconnect himself from the document as a whole he has embraced some of the recommended policies — abolishing accreditation requirements for educational institutions And while Roza may not think opposition to anything akin to CRT will be made a requirement for receiving federal education money Burke in the Project 2025 manifesto recommended that “lawmakers should design legislation that prevents the theory from spreading discrimination federal lawmakers should adopt proposals that say no individual should receive punishment or benefits based on the color of their skin.” Suddenly they are interested in a colorblind world — no doubt quoting the Rev including defining “sex” so that it applies only to “biological sex recognized at birth” and strengthening “protections for faith-based educational institutions There are clear indications that the Heritage Foundation would prefer greater privatization of public education Burke proposed that DC students be allowed to use a portion of education spending to create private savings accounts available for a variety of expenses including “personal tutors transportation and more.” Such accounts would be modeled after programs in “Arizona Call that the-money-follows-the-students-policy on steroids Or the beginning of the end of public education as we once knew it in the nation’s capital “That’s something I would be worried about,” one senior government official who requested anonymity told me during an interview earlier this week “It is something they can impose on the District specifically Interestingly, the current voucher program came as a deal the city made in 2003 with a Republican-controlled Congress DC would get more money for its traditional and budding charter schools in exchange for the creation of a five-year pilot The program was initially announced during a ceremony at the Heritage Foundation That small Opportunity Scholarships Program was expanded and reauthorized in 2011.  the program allocation is “capped at $20 million annually and limited to students at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty line,” Burke wrote “The maximum scholarship amount is $9,401 for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and $14,102 for students in grades nine through 12 The average scholarship amount is around $10,000 or less than half of the current per-student funding amount in D.C “Congress should expand eligibility to all students and raise the scholarship amount closer to the funding students receive in D.C noting that per pupil spending was nearly $23,000 as of 2020 Those funds come mostly from DC tax revenues “All families should be able to take their children’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to the education providers of their choosing — whether it be a public school or a private school,” continued Burke “Congress should additionally deregulate the program by removing the requirement of private schools to administer the D.C Public Schools assessment and allowing private schools to control their admissions processes.” have had problems with the public charter school movement in DC If Burke’s recommendation were implemented “We already have a robust choice sector here and approach in DC where nearly half of our young people are enrolled in charter schools where they get to leverage their choice,” Parker said pushing back against potential Republican intervention He has asserted that the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education should be exerting more control and oversight of local education agencies whether it’s around enrollment or funding I think our system by and large should be kept intact while we work to improve student learning and get schools the resources that they need We’ve seen on a national level that the school voucher promises don’t always come to fruition,” added Parker “I think it would be a mistake to upend our educational approach to explore vouchers in a significant way here in DC.” made clear the future holds many more such hearings which can be a blessing and a curse.  Parker insisted that “we do have a mechanism to make our voice heard to work with our congresswoman on the Hill,” referring to DC Del Primarily because our congressperson doesn’t have voting rights And there are consequences to that,” continued Parker “I just want people to be clear that we’re not helpless.” on whether District residents are prepared to fight for their rights — and the rights of their children to have the high-quality education they need and deserve The 4th annual Buck Barras Memorial Foundation Potato Cook-Off and Cornhole Tournament is being held this Saturday Gates will open at 7:00 am with Cook-Off registration starting at that same time Cooks will can start cooking at 7:00 am as well registration starts for the Cornhole Tournament There is an entry fee for patrons wishing to attend the entire event and that will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids In addition to the above mentioned Potato Cook-Off and Cornhole Tournament The live music entertainment for the day is as follows: food from the Cook-Off will be ready to serve and the judging will begin The Award Ceremony along with the Live Auction and raffle winners will all take place starting at 3:00 pm All proceeds from the day will go to the Buck Barras Memorial Foundation The foundation was established in 2021 by friends and family of St including their signature Potato Cook-Off in Parks and cornhole tournaments the organization has been able to donate thousands of dollars in scholarships over the last three years to local high school and college graduates Those scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors who have lost a parent To learn more about the Buck Barras Foundation and keep up-to-date on their latest events and fundraisers, follow their Facebook page The 4th annual Buck Barras Memorial Foundation Potato Cook-Off and Cornhole Tournament is being held this Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the Cecile R. Poche Memorial Park in Parks, Louisiana.\nRead More The 4th annual Buck Barras Memorial Foundation Potato Cook-Off and Cornhole Tournament is being held this Saturday All proceeds from the day will go to the Buck Barras Memorial Foundation To learn more about the Buck Barras Foundation and keep up-to-date on their latest events and fundraisers, follow their Facebook page. Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world an oil-loving president and Elon Musk in the White House Although the plants aren’t near full capacity they already produce more cells than Tesla Inc Listen to the story A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Reverend Michael John Barras at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Friday Father Barras died peacefully at the age of 76 on Sunday will be the celebrant with priests of the Diocese concelebrating the liturgy The Reverend Whitney Miller will be the homilist Burial will follow the Mass at Highland Memory Gardens under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM with a Rosary recited at 1:00 PM at Johnson Funeral Home of Lake Charles He attended Immaculate Conception School and Landry Memorial He began his priestly studies at the age of 13 at Immaculata Seminary in Lafayette Meinrad in Indiana and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans Father Barras was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lafayette by The Most Reverend Gerald Frey His initial pastoral assignments were at St Ann Catholic Church in Mamou where he served as associate pastor upon the establishment of the Diocese of Lake Charles Father Barras was incardinated as a priest of the diocese Paul Catholic Church in Elton where he served for 12 years He went on to serve for several years at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception He was then named Pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary (1990-2001) and then he went on to serve as Pastor of St John Bosco in Westlake where he remained until his last days He was a devoted member of the ACTS community where he served as Spiritual Director on numerous retreats He also served as Chaplain at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital He was also a “great” uncle to Kerstin McClosky Father Barras’ family also extended to the many people in his church family who he encountered throughout his ministry he was always welcomed and loved by wonderful families creating special bonds and cherished memories that added so much joy to his life He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother He lived a life of service as a vessel of Christ for 51 years The family would like to extend their gratitude to all who cared for Father Barras in his last days: Father Janesh Joseph Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church On April 24, 2017, after months of fighting to prevent officials at the DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) from violating the city’s Foster Youth Amendment Act of 2012 and pushing them to publish the mandatory report about complaints and investigations Christian Greene was fired by the newly appointed director She described the termination as retaliatory and a violation of the DC Whistleblower Protection Act Greene has battled the city’s mammoth law firm known as the Office of the Attorney General a reasonable response to an employee unsatisfied with the contours of her prescribed duties and responsibilities; it also said she had been insubordinate refusing to follow directions and mandates of her supervisor — that alone was justification for her firing and I was not going to sacrifice child safety for adults’ feelings we often put how the adult feels over child safety; that became a huge issue in my case,” Greene told me earlier this week during a virtual interview with her and her lawyer Douglas Hartnett of Elitok and Hartnett at Law PLLC While Greene had worked for CFSA since 2009 first as a child protective services investigator she wasn’t appointed as ombudsman until March 2015 She said she was “purposely used to [create] a façade.” I was known for holding people accountable … They wanted people to come to me and trust me because of the relationship I had built in the community said conflict developed when she began “to hold the agency accountable to the same standard we hold community members,” including whether employees and others had their mandated licenses You can’t even sign a document without a clinical licensure,” explained Greene When she refused to follow the game plan that included breaking rules and laws officials “started targeting me” and switched the line of reporting authority for her “from the director to the general counsel” and “took a variety of steps to strip my position and strip me” of certain authority but I kept on reminding myself the worst they can do to me is get my job,” said Greene.  “I filed the whistleblower lawsuit because that was the only way to out the information in a public setting because [in] child welfare there are so many confidentiality laws,” continued Greene Initially she wrote her own legal complaint hoping to provide a “roadmap for the DC Council to fix” the Foster Youth Amendment Act by pointing out “why it hasn’t been working and what we needed to do to shift it,” said Greene adding that her lawyer also encouraged her to advocate for herself “This is my career; this isn’t my life but the loss that I sacrificed is nothing in comparison to the people that I was representing and advocating for,” added Greene The attorney general is elected by DC voters Shouldn’t he also protect the children of the city?  The office ignored Greene’s disclosures — although at the time the CFSA had been under a federal court order for 30 years due to its failure to provide adequate services and its repeated violations of local and federal laws Donald had been DC’s deputy mayor for health and human services and was essentially reassigned to help move the city out of the court’s jurisdiction Her strategy seemed to be rearranging the deck chairs and pushing most of the agency’s work to third-party contractors — a cadre that could be blamed when things didn’t end well Many of the improvements touted by Donald were, in my view, window dressing. As CFSA’s ombudsman, Greene knew the fake from the real. My investigative series — Still Broken — published by this news site in 2020 and 2021 confirmed that massive problems remained even after CFSA persuaded a federal judge to end the court’s control over the agency In round one of Greene’s whistleblower litigation DC Superior Court Judge Florence Pan ruled in June 2021 in favor of the city’s request for summary judgement Greene and Hartnett took the adverse decision to the DC Court of Appeals In September 2024, Greene won round two. A three-member judicial panel — Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby and Associate Judges Corinne A. Beckwith and Joshua Deahl — wrote in their ruling that Greene’s disclosures were protected under the WPA the trial court’s grant of summary judgement on the basis that Ms Greene’s disclosures were mere policy disagreements.” The judges sent the case back to Superior Court ordering it to review the other relevant issues that had been left unexamined the OAG reportedly is set to file yet another brief in the Superior Court case next week.  “The District refuses to accept defeat,” Hartnett said somewhat facetiously the OAG spokesperson replied to my request for a comment writing did not verify whether the OAG will file a brief in the case before the Jan He did not offer any details explaining why the agency would continue to contest Greene’s claims especially since most of the managers are no longer at CFSA Could the OAG’s continued interest rest partially in the fact that one of the principals who had been at CFSA when Greene filed her lawsuit — its general counsel, Cory Chandler — is now a magistrate judge at the DC Superior Court One of several leaders in the city’s child welfare community with whom I spoke about Greene’s case was happy with the Appeals Court ruling But that person was frustrated by the fact that Chandler is working in the court system given her tenure at CFSA and involvement in the activities highlighted in Greene’s whistleblower lawsuit.  “She should not be anywhere near children; she shouldn’t be handling abuse and neglect cases,” said the child welfare leader.  The glide from CFSA to Superior Court may have been easy for Chandler I have seen what DC does to whistleblowers One individual who worked in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer was blackballed City contractors and others were afraid to hire him He literally left the country to find work a jury awarded him millions of dollars in damages.  “They hope that you’ll just get exhausted because it becomes such a major fixture in your life,” Greene said “Whistleblowers see an issue and recognize that if they don’t speak up It’s a very isolating and lonely spot,” she said.  she was attempting to identify and pursue solutions working with several other child welfare advocates Greene pushed for legislation to create an independent citywide Office of the Ombudsperson for Children that would come under the authority of the DC Council and provide real accountability for CFSA.  “I had all this information no one else knew I felt a huge obligation to make sure the community had the information and were able to act on [it],” Greene said I just felt like there was a huge weight off of my shoulders and it became more about how I was wronged.” believed Greene would have been the perfect person for that assignment of citywide ombudsperson who had the responsibility of making the personnel recommendation as chair of the relevant committee I am not responsible for government functions and I have to respect the fact that I can’t fix this unless somebody gets brave and is tired of the same old stuff.  “I would tell our elected officials to practice courage Whistleblowers do it all the time,” said Greene Despite the still-troubled state of the city’s child welfare system who has worked on a number of whistleblower cases said that Greene is “one of the singular most successful whistleblowers in terms of achieving reform that I’ve ever worked with.” “She created a structure that unfortunately is now occupied by somebody who’s not really interested in taking advantage of it there’s not a lot she can do about that,” he added The outcome could have been better if DC officials followed the city’s own laws. In its policy brief on “Whistleblower Protections and Obligations,” the Department of Human Resources asserts “Every employee of the District government is required to make protected disclosures as soon as the employee becomes aware of the violation or misuse of resources Protected disclosures are conveyed to a supervisor or public body or a substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety.” a government supervisor is supposed to make known “all protected disclosures involving any violation of law regulation or contract as soon as the supervisor becomes aware of the violation,” according to the Department of Human Resources document.  “The failure of a supervisor to act upon a specific protected disclosure is a basis for administrative action why didn’t the OAG pursue a case against Donald or Chandler or any of the other executives who were at CFSA Why does it continue to battle someone whose only sin appears to have been following DC laws and protecting the city’s most vulnerable children Youngsville – A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday  Entombment will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery he was employed part-time with Limousine’s Limited - affectionately known as "The Shed" Terry particularly enjoyed the family-like relationship with his co-workers at The Shed They offered great support to him during his brief illness  Terry's true legacy will be the love he shared with his family Bar-B-Ques and crawfish boils were his passion His devotion to his beloved wife showed brightly in their 25 years together doing "off the clock" appliance repairs for family and friends tending to his rental properties or having fun with his furry companion humor and love for his family will be missed.   He is survived by his wife of 25 years Sandra Faulk Barras; his son Lance Michael Barras; stepson Mila; his brother Taylor Barras and his wife Garneth Barras Viltz and her husband Glen; Gina Barras Bergeron and her husband Mark; his mother-in-law great nieces and great nephews and cousins.   He was preceded in death by his parents  The family would like to express their gratitude to his caregivers Connie Savoy and to the staff at Maison de Lafayette for their attentive care.  please consider a donation to Hope Hospice of Lafayette photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC Mariana Trabanino The next time an unprompted craving for citrusy fish and giant mussels pops into your head, go here. Barra Callao is a small ceviche counter in North Miami Beach that turns Tuesday’s casual dinner plans into a salsa party featuring some of the best classic ceviche you can get in this city.  Even though the chef prepares food quickly, he’s doing it with just one other person—and sometimes all alone. So when this place gets packed, be prepared to hang around for a while and enjoy the salsa music constantly playing on the TV. Barra Callao is casual enough to show up in sweatpants, but the food is plated so elegantly, it makes us feel like we could come here in a tux and it wouldn’t be that weird. Passion Fruit Pisco This passion fruit pisco is not on the menu, but just ask the chef and he’ll make it. The egg white is blended all together with the pisco creating a frothy texture like a fruity, edible shampoo. How to eat your way across the tastiest street in Miami Mariana is a Hialeah native who uses her degree in French studies to discover Miami’s best croissants Initially, I thought about letting it slide. I had already written three columns about the District’s fiscal crisis before the DC Council’s final vote on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and Financial Plan. I explained in depth why I was convinced that neither Mayor Muriel Bowser nor the legislature had sufficiently responded to the challenge Each refused to make the truly tough choices that would steer the city away from any fiscal cliff.  