Kwame Brown Has Been Charged With Bank Fraud

Word broke today that DC Council chairman
Kwame Brown has been charged with bank fraud. Brown, who has been under federal investigation for months, was charged with one count
of bank fraud, according to the
Washington Post, suggesting he may be nearing a plea bargain with prosecutors. The
Washington City Paper posted a copy of the charges
online.

Several news outlets have reported that Brown’s
resignation is imminent, though no date has been confirmed. A source
from
the council who asked to speak off the record said Brown might
not resign today or by the end of the week but will “before
the end of the month.” DC Mayor
Vincent Gray has also been under
investigation, in his case for campaign fraud, and recently suffered a
setback after a former aide pleaded
guilty to obstruction of justice, among other things. So if
both Brown and Gray must resign before their terms are up, who
takes over? Read our earlier piece for an explanation of the
chain of command.