D.C. Councilmember Faces Expulsion Amid Bribery Allegations

WASHINGTON, D.C. — D.C. Councilmember Trayon White is facing potential expulsion from city leadership as the City Council prepares to vote on his removal following bribery allegations. The FBI alleges White accepted over $150,000 in bribes to influence city contracts, with evidence showing him receiving envelopes of cash from a bureau informant.

The council will vote Tuesday on whether to expel White, who was re-elected in November despite his arrest three months prior. His federal trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026. “This is quintessential corruption,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said in a December statement. “There is only one remedy: to remove the corruption from our body. This incident has damaged the public trust necessary for government to function well.”

White, who represents Ward 8, has denied wrongdoing and expressed confidence in his constituents’ support. “I feel confident that the people of Ward 8 have spoken. I feel like I’m going to win by a landslide, but I’m still humbled and prayerful,” White told WJLA on Election Day. “I hope [it] sends a loud message to the D.C. Council about keeping the decisions in the hands of the people.”

Expulsion requires a unanimous vote from the 11 other councilmembers, and public statements suggest little support for White. “Councilmember White betrayed the trust of his staff, the council, the agencies, and, above all, the residents of Ward 8,” Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said during a preliminary hearing last week.

Mendelson echoed McDuffie’s concerns, emphasizing the importance of public trust. “The public [has to] have trust in the government, they have to have trust in the legislature, they have to have trust in those who are elected,” he said.

Court documents reveal a photo of White accepting an envelope containing $5,000, further complicating his defense. Some councilmembers have urged White to resign to avoid a formal expulsion process. “I wish he would resign,” Councilmember Robert C. White Jr. told the Washington Post. “If you broke the council rules, and you know you broke the council rules, to put the council through this is something to think about.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.