I remain no less concerned after the June 12 vote having reflected on the process and comments made by elected officials something even more fundamental than the city’s severe revenue-spending imbalance troubles me The hypocrisy and doublespeak on display seemed particularly odious At times there appeared to be a deliberate effort to misinform or misdirect the public.  Mendelson and his council colleagues repeatedly blamed Bowser for excessive spending Mendelson claimed he wanted to get control of expenditures but tossed aside three viable reforms advanced by at-large Councilmember Robert White that included conducting a financial and performance review to identify potential savings creating a Sunset Commission to eliminate superfluous programs and agencies and enhancing the legislature’s capacity to more effectively evaluate an agency’s performance Rather than implement that course of action Mendelson just added money for two new positions in the council’s budget office “It is difficult to get support for reform measures like this that don’t result in instant gratification,” White wrote me in an email when I asked for his reaction He said he is “grateful to the Chairman for investing in doing things differently.”  “DC cannot continue to face the same tough choices between cutting vital programs or raising taxes year after year I believe my budget reforms will make DC government more efficient and effective for residents,” said White It’s hard to know who is committed to reforms or who is tossing soundbites Wilson Building speaking out of both sides of their mouths.  Folks declared that action should be taken to prevent school truancy Then they snatched $1 million from an anti-truancy fund to spend on more housing vouchers because a bunch of advocates are beating at politicians’ doors demanding more.  Councilmembers claimed that providing affordable housing is critical but approved a Mendelson-advanced plan that would permit the city’s chief financial officer to tap into the Housing Production Trust Fund to address potential cash-flow problems when another councilmember proposed taking $1.9 million from that same source to fund a “child wealth building” program aimed at poor families Mendelson and the council’s chair pro tempore arguing that money for housing programs must be protected What does it mean to win the battle but trash your integrity Those questions have trailed me all year; they became more intense after Mendelson’s June 10 press briefing, during which I asked if he had held a public hearing to allow individuals affected by the so-called mansion tax to testify about the change placed in the Budget Support Act Mendelson said proponents had pushed for a similar tax increase for years He said the DC Tax Revision Commission had considered such a proposal Those statements didn’t answer my question; I asked again in which he described three parts to the definition of the word: “discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what is discerned even at personal cost; and saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong.” it is corruption — the getting away with things we know to be wrong,” Carter wrote The deliberate degradation of the democratic process or the pursuit of a divisive ideology for the express purpose of political self-preservation is unquestionably a form of corruption Mendelson pushed back against my criticism of his handling of the budget process including what I consider to be a cavalier attitude toward the importance of genuine citizen participation He argued that residents who want to know more can read the budget books He said council committees held weeks of public hearings He said there was a lengthy hearing on the FY 2025 Budget Support Act (BSA) as submitted by the mayor.  those committees present their reports and recommendations to him or he can introduce entirely new ones as he did with the mansion tax Those are done each year without benefit of any additional public hearings Often advocates who are like appendages to some legislators hear about nascent proposals Mendelson told me there was no time for additional hearings He said DC’s home rule charter limits the legislature’s budget deliberations by requiring a vote within 70 days after the mayor submits her proposal.  “Something would come up short,” said Mendelson “Either the [council] committees would have less time This is supposed to be a government of the people for the people — not for the convenience of politicians new laws and public policies are buried in the BSA with little or no advance notice to the public the language in the document is cryptic and difficult for most people to fully understand with no real effort to provide the public with the appropriate explanations in plain language That opacity is deliberate and acts as a protective political shield The FY 2025 Budget Support Act received initial approval May 29; a second final vote on a version is expected June 25 It’s likely to contain untold further changes with the full text available to the public and Mendelson’s own colleagues only a day beforehand — par for the course when it comes to the council’s budget process What would happen, I wonder, if residents knew and understood that the mayor proposed and the council approved sweeps of dozens of funds. Cumulatively in fiscal years 2024 and 2025, more than $132 million was moved to the “unassigned fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia,” according to an engrossed copy of the BSA as initially approved For example: $2.5 million was taken from the Arts and Humanities Enterprise Fund; $912,000 from the West End Library/Firehouse Maintenance fund; $4.6 million from various dedicated taxes; $2 million from the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Reform Fund; $6.6 million from the renewable energy development fund; $33,615 from the nuisance abatement fund; and $94,175 from the lead service line replacement fund.  