Candidate for ANC8A01 Calls for Creation of New ANC Investigatory Body Tasked with Investigating Themselves

PRESS RELEASE
Contact Tom Donohue 202-660-9950
tom@anc8a01.com
 
Washington, DC - Tom Donohue, a candidate for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) 8A01, has proposed the establishment of a new body comprising ANC Commissioners and potentially community members. This body would be tasked with reviewing complaints from fellow commissioners and the public, conducting investigations, and publicly reporting their findings.

Donohue, a resident of the Fairlawn community within ANC 8A01 for over a decade, has been striving for greater accountability within the ANC for over two years. His efforts have been primarily directed towards Jamila White, Chair of ANC 8A, and her fellow 8A Commissioners. Despite the Board of Elections issuing two separate letters to Chair White, she has yet to call a public meeting to discuss the residency of ANC 8A03 Commissioner Holly Muhammad.

Muhammad has been accused of using the address of a second property owned by fellow ANC8A0 Commissioner Barbra Clark as her own. This issue arose in early 2022, following Muhammad's move out of ANC8A01. Both Muhammad & Clark are not running for re-election.

When queried about Donohue's proposal during Monday’s Meet Up With Mendelson, Phil Mendelson, Chairman of the DC Council, responded, “It's an intriguing concept. It seems like a council of commissioners that would provide some oversight. It's an interesting idea and I believe it merits further exploration.”

Donohue expressed his concerns in a statement, “There is a lack of oversight and accountability regarding the actions or inactions of our elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. It's challenging for information to reach the community, which is crucial for making informed election decisions, unfortunatly there is no entity or process for complaints of violations to be heard investigated & reported back to the voting public.”

Donohue plans to approach At-Large Council Member Robert White, who oversees the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, to request a meeting that could initiate the exploration suggested by Chairman Mendelson.

For more information about Tom and his campaign running for Commissioner of Holly Muhammad’s former seat visit his website at https://anc8a01.com ###