Jack Evans Resigns From DC City Council Amid Ethics Inquiry

WASHINGTON, DC — Jack Evans announced his resignation Tuesday from the D.C. City Council, in a letter to council Chairman Phil Mendelson. The Ward 2 representative was facing possible expulsion by his fellow council members for ethics violations, while at the same time undergoing a federal investigation, according to press reports.

“I believe Washington, DC, to be the pride of the nation, and I am proud of the contributions I have made in helping to create a vibrant city,” Evans wrote in the letter dated Jan. 7. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the District of Columbia and the residents of Ward 2.”

Evans announced that he was stepping down during a D.C. Council meeting, at which his fellow council members were expecting to hear from him about violations he had made to the council’s code of conduct, reports WTOP. Evans was accused of using his office for personal gain.

An ad hoc committee voted 12-0 last month to expel Evans for a number of ethics violations, including not disclosing tens of thousands of dollars of income he received and not recusing himself from council actions in which clients who had paid him were involved.

Evans’ ethics violations were also detailed in a November report from the D.C. City Council.

In June 2018, the FBI raided Evans’ home in connection with a WMATA ethics probe. Evans had just resigned from the Metro Board of Directors. The board directed its ethics officers to investigate Evans over allegations that he used his powerful position as chairman of the Metro Board to get business for his private consulting work. The Board Ethics Committee later released a 20-page memo outlining Evans’ violations.

“Our investigation uncovered a pattern of conduct in which Evans attempted to and did help his friends and clients and served their interests, rather than the interests of WMATA,” the memo read.

According to the memo, Evans took “an active role in parking issues at WMATA” without disclosing that he had a $50,000 contract with Colonial Parking.

The memo went on to say that Evans — who is the longest-serving D.C. councilmember — tried to “oust” Colonial’s competitor, LAZ Parking, by lobbying for the Metro’s Inspector General to look into the business. LAZ Parking manages Metro’s parking facilities.

This move, according to the memo, served to benefit Colonial Parking.

Following the investigation, the Board Ethics Committee ordered Evans to amend his disclosure forms. He was also told by officials to not seek re-election as board chair.

Read more: WTOP

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