The BSA also authorized sweeping $1 million from the Inspector General’s Support Fund; $40,000 of health benefit fees; and $1.3 million from the Universal Paid Family Leave Fund but they carry the seeds of tragedy,” warned Carter — an admonition appropriate for DC at this moment the weaker may be our commitment to democracy for it is in the nature of the true believer to have little patience with majoritarian structures that get in the way of progress,” wrote Carter there is also little patience for the majority of the population Those getting the attention often are those important to a politician’s personal aspirations or desire to retain political power African American small-business owners get stepped on as Mendelson and McDuffie respond to cries from billionaire sports owners who somehow are perceived as victims of a monopoly As an example of spectacular hypocrisy or doublespeak: McDuffie is the person who fought for the creation of an Office of Racial Equity in the council to prevent continued discrimination against African Americans and other people of color He has advanced the creation of a reparations commission He has talked repeatedly about the need to close the racial wealth gap he has forged ahead with a new sports-wagering model that will ultimately injure small businesses while also potentially harming the District overall — all in dedication to fully opening the spigot to sports team owners there were major problems with DC’s sports wagering program during his tenure as executive director of the Office of Lottery and Gaming Frank Suarez (who is expected to leave DC in July for a new job in Connecticut) made improvements that already have resulted in more revenues for the city’s coffers When I asked Mendelson during that June 10 press briefing if he was worried the council’s planned changes would harm small businesses he said “no.” He added the change was linked to the Child Trust Fund the financing mechanism behind what’s commonly known as “baby bonds.” Is not the ecosystem of small Black businesses fundamental to wealth building in America During budget deliberations a few days later, Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker offered an amendment that would have used $1.9 million from the Housing Production Trust Fund to finance baby bonds for FY 2025 avoiding the need to change the sports wagering system as part of the budget process Mendelson and McDuffie repeated their inexplicable and laughable rhetoric about a need to protect billionaire sports team owners and their industry partners against a monopoly When the sports wagering legislation was originally approved they were the only ones who could hold a Class A license no one could operate a sports betting lounge or book within a two-block radius of their facilities elected to represent the interests of District residents are fighting to protect a group of individuals who are making money hand over fist and are already sopping taxpayers’ funds at the government trough.  Mendelson and McDuffie said they are trying to build wealth for poor children of color ensuring they receive an annual allotment of up to $1,000 per year until they reach 18 years of age “the first $2.583 million” from the remodeled sports wagering program will go into the general fund in each of the next four fiscal years When I asked Mendelson about how much would actually be left for baby bonds He said all the money will go into the Child Trust Fund.  That doesn’t necessarily mean all of the funds will ultimately go to poor children especially given the reality of this budget cycle and spectacular levels of hypocrisy and doublespeak The Council continues spending like it’s Christmas They act as if the Capital budget doesn’t exist I’ve never heard the council mention our debt service expense Millions of dollars are being spent on bike lanes that are hardly used Councilmembers love spending on their pet projects so they can get reelected Next years budget is going to require more cuts and we will see if the Council members are up for the challenge The Detroit Free Press has learned that at least one top executive from a Detroit automaker is heading to the nation's capital this week to meet with the Trump administration ahead of expected major tariff announcements next week which could include 25% levies on autos and parts entering the United States from Canada and Mexico The auto industry has pushed back against the tariffs — which are the taxes importers pay when goods cross borders — and in early March won a 30-day reprieve President Donald Trump granted the temporary exemption to auto companies that are compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Trump has signaled he will likely impose significant tariffs In an effort to win either another reprieve or some mitigation from the tariffs Ford Motor Co.'s Executive Chair Bill Ford is traveling to Washington to meet with administration officials this week according to people familiar with the plan CEO Jim Farley will not be accompanying Ford General Motors CEO and Chair Mary Barra will be having meetings with members of the administration Ford's and Barra's meetings will be independent of each other but the intention is the same: To address the impact tariffs would have on their companies will also have a top executive in administration meetings The information comes from four different people who are familiar with the situation all of whom insisted on anonymity because they are not authorized to share this information publicly Ford and Stellantis each declined to comment when the Free Press asked about their executives' engagement with the administration regarding tariffs The automaker leaders have explained to the administration the dire impact tariffs would have across the industry Even when a vehicle is made in the United States and sometimes one part can cross the borders of all three countries multiple times before it reaches final assembly in the vehicle For example, auto industry expert Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of Market Research at Telemetry Insights, told the Free Press in a February article that one automaker gets the materials to make wire harnesses from Japan Those materials go to Mexico to be made into the harness then those harnesses are shipped to Texas to be attached to an air bag Those are then shipped back to the automaker's plant in Mexico to be installed into a car seat Then the vehicle is shipped back into the United States If those parts are taxed each time they cross those borders the bill could run into tens of thousands of dollars for this automaker To build a new factory in the United States takes years and billions of dollars. Also, automakers would need to find new sources for parts, and all of that takes time, meaning they cannot pivot their production plans quickly Ford is already building battery plants and electric vehicle assembly plants throughout Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Farley has said the automaker is not planning to build more