D.C. Council Unanimously Votes in Favor of Trayon White’s Expulsion

A dozen D.C. Council members — all part of an ad hoc committee formed in the aftermath of then-Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember Trayon White’s (D) federal bribery charge — kicked off the second legislative meeting of Council Period 26 on Tuesday with a unanimous vote in favor of his expulsion from the council. 

This decision ends a weekslong endeavor by White, his former attorney, and a cadre of supporters, to prevent the loss of a seat that he won in his second successful reelection bid, even with an indictment over his head. 

In the moments leading up to the council’s vote on Feb. 4, D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large), ad hoc committee chair and longtime ally of now-former Ward 8 Councilmember White, directly addressed members of the Ward 8 community who, weeks prior, questioned his allegiance. 

“I knew Trayon White before the council. He was one of the first people I called to get his thoughts on the scourge of violence plaguing our city,” McDuffie said Tuesday. “I empathize with [Ward 8 residents’] feelings as their ward leader navigates this challenging situation. It’s my duty as a council and, frankly, today’s action is straightforward. It’s not a tough question. What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong.” 

Former Ward 8 Councilmember White’s trial is scheduled for early 2026. Toward the end of the last council period, the ad hoc committee approved the findings of a report conducted by Latham & Watkins, LLC that found White in violation of the D.C. Code of Conduct and D.C. Home Rule Act when he allegedly accepted $35,000 in cash bribes and agreed to influence violence interrupter contract awards for future payments. 

Throughout Latham & Watkins’ investigation, White declined to speak with the firm, and acted similarly toward the ad hoc committee when asked to speak about what’s now confirmed as misconduct on his part. 

During White’s latest appearance before the committee, White’s former attorney, Fred D. Cooke, Jr., spoke on the former council member’s behalf, arguing that the council overstepped its boundaries in trying to remove former Ward 8 Councilmember White. 

“There’s no state that allows the expulsion of a legislator upon being indicted,” Cooke said on the afternoon of Jan. 28 in regard to the council’s ability to expel White, who has yet to face trial. “You can be put in a different posture, but you’re not expelled.”  

Ward 8 Residents, Activists Take to Wilson Building to Support White 

Dozens of Ward 8 residents and activists converged on the council chambers on the afternoon of Feb. 4 in support of former Ward 8 Councilmember White. One day before that, lifelong Ward 8 resident Kevin Petty walked through the halls of the John A. Wilson Building, dropping off copies of a complaint he and four others filed against each council member. 

The complaint, dated Jan. 31, came just days after White’s former attorney, Fred D. Cooke, Jr., argued before the council ad hoc committee at a special hearing that White’s expulsion violated the D.C. Home Rule Act. The document, filed by Petty and other Ward 8 residents, included a request for an injunction, whether temporary or permanent, that stops the council from voting on White’s expulsion.

 On Monday, Petty said that, despite the federal bribery charge levied against former D.C. Councilmember White, his former lawyer Fred D. Cooke, Jr. presented an argument that highlights a serious ethical dilemma.  

“I’m not talking about innocence or guilt, it’s about representation [to] not [be] thrown into bastard conditions,” Petty told The Informer, adding that he voted for White in the 2024 general election. 

His name appeared on the complaint alongside that of Rena Wright, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Fria Moore, Ward 8 D.C. Democratic Committeewoman Regina Pixley, and local teacher Astarsia Young. 

“The council has other methods to deal with accountability at this stage if they have evidence a crime was committed. We know exactly what we looked at before we voted. There’s a ton of us being disenfranchised.” 

Mendelson told reporters on Monday that he and his general counsel, spurred by Cooke’s public testimony on Jan. 28, double-checked and confirmed that the council acted within the letter of the law by forming an ad hoc committee in the aftermath of Ward 8 Councilmember White’s arrest. 

“I took issue with [the assertion] that legislatures can’t convict someone,’ Mendelson told reporters. “That’s not correct. The argument was that it was a violation of the Fifth Amendment. It comes down to whether a legislature expels a member, but we’ve seen it in legislatures.”

What’s Next for Ward 8?

Former Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember White, 41, is the first elected official since D.C. attained Home Rule to be expelled from his seat. 

With the Ward 8 Council seat now vacant, all eyes turn to the D.C. Board of Elections (BOE), which will call for a special election. 

As noted in the District Municipal Register, a special election to fill a vacated seat may take place between 70 and 174 days after the seat’s vacancy. BOE is required to make nomination petition forms available to candidates within a week of certifying the vacancy. 

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Salim Adofo, who ran against White in the Ward 8 D.C. Council Democratic primary last year, didn’t speak to whether he intends to throw his hat in the ring once again. He instead reflected on upcoming budget deliberations, telling The Informer that he’s remaining focused on closing resource gaps. 

“Sometimes … folks are looking for a good story but the most important part is to make sure we can get residents what they need,” Adofo said. “If anybody is really concerned about being a leader in their community, they have to prioritize issues. The issue isn’t who’s going to be the next council member, but making sure residents get what they need.”