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D.C. City Council member Marion Barry says fellow Council member David Catania wants him investigated for alleged misuse of taxpayer funds because Barry opposes same-sex marriage. (Blade file photo by Aram Vartian)
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: Rebecca Armendariz COMMENTS
 
A feud between D.C. City Council members David Catania and Marion Barry erupted anew this week as Barry accused Catania of targeting him for investigation because Barry opposes same-sex marriage.
Catania canceled a hearing this week that was scheduled to address allegations that Barry has directed taxpayer funds to organizations that appear to be run by his staff members.
Instead, Catania is calling for the Office of the Inspector General to investigate the allegations against Barry, first raised in a report by the Washington City Paper.
“If these allegations are true, and in light of the fact that these are public funds, the entities in question are arguably illegitimate,” Catania said before canceling the hearing Monday. “These accusations are extremely serious and should be reviewed.”
In response, Barry sent a letter to Catania accusing him of harboring a personal vendetta due to Barry’s vote against the same-sex marriage recognition law, which went into effect last week.
“On several occasions, Chairman [Vincent] Gray has asked that you and I meet, and you have refused,” says the letter, which the City Paper obtained. “Most recently, you walked out of the chairman’s press conference making an emotional public statement. I attribute your latest actions to my ‘no’ vote on recognizing same-sex marriages from other states.”
Barry was the lone Council member to vote against the marriage recognition bill, which passed 12-1 and was signed by Mayor Adrian Fenty.
Barry also accused Catania in the letter of “spreading these lies and false perceptions” about his “community investments.”
Ben Young, Catania’s chief of staff, told the Blade that Barry’s letter was “predictable and beneath comment.”
Local gay activist Peter Rosenstein also declined to comment on Barry’s letter to Catania. Rosenstein would only say that there should be some scrutiny of “all the earmarks that the Council is doing, especially in light of these budget difficulties.”
The feud between Catania and Barry comes three months after Barry changed his position on same-sex marriage.
In June 2008, Barry announced that he would vote in favor of a same-sex marriage bill. But in April, Barry attended a rally against same-sex marriage and called it “immoral.” He subsequently was the lone vote against a same-sex marriage recognition bill that allows the city to recognize such marriages performed in other states and countries.
Barry recently found himself in trouble with the law when, during the July 4 weekend, he was arrested by U.S. Park Police and charged with misdemeanor stalking of his ex-girlfriend, Donna Watts-Brighthaupt. Federal prosecutors dropped the charges against him after reviewing evidence.
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