factories in the near term. He has said 25% tariffs across the Mexico and Canada borders "would blow a hole in the U.S. industry that we've never seen." Already the talk of tariffs has created "cost and chaos" in the industry that has added to the challenge of running the company The stock prices for the Detroit carmakers did get a bounce earlier in the week over reports that automakers might dodge the most dreaded tariffs — the 25% levies on all Canadian and Mexican goods News reports over the weekend said Trump might exclude a set of sector-specific tariffs while applying reciprocal levies on April 2 A White Official told the Free Press on Monday, though, that no final decision had yet been made on whether the tariffs against Canada and Mexico would or would not be applied to the auto industry. Later in the day, Trump did not add any clarity to the question when speaking during an announcement of a Hyundai steel plant planned in Louisiana “Not all tariffs are included that day," Trump said Monday "For instance we’ll do some — as you know we’ve already done steel and aluminum and that’s at a 25% level and we are going to be doing automobiles Here's where tariffs stand: Trump has increased tariffs on goods imported from China to 20% He has imposed tariffs of 25% on Canadian and Mexican goods but has exempted auto industry companies that are compliant with the USMCA from the tariffs until April 2 he announced a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from all countries Many countries have responded with imposing retaliatory tariffs on goods coming from the United States More: Tariffs threaten to cut US auto sales by 700,000 in 2025 amid recession uncertainty More: Major US steel manufacturer laying off 600 in Dearborn, citing weak auto demand In the meantime, Ford and GM have been hustling autos and parts across the Canadian border as quickly as possible ahead of potential 25% tariffs on April 2 the union that represents Canada's autoworkers Free Press staff writer Todd Spangler contributed to this report former pro MMA fighter and hard rock frontman Kris Barras launches an exciting new musical collective that takes him back to his blues rock roots Once the leading light of the young British blues-rock scene; is back with a new band Hollow Souls.To celebrate Kris is pleased to announce that Hollow Souls will embark on their first UK tour in October and November 2025 Planet Rock’s exclusive ticket pre-sale starts 10am on Thursday March 27th Pre-sale tickets will be available via Planet Rock Tickets.Tickets will then go on general sale at 10am on Monday March 31st at thegigcartel.com.From humble beginnings in Torquay to trading licks with the likes of Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons on the world stage Kris has already lived a hundred lives that defy his youth and exuberance.Kris’ own project Kris Barras Band had a mammoth 2024 From selling out headline shows in British castles and a Top #5 UK album with Halo Effect.Known for the gravelly vocal tone and immense guitar playing that gifted him a rapid ascent in the British blues-rock world it is no surprise that KBB’s music has evolved year-on-year.KBB hit it off with acclaimed US hard rock songwriters and signed to Earache Records which set off a creative chain reaction that led to a darker Whilst KBB is firmly intrenched in the world of heavy music this creative lightning strike with his latest project Hollow Souls just happened to hit with something different.Inspired by the U.S supergroup Supersonic Blues Machine in which he also performed and energised by the wealth of British talent around him Kris put together a homegrown jam band to serve as a creative sparring exercise during his downtime multi-instrumentalist and producer Josiah J Manning using Josiah’s Plymouth-based Momentum Studios as their base a studio band consisting of drummer Joe Harris (Toby Lee / Lack of Afro) and bass player Leighton Allen (Callum Scott / The Hoosiers) became more than the sum of its parts.When Kris invited in former KBB backing singer Phoebe Jane to jam In writing for her dexterous range and astonishing power Kris and Josiah knew they had found a singer with which their musical palette could continue to evolve; the spark that ignited a whole new band into existence with Hollow Souls Hollow Souls’ debut single “Borderline” highlights all this and more to feature on lead guitar remotely from across the pond Kris said “I have really admired Jared’s playing for some time we gave him creative license to play whatever he wanted I am so stoked with the results.”Recorded in one take at Momentum Studios (as showcased in the official “Borderline” music video here) and produced and mixed by Josiah J Manning Hollow Souls set the tone that new music with further studio collaborators and perhaps even touring could well be in store Hollow Souls also come out the gates by announcing a twenty-date UK tour; a real statement of intent that demonstrates a clean sweep of the UK blues-rock circuit where Kris champions some of the venues that allowed him to cut his teeth as an emerging talent.“Borderline” is available to stream and download on all digital platforms from Friday March 28th on Hollow Souls’ own label imprint Camden UnderworldSun 19 – Stowmarket Castle & FalconNOVEMBERSat 1 – Stockton Subscribe to the Blues Rock Review newsletter for the latest updates a 2011 film loosely inspired by the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis (and absolutely worth watching if you haven’t) Jeremy Irons’ character delivers a memorable line to his boardroom: “There are three ways to make money in business: be first GM CEO Mary Barra didn’t get to where she is by cutting corners As the first woman to lead a Detroit Big Three automaker her rise wasn’t about breaking glass ceilings for the sake of optics and she’s clearly not just riding a wave of luck let’s just say she’s the smarter one More: Mary Barra Says GM Is “Goal-Aligned” With Trump Despite Looming Tariff Nightmare she certainly did something right last year to be paid $29.5 million the estimated median employee pay at GM was $95,111 in the same year meaning Barra earned roughly 310 times more than the average worker The number was divulged in GM’s annual executive compensation report that was filed to the SEC last Friday which states that Barra received a raise because she met many performance targets and helped the company achieve record profits Barra’s performance indeed improved and, thus, so did her compensation, which put her at the top of Detroit’s Big Three list as the highest paid chief executive officer. According to a Detroit Free Press report in 2023 that number fell