The Strange Case of Sulaimon Brown

[jsteele]

For anyone following local political reporters on Twitter, yesterday was filled with drama involving Sulaimon Brown. Who is Sulaimon Brown you ask? Where to begin?

Sulaimon Brown was a candidate in the 2010 Democratic mayoral primary election. He was prominent at debates, though known more for attacking Adrian Fenty and praising Vince Gray rather than touting his own qualifications (which were minimal). A common refrain from him was "If you don't vote for Brown, vote for Gray." The Washington City Paper's Loose Lips found that Brown had a Maryland driver's license and questioned whether Brown was actually a DC resident. In the end, Brown received just over 200 votes for mayor.

One would have thought that that was the last we would hear of Sulaimon Brown. But, no. Last week the Washington Post reported that Brown had been hired by DC's Department of Health Care Finance at an annual salary of $110,000. To a lot of people, this looked like payback for his campaign attacks on Fenty. Reporters started hounding Gray's staff for information about Brown, copy's of his resume, and an explanation for his hiring. On Wednesday, Gray held a press conference in which he defended Brown's hiring. Gray claimed not to have been involved in hiring Brown, but said that Brown was qualified as an auditor. To make things a bit salacious, reporters found that Brown had once been investigated for imitating a police officer in order to stalk a young girl.

Then, yesterday, Twitter lit up with reports that Brown had been escorted from the DHCF offices by the police. Reporters rushed to the scene and also in pursuit of Gray for an explanation. Rumors swirled, Tom Sherwood got into a confrontation with police, reporters practically staged a Wisconsin-style demonstration until Gray scheduled an afternoon press conference. At the hastily-scheduled press conference, Gray said that Brown had been put on 2 week paid administrative leave by DHCF Director Wayne Turnage. At the end of the two weeks, Brown's employment would be terminated. Gray again claimed that the hiring and firing of Brown were purely DHCF matters in which he was not involved.

In the midst of Gray's fielding of questions, who would appear in the press room but none other than Sulaimon Brown. Suddenly, all cameras were off of Gray and onto Brown, who essentially held his own impromptu press conference. According to Brown, his firing was "some political bullshit". He blamed At-Large Council Member David Catania who is due to preside over Turnage's confirmation hearing today. Brown claimed that Catania at threatened Turnage's confirmation if Brown were not fired. Catania claimed to have only said that questions about Brown would come up.

This episode is disturbing from beginning to end. What was the Gray administration thinking in hiring Brown? According to Brown's scant resume, his salary in his last job was $80,000. Why then was he hired for $110,000. Then, why defend the guy on Wednesday but fire him on Thursday?

Brown was just one of several recent DC government hires to raise eyebrows. Another was Cherita Whiting who was hired as a special assistant in the Department of Parks and Recreation. Whiting was a strong Gray supporter who has a past criminal record about which she may not have been honest on her job application. Whiting is a Ward 4 political activist. Ward 4's Council Member is Muriel Bowser. Just to make things interesting Bowser chairs the committee with oversight of DPR. To make things even more interesting, Bowser and Whiting hate each other. And, to put things at the Brown-level of interesting, Bowser is having an oversight hearing for DPR today and she has just tweeted that the hearing will "address DPR Hiring Practices." So, don't be surprised if police are escorting Whiting from DPR offices today.

[Anonymous]

Great, there goes the main reason (aside from class resentment) that folks voted for Gray.

(VA resident that would've voted for Gray.)

[Anonymous]

That didn't take long - less than two months. Where's all that competence that's supposed to be "baked into the cake?"

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why anyone is surprised by this. Angry, yes, I see that. But surprised? As the snake said to the boy, "you knew what I was when you picked me up."

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised we haven't heard more about Cherita Whiting.

[Anonymous]

Or the Barry-era cronies who put out the various transition documents. Priority one should be helping MD and VA commuters can get in and out of the city faster. Bring back the one-way traffic sewers! Think of the economic benefits of making our neighborhoods shittier places to live and making it easier to move out of the city.

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/9379/langtrachtenberg-economic-development-transition-pushes-archaic-transportation-approach/

Party like it's 1989!

[Anonymous]

what is his background as an auditor? anything?

I'm ok with supporting those who supported you by giving them jobs - that is the way govt works unfortunately, but the folks hired have to at least be somewhat qualified for their positions, and the salaries have to be market. I think both tests fail in this case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or the Barry-era cronies who put out the various transition documents. Priority one should be helping MD and VA commuters can get in and out of the city faster. Bring back the one-way traffic sewers! Think of the economic benefits of making our neighborhoods shittier places to live and making it easier to move out of the city.

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/9379/langtrachtenberg-economic-development-transition-pushes-archaic-transportation-approach/

Party like it's 1989!

OMG ... that is exactly what I thought! "G--D--- Bitch set me up"!