People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Marian Wright Edelman Discusses Voting Rights, See Page 26 •
C e l e b r a t i n g 4 7 Ye a r s o f S e r v i c e
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Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area / Vol. 47, No. 38 July 19 - July 25, 2012
Twelve-year-old Timothy Lewis (right), a D.C. Public School student, is part of a small rally held in front of the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest on Wednesday, July 11, asking that parents sign a petition that supports school librarians who are in jeopardy of losing their jobs with the District public school system. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter. See story on Page 20
Gray Digs in for the Long Haul By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer Almost from the beginning of his tenure as D.C.’s mayor, Vincent C. Gray’s administration has been entangled in a farreaching federal investigation surrounding activities into his 2010 election campaign.
The latest domino to fall is Gray’s longtime friend and associate Jeanne Clarke Harris who last week pled guilty to violating District and federal campaign finance laws, engaging in fraud, giving false statements and obstructing justice. She is the third Gray campaign official to plead guilty in recent months.
Not long after her appearance in court, D.C. Council members Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) and David Catania (I-At Large) issued public statements demanding Gray’s resignation. Gray has been defiant, steadfastly refusing to resign. “I think it’s unfair to say our
administration is corrupt,” Gray told members of the media at his weekly press conference on July 11. “I have distinguished between the campaign and administration. If there’s something about our administration you want to put your finger on, I would invite you to do that but I think that’s a very unfair char-
Visit us online for daily updates and much more @ www.washingtoninformer.com. Mayor Cracks Down on Drug Paraphernalia Sales Page 10
A. Toni Young Continues Fight Against HIV / AIDS Page 18
acterization.” “As you’ll remember, I’m the one who called for an investigation of my own campaign. And we will continue to work with the investigation. A lot of people will probably have that question but I get up every morning and
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Sports Highlights Pages 40-41
See GRAY on Page 8 and on DCTV 95 & 96