by 4% to a measly $27.8 million compared to the previous year because GM did not meet shareholder value targets The 63-year-old’s compensation is reportedly broken down in four categories: $2.1 million in salary $19.5 million in stock awards from record financial gains in 2024 and $1.2 million in other payments including benefits GM Compensation Committee Chair Wesley Bush explained in a letter to shareholders that the company’s payment program contributed significantly in GM’s record profits: “Disciplined execution in our core internal combustion engine business while demonstrating that the strategic investments we made in electric vehicles and our software capabilities are paying off,” he wrote “Investors have taken notice of our recent performance More: GM Just Blinked After Trump’s Tariff War Escalated Bush warned shareholders that there’s absolutely no room for complacency going forward “While we’ve had a great year at General Motors we’d like to echo something our chair and CEO often reminds her team: ‘Don’t mistake progress for winning,’ ” he added “Your Compensation Committee recognizes there is more work to do and believes that our shareholders will benefit greatly from that work.” Tesla and Stellantis somehow managed to perform even worse and overtake it You almost have to feel sorry for Farley especially when you consider that Carlos Tavares who resigned last December after falling wide of the mark regarding Stellantis’ goals Granted, it was a significant downgrade from 2023’s $39.5 million, or about 518 times that of the average Stellantis employee’s annual paycheck but it was close to Farley’s compensation it ensures that at least he won’t need food stamps until he finds another job The group may have reported a $5.8 billion net profit in 2024 but it had a net loss of $133 million in the second half which probably didn’t make shareholders all that happy Barra became the first woman to head a global automaker As a senior engineer at the Pontiac Fiero plant Mary Barra gained hands-on experience in manufacturing and quality control was GM’s first mass-produced mid-engine car and an ambitious attempt to blend fuel efficiency with sports car design It featured plastic body panels over a steel frame a lightweight structure that was ahead of its time Early models had reliability issues and lacked the power and handling expected of a sports car GM made improvements to the Fiero during its production the Fiero remains notable for its innovative design and as one of GM’s early mid-engine experiments Growing up in suburban Detroit, Barra was immersed in the automotive industry from an early age. Her father worked as a skilled die maker for GM for 39 years, and the new vehicles he would occasionally bring home helped spark her early interest in engineering and the company she was captivated by a cousin’s late-’60s red Chevrolet Camaro convertible After graduating, Barra became a senior engineer at GM’s Pontiac Fiero plant. Recognizing her leadership potential, General Motors awarded her a fellowship to attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Barra graduated with an MBA in 1990 and returned to GM, where she led manufacturing planning Barra headed GM’s internal communications team she became the plant manager for the Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant she was selected to serve as the company’s executive director of vehicle manufacturing engineering and in 2008 she advanced to the position of vice president for GM’s global manufacturing engineering division She continued to gain experience in diverse sectors within the company working as GM’s vice president for global human resources beginning in 2009 she returned to the product and engineering side as senior vice president of global product development and quality of the company’s vehicles worldwide earning praise from industry leaders and making her the highest-ranking woman in the automotive industry she was promoted to executive vice president for global product development Barra was named the automaker’s CEO on December 10, 2013, and officially began her role January 15, 2014. At the time, Barra was just one of 23 women to head a Fortune 500 company Her rise through the ranks of product development marked a shift from GM’s tradition of appointing CEOs from its finance division When Mary Barra became GM’s CEO in 2014, she was one of just 23 women leading a Fortune 500 company. Although that number has grown, women still make up a small percentage of top executives In 2024, 52 women led Fortune 500 companies, down slightly from a record 53 in 2023, representing just 10.4% of all companies on the list. Barra is among the longest-serving female CEOs, having surpassed 11 years in the role as of January 2025. Her tenure as top executive is the second longest in GM’s history, following Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. who was president from 1923 to 1937 and chairman until 1956 She assumed leadership during a turbulent time for the company she participated in congressional hearings about GM’s mishandling of faulty ignition switches installed in the Chevrolet Cobalt a defect linked to more than 120 fatalities GM acknowledged its role in failing to address the issue sooner and established a compensation fund for victims Barra introduced a renewed focus on safety, transparency, and accountability implementing new safety measures including a “speak up for safety” campaign to encourage employees to report unsafe practices Barra was credited with guiding GM through what has been called the biggest safety crisis in its history just one year after Barra took over as head She was elected chairman of the board the following year and later adopted the gender-neutral title “chair.” General Motors acquired robotaxi company Cruise in 2016 making it a key part of its autonomous vehicle strategy GM shut down the unit in 2024 and shifted its focus to developing autonomous technologies rather than operating a taxi service Barra set a goal for GM to become the most inclusive company in the world prioritizing a diverse workforce and launching a new diversity the company had reached a significant milestone with women holding a majority of seats on the board of directors and expanded opportunities for women in executive roles and skilled trades In 2021, under Barra’s leadership, GM became the first major U.S. automaker to set a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040. She spearheaded the company’s pledge to phase out production of vehicles using internal-combustion engines and transition to an all-electric lineup by 2035 As of January 2025, GM remained committed to these goals while other