FBI Arrests Democratic DC City Council Member

Washington, D.C. city council member Trayon White, a Democrat who represents Ward 8, was unexpectedly arrested by the FBI on Sunday.

The Details: A court affidavit alleges that White accepted $156,000 in bribes to use his influence to extend contracts for four unnamed companies, part of which was caught on hidden camera. The arrest appeared to come as a surprise to other officials, including Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who said they were unaware White was under investigation.

For Context: White has been in office since 2016 and is expected to secure a comfortable victory in his reelection campaign this fall.

Previous Controversies: Earlier this year, White was fined $40,000 by the Office of Campaign Finance, which determined his campaign had failed to provide requested documentation and correct discrepancies regarding tens of thousands of dollars used for financing his campaigns. In 2018, he made controversial comments about European Jews controlling the weather and the federal government, which he later apologized for.

How The Media Covered It: The story has been mostly covered by D.C. outlets as of early Monday morning. The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) published an extensive report with ample context, including White’s electoral history and past controversies. It said White is “known by some for his boots-on-the-ground activism, and he often shows up at crime scenes when his community is hurting,” but “is no stranger to controversy.” Fox News (Right bias) and The Washington Times (Lean Right bias) included that White has previously supported Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam.

This article has been updated to include information about the court's affidavit.