The D.C. Council approved Tuesday a broad package of ethics reforms, the most comprehensive overhaul in a generation. The bill creates new penalties for misconduct, and creates an ethics board with the power to punish members for violations. It also calls for the expulsion of a councilmember convicted of a felony. The bill goes to Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) for his signature.
The ethics overhaul is in response to a series of public scandals that have shaken public confidence and spurred federal investigations. FBI and IRS raided the home of council member Harry Thomas Jr. on allegations that he had diverted $300,000 in city money for personal use.
