Vincent Gray: Fenty should obey law and stop handing out million dollar contracts to his friends without council approval

Tensions between the city council appear to be escalating yet again according to this recent article in the Washington City Paper.

Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray got in on the act. Late today, he posted to Fenty a demand that he submit all the million-dollar-plus contracts withheld from the council pursuant to a January memo from Nickles.

The request came with a throw-down ultimatum: If the contracts still don't appear, Grays writes, "On December 15, 2009 I plan to move emergency legislation, which upon approval, will order the Chief Financial Officer to stop payment on all retroactive contracts that have not been ratified by the Council by Act at midnight, on January 20, 2010."

Boom!

What are the contracts they are referring to? Well one exmple is the $86 million dollars that went to Mayor Fenty's fraternity brother without fair competition and (in violation of city law) without approval of the city council. The money went to Omar Karim and his company Banneker Ventures.