By Duffy Dyer, V.P. & General Manager - bio | email
WASHINGTON -
FOX 5's Vice President and General Manager Duffy Dyer gives his take on issues in the DC Region.
Late last year, the D.C. City Council passed much needed comprehensive legislation that overhauled the city's ethics laws. While the final form of the legislation had its share of critics, it was generally applauded as the proper response to address the string of ethical lapses that have plagued the city's elected officials.
At the time of passage, many realized that there was still much work to be done before the new board of ethics and government accountability could actually start policing the conduct of elected officials. One of the first tasks at hand was assigned to Mayor Vincent Gray, who was to provide the names of qualified candidates for the three-member board within 45 days after an emergency version of the legislation went into effect.
That deadline has already come and gone and still there have been no names of qualified candidates passed on to the city council.
You would think that the mayor, whose 2010 campaign is under federal investigation, would jump at the chance to play his part in the council's efforts in addressing ethics reform. The foot-dragging is a real head-scratcher.
But here is something you probably don't know. The new ethics legislation put an end to the Office of Campaign Finance's responsibility for policing conflict of interest laws. So, currently, with the new ethics board yet to be formed, no D.C. government entity has the authority to investigate violations of conflicts of interest. The hen house is unguarded.
I urge the mayor and the city council to get the process back on track and to take steps in the meantime to plug the holes in oversight that can only lead to more ethical lapses by our elected officials.
That's my take. What's yours? Comment below here on myfoxdc.com or send me an e-mail at tmt@wttg.com .
Is this a Redskins town or what? The ‘Skins still own the news cycle days after their devastating defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks.
Is this a Redskins town or what? The ‘Skins still own the news cycle days after their devastating defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. Front page articles, stories that lead newscasts, an explosion of comments on Twitter. The inauguration? What inauguration? I exaggerate, but not that much.
It's been one crazy political season. We have, up to now, endured an onslaught of ads from political parties, candidates, PACs and other "for and against" groups.
It's been one crazy political season. We have, up to now, endured an onslaught of ads from political parties, candidates, PACs and other "for and against" groups; we have watched as the candidates have risen or fallen in the polls as the result of debate performances. But then along came Gallaudet University.
What would you do if you had $1 billion? Start your own cable network? Buy a Hawaiian island? Or maybe buy yourself an NFL franchise?
What would you do if you had $1 billion? Start your own cable network? Buy a Hawaiian island? Or maybe buy yourself an NFL franchise? What if you decided to give back to your community, to have a decade's long impact on the quality of life.
If you are truly objective, it would be hard to argue that charter schools haven't been one of the most effective ways to elevate academic achievement.
If you are truly objective and you place the interests of the students of the District above all the politics surrounding public education, it would be hard to argue that charter schools haven't been one of the most effective ways to elevate academic achievement.
The 2012-2013 school year in the District will feature 58 schools, all with populations under 300 students, opening their doors without the compliment of a school library and librarian.
The 2012-2013 school year in the District will feature 58 schools, all with populations under 300 students, opening their doors without the compliment of a school library and librarian. We are talking about schools that serve around 17,000 students.
When reporters sought comment from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray about the illegal shadow campaign that helped him win the election, here's what he said: "This is not the campaign that we intended to run."
When reporters sought comment from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray about the illegal shadow campaign that helped him win the election, here's what he said: "This is not the campaign that we intended to run." I'd say that is a gross understatement.
Monday, November 19 2012 8:23 PM EST2012-11-20 01:23:17 GMT
A report released recently by the D.C. Department of Public Health stated that the HIV infection rates among D.C. residents dropped to 2.7 percent in 2010 from 3.2 percent in 2008.
A report released recently by the D.C. Department of Public Health stated that the HIV infection rates among D.C. residents dropped to 2.7 percent in 2010 from 3.2 percent in 2008.
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