Ananya Roy, News Writer

Trayon White, Sr. is expected to be sworn back into the D.C. Council as early as next week, according to the Ward 8 Office of Constituent Services. “The Board of Elections does not certify him [as] the winner until the 8th,” a staff member said. If his win is approved, “Thinking based on [their] schedule, he will be sworn in probably that [following] Monday.” The office noted that “no one has given [them] directive about what is happening with him,”  and noted that “this is something that’s different, so we all will know what happens when it happens.”

White was expelled from the council earlier this year after he was arrested on federal bribery charges. Prosecutors allege that he used his position to pressure agencies into renewing public safety contracts in exchange for cash and promises of future kickbacks. He pleaded not guilty in federal court in September. Jury selection is set for December 2025, with opening statements scheduled for January 12, 2026. Though the D.C. Council voted unanimously to remove him, White was legally allowed to run again, because he had not been convicted of a felony.

He won the recent special election with 29% of the vote in a four-way race, despite raising no campaign funds. His supporters point to his longtime presence in the community and track record of direct outreach, such as delivering holiday meals and helping residents access legal aid, as reasons to give him another chance. Still, the majority of voters backed other candidates, underscoring continued unease about his pending trial and potential disqualification.

White’s approach since his arrest closely mirrors the defiant, populist strategy once employed by former Mayor Marion Barry. Both men faced federal charges, Barry for drug possession and White for bribery. Both responded by leaning into skepticism toward federal law enforcement. White has refused to cooperate with the D.C. Council’s ethics probe, much like Barry rejected outside oversight during his tenure. He is also represented by Frederick D. Cooke Jr., the same attorney who defended Barry during his legal battles. Like Barry, White has continued to frame his prosecution as politically motivated, playing into long-standing distrust of federal institutions among many Black Washingtonians.

Barry’s 1990 arrest, caught on FBI surveillance smoking crack cocaine, did not end his political career. After serving six months in prison, he successfully ran for a DC Council seat and later reclaimed the mayor’s office in 1994. His enduring popularity in Ward 8, where he won a council race with 96% of the vote in 2004, was rooted in his image as a flawed but loyal champion of underserved communities. White, who entered politics under Barry’s wing, appears to be following that same trajectory. His reelection, despite serious federal charges, suggests the playbook may still hold power in Ward 8.