The Breakfast Club

It's a monthly event that predates this administration. The D.C. Council/Mayor breakfast. I had never been to one before, and wasn't expecting to go to this one, but I'm glad I did. I saw firsthand the fragile relationship that exists between Mayor Fenty and the City Council Members. I heard tales of a delayed Comprehensive Annual Financial Review , rising murder rates and a Chief of Police who feels burdened by a system that won't help her, proposals to close staff entrances at City Hall permanently, and yes the now infamous blow out between Fenty and several council members one of whom dropped the F-Bomb on the Mayor over the Mayor's plan to close 26 schools.

So let me take you through it as the only reporter who sat in on the entire meeting. If you just want to get to Council Member Barry telling the Mayor he wanted to "Finish my f***in' statement," then skip to the last section. If it's the whole enchilada you desire, then here it is:

Getting In

I was hanging outside the Council's meeting room on the 5th floor of the Wilson Building about 8 a.m. as the Mayor and City Council Members began to file in for the meeting. The night before I had reported that Fenty was going to close a bunch of schools, but I still didn't have a complete list so I was sniffing around looking for table scraps, trying to put a list together.

That's when the smell of bacon hit me. For many reporters, and me the smell of bacon on the 5th floor of the Wilson Building means OPEN MEETING.

Reporters have been allowed to attend Council breakfasts since Linda Cropp was the Chair. But I had never tested the waters of a Mayor/Council breakfast. Council Member Fenty was a big supporter of opening up the meetings before he ran for mayor.

I called Chairman Gray's spokesperson, Denise Reed, to ask if I could go in. Reed said she was not at work yet but "the worst they can do is throw you out," she said. The I ran In to Joanne Ginsberg, Fenty's Legislative Director on her way in to the meeting. I asked her if she would let Chairman Gray know that I wanted to come in, but didn't want to disturb the meeting. She came back out and said Gray was talking so she didn't ask, but she didn't see any reason I couldn't come in.

So in I went.

I quickly spotted the last empty chair and made a beeline for it. I wedged myself into the corner of the room next to the buffet and right behind Council Member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). I had the perfect seat, the card player's seat. My back to the wall and a clear line of vision of everybody in the room.

Houston, We Have a Problem

Not expecting to go in to the meeting, I had left my notebook in the pressroom. The only paper I had was a single piece of white paper that I had a phone number written on. So I wrote small and I wrote fast. And here is what I wrote.

'If You're Asking If We Have Liability Insurance, We Do'

First up at the meeting was Dr. Natwar Gandhi, the District's embattled and independent Chief Financial Officer...Please let him resign, please let him resign… I remember that's what I was thinking, I was the only reporter in the room and it would have been the scoop of the day. Alas it was not to be. Gandhi was there with representatives of the accounting firm, BDO Seidman. BDO prepares the District's annual Comprehensive Annual Financial Review (CAFR) which is required by Congress and must be complete by January 31, 2008 by law.

Gandhi told the Mayor and Council Members he "could not guarantee the CFR would be finished on time" Because of the recent scandal at the Office of Tax and Revenue Gandhi said "it is not business as usual."

The problem said the BDO suits is that the U.S. Attorney who is investigating the tax fraud, has many of the records used in preparing the CAFR. Said one BDO suit "That could impede the CAFR."

Then in his very affable manner, Council Member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), chimed in to the conversation. "Why didn't your firm catch the tax fraud?"

The BDO suits were quiet, and then they started talking about "Only looking at key controls."

Then Graham asked, "You did see the D.C. Auditor's reports that warned of this problem, didn't you?"

Again the BDO suits were silent, then they explained that they just started doing the CAFR 2 years go and the Auditor's warnings were in 2004.

It took Council Member David Catania about 5 seconds to remind BDO that the Auditor, Deborah Nichols, had also sent a warning out in 2006, under BDO's watch.

Another BDO pause and then one BDO suit said "We've been unable to meet with the Auditor….she doesn't return our calls…..refuses to meet with us."

This caught most of the room off guard. Barry said it was because the Auditor "feels dissed by the CFO's office."

Chairman Gray asked why BDO didn't come to the Chair if the Auditor was unresponsive.

That's when Graham slipped this one in. "Are you bonded?' he asked

BDO suit: "what do you mean?"

Graham: "Are you licensed and bonded, it's just a simple question."

The BDO suits sat stunned and then a suit who had been sitting quietly in the back stood and said, "If you're asking if we have liability insurance, we do."

It didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but as David Nakamura reported in the Washington Post, it was a big deal to the BDO suits.

"The firm that performs the District government's annual financial audit is threatening to quit because, it says, a D.C. Council Member threatened the company with a lawsuit."

Apparently, the thinned-skinned BDO suits don't like being asked if they're bonded.

'I Don't Want Anyone Telling My Staff I Said This,' Jim Graham. (For the Denizens at the Wilson Building)

Panic buttons, fire drills and no more staff entrances, that what the Fenty Administration has in store for the Wilson Building. Mayor Fenty had his security team brief the Council on recommendations on how to prepare City Hall for an emergency.