automakers, including Ford Motor Company (F), Volvo, and Jaguar Land Rover, have pushed back their timelines, citing moderating consumer demand for EVs and other factors. Barra led Android during a critical phase and also served as VP of Oculus at Meta by Chris Welch it’s adding a well-known industry name to its board of directors Sonos announced that Hugo Barra is joining the board to replace Mike Volpi who is stepping down after 15 years — the longest tenure of any board member Barra has a long resume that includes senior leadership positions at companies including Google where he’s credited with leading “the Android ecosystem from nascency through its first billion users.” After that he moved onto Xiaomi and spent three years overseeing global operations for the influential Chinese phone manufacturer where he served as vice president of the company’s Oculus virtual reality division He’s currently the co-founder and head of product at /dev/agents which is described as “a software company building a next-generation operating system for AI agents.” For now it sounds like Sonos is glad to have Barra because he’s got a strong track record of delivering results — but those AI ties might prove useful down the road “He has a proven ability to turn cutting-edge innovation into great products — a great fit for Sonos,” board chair Julius Genachowski said in a press release engaging with the leadership team and adding value.” Sonos remains focused on delivering performance improvements, bug fixes, and new features (along with some still-missing old ones) to its mobile app on Android and iOS. As part of that renewed effort, the company decided to cancel its next hardware product a streaming video player codenamed Pinewood which was first reported last month by The Verge If Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was bad for the auto industry that conflict might seem like a speed bump compared with the chaos unleashed by a Chinese invasion of Taiwan Imagine a world where we are freed from the limits of our minds Advances in neuroscience and technology are bringing once-distant visions like enhanced sensory experiences and direct brain-computer connections ethical questions rise as we progress toward this new world of neural hacking How far should we be willing to go when studying the brain What ethical challenges are scientists navigating as they venture into new territory What safeguards are in place to protect both science and our society Simons Society Junior Fellow Beatrice Barra is a neuroscientist at New York University’s Neuroscience Institute As part of her research on sensory processing Barra studies how brain-machine interfaces might one day restore sensations and hopes to use her findings to help create better neuroprosthetic devices in the future Neuroscientist Karen Rommelfanger is the program director of Emory University’s Neuroethics Program With expertise in brain-machine interfaces and cognitive enhancement Rommelfanger explores how emerging neurotechnologies challenge our definitions of health guiding critical discussions on the societal impact of these advancements Join us as Barra and Rommelfanger sit down for a conversation with The Transmitter Editor-in-Chief Ivan Oransky to examine the crossroads of ethics and science involved in hacking the brain Their discussion will invite us to reconsider the boundaries of our minds Barra is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dmitry Rinberg at New York University’s Neuroscience Institute in biomedical engineering from Politecnico di Milano in Italy and her Ph.D in medical sciences from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland During her doctoral studies under the supervision of Marco Capogrosso she focused on developing a spinal cord stimulation protocol that successfully restored arm and hand movement in nonhuman primates with cervical spinal cord injury she was awarded a Swiss National Science Foundation fellowship to spend 18 months at the University of Pittsburgh where she developed spinal cord stimulation protocols to restore naturalistic tactile sensation in subjects with sensory impairments While studying how stimulation of the sensory system can restore sensation she developed a particular interest in the neural encoding of sensory information and she is now focusing her postdoctoral research on the neural encoding of sensation intensity she aims to understand how the mouse olfactory bulb encodes the intensity of olfactory information in the early stages of sensory processing Rommelfanger is a neurotech ethicist and strategist She founded and directs the Institute of Neuroethics the first think tank dedicated to neuroethics She works across sectors to promote trusted neuroscience She pioneered neuroethics-by-design approaches and launched the first neuroethics consultancy Her early career as a biomedical neuroscience researcher organically evolved into neuroethics research Her work explores how neuroscience challenges definitions of health across cultures and the ensuing societal implications of neurotechnology deployment She maintains a professorship in neurology and psychiatry at Emory University and has given more than 150 talks worldwide she has collaborated with and advised organizations such as the Council of Europe CEO Mary Barra's compensation package for 2024 increased 5.9% year-over-year Barra achieved 95% of her total target compensation Achieving those targets could prove more difficult this year as the automotive industry grapples with increased uncertainty prompted by fluctuating tariffs and trade policy under President Donald Trump and he received a separation package valued at $12.5 million Tavares' pay package was more than $39 million for 2022 received nearly $24.9 million in total compensation in 2024 — down 6.1% from his pay in 2023 GM booked a net income of $6 billion in 2024 down 41% from charges on China and the dissolution of its robotaxi program at Cruise LLC And Stellantis earnings fells to $5.8 billion Barra's base salary of $2.1 million in 2024 has been unchanged since 2017 Barra also received a $6.7 million incentive-based bonus for 2024 The bonus is determined by financial performance and meeting strategic goals Barra's stock awards increased in 2024 to $19.5 million This metric is tied to shareholder returns over the past three years GM estimated that its median employee compensation was $95,111 in 2024 The ratio of Barra's compensation to that of a median employee is estimated to be 310-to-1 GM hourly manufacturing workers this year received record profit sharing About 48,000 eligible employees received up to $14,500 for last year's results in North America