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DC Council will not likely punish Trayon White after anti-Semitic controversy

There were three incidents within the course of about one month that led up to all of this.
Council of the District of Columbia

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) — D.C. Councilmember Trayon White will likely not be disciplined by his colleagues for his anti-Semitic statements and following actions.

City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson indicated a majority of the council does not support a reprimand or censure.

However, White may still be in hot water with the Office of Campaign Finance.

RELATED: 'My patience is very thin' | Jewish leader responds to DC councilmember controversy

City auditors are looking to see if the White violated city code by donating to a Nation of Islam event in Chicago.

The issue in question is that the payment came from a pot of money that is only intended to benefit D.C. residents.

There were three incidents within the course of about one month that led up to all of this.

First, Councilmember White claimed a rich Jewish family controlled the weather.

Next, he apologized for the comments and agreed to go on a tour at the holocaust museum.

White admitted he left the guided tour early because a reporter showed up, but his actions did not sit well with some Jewish leaders.

Lastly, it was revealed White’s office donated hundreds of dollars to a Nation of Islam event in Chicago where the group’s leader called Jews his enemy.

RELATED: 'I'm not bowing down' | DC councilmember defends himself after anti-Semitism backlash

“His educational values and his upbringing taught him better than that,” Robert Kemp said in disbelief to recent news about White.

Some people who live in Ward 8 told WUSA9 they believed White was wrong for his anti-Semitic comments about Jews controlling the weather.

“Sometimes we have freedom of speech and then we do make mistakes,” Sabrina Nailihe said.

WUSA9 spoke to the head of the Jewish Community Relations Council who said patience is running thin.

The organization is calling on White to reject Louis Farrakhan, and another Jewish group is asking White to take back the $500 donation he gave to the Nation of Islam.

It is unclear if White plans to do what those groups are asking.

White, 33, is the youngest lawmaker on the 13-person council.

He represents the city’s most economically disadvantaged and largely African-American ward.

White was born and raised in Southeast, D.C., served two terms on the city’s board of education, and became a councilmember in 2017.

Despite White’s accomplishments, some believed he does not deserve to get a pass on this issue.

WUSA9 reached out to all of the council members and is having a hard time nailing down why so many of them are staying silent on the issue.

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