First thing they want to do is close the 13 ½ Street and the 14th Street entrance to the building. These are the only two entrance restricted to staff only and is how staff avoid the long lines that sometimes pop up at the public entrances where you must pass through metal detectors and show ID.

The move would save $500,000 a year and allow a security officer to be closer to the hearing rooms should trouble arise.

The 14th Street entrance is also the last bastion for smokers at the Wilson Building.

Council Members were divided on the news. BTW The Mayor and Council Members would still have their own entrances that require no ID and no security.

"I'm gonna get push back from my staff," says Jack Evans (D-Ward 2)

But Graham had a different take, " I don't want anyone telling my staff I said this," Graham said, and then turned his chair to look directly at me. The entire room fell out laughing….

"I'm for the savings," he said.

City Administrator Dan Tangherlini shed some light on the reasoning. "It allows us to hire a higher quality security force and it helps satisfy a ADA claim."

So Hawk One Security is out, "The door folks" as Council Member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) called them, and the problem with the lack of handicapped access to the building is somehow solved by keeping the rear door, where there is an elevator, fully staffed.

Council Member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) asked if this beefed up security would help to recover the two laptops stolen from her office last week.

Council Member Harry Thomas (D-Ward 5) wanted to know if he would be provided a police escort through the city if there were another 9/11 type evacuation.

Fenty's Director of Homeland Security Darrell Darnell said he wanted to start having regular fire drills.

Evans, the longest continuously serving member of the Council said "I've been here 16 years and we've never had a fire drill. They tried it once, but everybody knew it was a drill so nobody left."

Darnell also proposed installing a panic button at every receptionist for each council member's office as well as the hearing rooms.

I Don't Think Ward 3 Needs Any Police Officers

Next up, Police Chief Cathy Lanier. The Chief brought graphics. A big chart that listed homicides by Ward. Ward 8 had the biggest 5 year jump in homicides, but Ward 4 and 6 had increases as well. The good news was over-all violent crime was going down and arrests and gun recoveries were going up, but there had been more murders.

Lanier was asked to explain why:

"90 percent of the people who commit murder or are victims of murder are either on parole or are awaiting trial."

"Most of the time murders occur out of an argument rather than a drug war."

Then Lanier pointed to one of her biggest problem: Keeping repeat offenders off the street.

"The courts won't hold people for armed robbery" Lanier told the meeting.

Council Member Barry asked why the courts weren't enforcing the new legislations on rebuttable presumption, which mandates that if you're arrested with a gun, you stay in jail until trial.

Lanier pointed the finger squarely at the United States Attorney's Office.

"They don't feel the pressure we do," she added. "They're don't want to prosecute unless they have a 100 percent chance of conviction. And they have resources issues."

Lanier said if everyone who was supposed to wear a monitoring device when they were out of jail it would be easier to prevent crime. Lanier said there is shortage of the devices.

"Everybody's lack of resources becomes my problems," Lanier lamented.

Evans suggested they take a page from the past and call the Chief Judge of the D.C. Superior Court, the U.S. Attorney and the D.C. Attorney General before the Council for a public hearing. That idea seemed very popular with the Council Members.

Council Members then started asking for more cops in their Wards and asking how they could get the Nation of Islam to protect their neighborhoods. Each Council Member started asking about strength of force in specific PSA's and asking why there are more cops in that Ward than this Ward. Then some one pointed the finger at Ward 3. The relatively safe and quiet Upper North West neighborhood. Mary Cheh chimed in. " I gave you all my vice squad what more do you want." Lanier acknowledged that she had re-deployed the vice team from Ward 3 to another part of the city.

Not a lot of street walkers in Chevy Chase, I guess.

Then Council Member Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) said, "I don't think Ward 3 needs police officers."

Lanier simply looked puzzled.

Marion Barry to Adrian Fenty: 'I Can't Finish My F***in' Statement'

OK, here is the big blow out between Mayor Fenty and the City Council over the closing of 26 public schools. Much has been written about this exchange by people who weren't in the room. Here's how it went from start to finish.

Mayor Fenty had remained a casual participant in the discussions up to this point. I should point out, Council Member Fenty attended every Council breakfast meeting that I did before he ran for Mayor, and I can't recall him ever looking up from his BlackBerry during those meetings. Not the case here. I never saw Fenty look at his BlackBerry at all during this 3 hour plus meeting. He consulted with staff in the room, he looked over notes and he asked and answered a few questions. When it came time to talk schools though, Fenty took the lead.

"I told Chancellor Rhee, do what it takes to make the schools excellent." Fenty began. After about 5 minutes of talking about moving resources Fenty introduced Rhee.

Rhee spent several minutes talking about community meetings she had been to and the things she had seen and her plans for making the schools world class. No mention of the school closings.

