DC Councilman Who Claimed Jews Controlled The Weather Charged With Bribery

D.C. City Councilmember Trayon White was charged with bribery for allegedly agreeing to accept tens of thousands of dollars in undisclosed kickbacks and cash payments, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia’s office announced Monday.

The lawmaker, who suggested in 2018 Jewish bankers control the weather, was arrested Sunday for allegedly agreeing to accept $156,000 in bribes in exchange for pressuring officials at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) to extend several lucrative government contracts for violence prevention programs, according to an arrest affidavit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office. As of the time of his arrest, White had allegedly received four cash payments totaling $35,000 from a confidential source, with the FBI capturing video of the source explaining to White how his cut of the contracts was calculated.

“What you need me to do, man? I don’t, I don’t wanna feel like you gotta gimme something to get something. We better than that,” White told the confidential source when offered an envelope with $15,000 cash, according to the affidavit.

The contracts, which were for two companies, were valued at $5.2 million, according to the press release. White allegedly agreed to accept 3% of the contract value.

Prior to the cash bribes, the FBI alleges White accepted trips to the Dominican Republic and Las Vegas, Nevada from the confidential source, according to the affidavit.