Tape Brings Questions on Barry, Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - An audio recording is raising new questions about D.C. Ward 8 City Councilman Marion Barry and whether or not he had a role in the management of grant money-- hundreds of thousands of dollars in council earmarks awarded to several non-profits in Anacostia.

A woman who received some of that money is now claiming someone in Barry's office forged her signature on fraudulent documents. Barry says she's a liar while also claiming another city councilmember is behind the allegations.

The recording was made back in March when Sharon Wise, a longtime friend of Barry's, attended a meeting with the city council's budget director Eric Goulet. Wise wanted to know why her contract for a program called Clean and Sober was terminated without notice, and her pay withheld.

Sources familiar with the meeting say the purpose was to discuss the grant agreement in hopes of getting the process back on track. At issue: Who is controlling the funds?

The voices on the recording belong to Sharon Wise-- the woman making the allegations-- Brenda Richardson-- an employee in Barry's office-- and Eric Goulet, the council's budget director. They are heard saying, in part:

Sharon Wise: "I mean, anytime you have somebody, you take $15,000 out of my salary that I have a contract for, hire somebody without my knowledge, give it to them and then say, now they are hired, then you should tell them what their assignment is-- not me."

Brenda Richardson: "The councilmember did that-- the councilmember did that."

(voices talking over each other)

Eric Goulet: "Okay, we've moved beyond the ideal of how this should work, okay, and I'm glad this is not on tape right now, but the councilmember and you, Brenda, should not be-- should not be directly making decisions about these grant agreements-- it should have been done at the beginning of the year."

Council sources familiar with the meeting say Eric Goulet made the statement about the tape out of concern Barry's office was involved in the day-to-day decision making on grant activity. Not because it was illegal, but because it raised questions about perception.

The framework of the douncil grants called for individual groups to administer them-- not the councilmember or his office.

Outside the council chamber on Tuesday, Marion Barry had harsh words for Sharon Wise, while praising his employee Brenda Richardson.

"I don't know what she's saying," said Barry. "She lies all the time, and so Ms. Richardson is one of the most outstanding employee's with high integrity."

Barry says Sharon Wise was fired.

"What did you expect her to do?" said Barry. "She's lying all over the place."

But At-Large Councilman David Catania says he's taking Wise's allegations very seriously and wants the Inspector General to investigate. Catania read a statement into the record Monday afternoon.

"What is clearly alleged, however, is that all of Mr. Barry's grant recipients and fiscal agents recognized Ms. Richardson as the ultimate administrator of the council grant money, and that her orders allegedly came from Mr. Barry," said Catania.

Barry says Catania is out to get him because the openly gay councilmember didn't like his vote on same sex marriage. In addition, Barry says there is nothing wrong with oversight on grants from his office.

"So my office is the liaison to make sure there is accountability-- they don't make any decision about personnel," said Barry. "The project directors are hired by the board of directors."

Sharon Wise says her signature-- as well as her son's-- was forged on documents she never approved.

Sources close to Wise say she has been contacted by the FBI. As for Brenda Richardson, David Catania says he asked her to testify in front of his committee, but she declined, saying she has hired an attorney and is a witness in an Inspector General's investigation.