There was no need to bring it up. I had reported it the night before on WTOP and it was in the Post that morning.

Council Member Thomas was the first to bring it up.

"We're not going down the right road," Thomas told the mayor from across the table. Thomas had been a big supporter of Fenty's to this point.

Thomas rubbed his hands over his face, almost in desperation, he looked Fenty in the eye.

"You haven't given us respect," Thomas said.

Council Member Catania (I-At-Large), who doesn't have the same pressures that a Ward council member has, said he wanted psychiatric evaluations of "All D.C. Students."

Graham went back to Thomas's point, "The Council wasn't taken into account," he said.

"I voted for school change, not an autocracy," Graham quickly added. "I'm not calling you an autocrat."

Chairman Gray told Fenty, "We are constantly finding ourselves in reaction mode." He added, "That is anti-collaboration. We didn't play any role."

Through all of this Fenty allowed the soup to simmer, he didn't interrupt, he sat and listened.

Gray asked Fenty, "What is our relationship with you?"

Fenty finally spoke up, "This is not a final proposal."

Graham explained that he thought a Ward Council Member should be part of any decision made on school closing in their Ward. "I thought I'd have a bigger role," he said the Fenty.

Fenty was quick to respond. He leaned across the table and stretched his arm toward Graham and told him that Council Members don't dictate police deployment, "But that hasn't stopped you from sending hundreds of emails, calling assistant police chiefs, calling me, to get more cops in your Ward. I suggest you put the same energy in to the schools."

It was the most forceful Fenty had been. He didn't raise his voice, but he made a point that resonated with everyone in that room. It was a moment, that defined the change of temperature in the room. And it as about to get a lot hotter.

As Graham recoiled back in his seat, he fired off one last shot across the bow.

"Don't plan on selling any buildings..." Before he could even finish his thought, much less his sentence, Fenty said in a firm tone, "Let's not start threatening people, I don't think you want to threaten me."

At that point every council member began talking, asking for clarification of what Graham had said. Voices were raised by several council members "That came out wrong," one of them said.

The Graham rose from his seat, walked over to Fenty and whispered something in his ear, then returned to his seat.

Fenty sat quietly looking at Tangherlini seated next to him.

That's when Council Member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) took the floor. Pointing at Fenty Barry said, "You're missing the point."

Fenty interrupted, "I'm not missing anything."

"Yes, you are. Let me finish," Barry said.

Fenty looked across the table at Gray and said, "Mr. Chairman, I'm not going to be disparaged. I'm not going to sit here and be told I'm missing the point."

Barry asked, "Can I finish?"

Fenty, "No."

Barry winced, "I can't finish my f***in' statement. I resent that."

Barry quickly uttered some quick apology that eased the tension and brought a few laughs, but then it was back to business.

Barry recounted a conversation he had had with Tangherlini earlier.

"I know why you don't tell us anything," Barry said to Fenty. "I had a meeting with your City Administrator and he told me you were worried that we would go to the press before you would."

Fenty didn't address the accusation, but the conversation did change direction a bit as Fenty and Gray squabbled over who leaked the school closings to the press.

"If you read the article you'll see," Fenty said. "They have no quotes from me, just a memo that I wrote to the Chair of the Council."

At this point, the mayor was already late for his 11 AM press conference to announce the school closings. The meeting adjourned.

On the way out, Tangherlini walked over to Barry, who was still seated at the table.

"You know, our off the record conversations, have to stay off the record," Tangherlini told Barry.

It Is a Breakfast Meeting After All

Just one last note on the breakfast meeting. There is no written law or agreement that allows the press access to the Council breakfast meetings. We have an oral agreement with the Chair of the Council that dates back to when Linda Cropp as Chair. Chairman Gray gave me his word after he was elected that he would continue that policy, he reiterated his pledge to me just days after this meeting. As much as I trust the Chairman, it would serve the citizens of the District for the Council to put in to law an open meetings regulation that we all can live with.

As for the breakfast, while I had the meeting all to myself for the vast majority of the morning, a few journalists did finally make their way into the room. Jonetta Rose Barras was the first to come in, she spent some time trying to get the coffee urn to work and chatting with David Catania before taking out her notebook. Tom Sherwood, the Dean of Metro reporters, from Channel 4 came in and had someone from the Mayor's staff bring him a bottle of water before taking pen to pad. Then he had his photographer come in for some B-Roll. Dorothy Brizill was next and came in taking notes as she walked.

WTOP Political Analyst Mark Plotkin breezed in and went straight to the buffet. He loaded up his plate took a seat and chowed down. Minutes later, he was back at the buffet for seconds.

"This is cinema verite at its best," Plotkin said. "Vintage D.C. political theater."

Apparently Plotkin likes dinner theater.

Then came Sam Ford from Channel 7, who had to stand.

Robert Brannum was the last to enter. He's not a journalist, he's an activist. He came very late and stood in the corner.

Meeting adjourned, see you next month.

(Copyright 2007 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)