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‘My patience is very thin’ | Jewish leader responds to DC councilmember controversy

Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White sincerely apologized and agreed to go on a tour of the holocaust museum.

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) — A D.C. lawmaker’s actions are under investigation as the Office of Campaign Finance asks questions about a donation Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White made to a Nation of Islam event.

“Oh, my patience is very thin. It’s almost depleted,” Ron Halber, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said.

The JCRC said it tried working with Councilmember White but claimed things only seem to be getting worse.

“Three things happened in a period of one month,” Halber told WUSA9.

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First, the councilman claimed a rich Jewish family controlled the weather.

White sincerely apologized and agreed to go on a tour of the holocaust museum.

Secondly, White left the guided tour early but told WUSA9 in an interview on Saturday that he stayed inside of the museum the entire time.

White said he stepped away from the tour because a reporter was following him around and taking notes.

“I didn’t feel comfortable doing a tour like that and seeing what I saw and experienced what I’m feeling emotionally while a reporter is taken notes,” White said.

“As part of his job description as an elected official, he has to be willing to accept public scrutiny,” Halber rebutted. “That means sometimes the media is going to show up even if you don’t want it, and you’ve got to just deal with it. “

Lastly, a report with the DC Office of Campaign Finance revealed someone in White’s office donated $500 to a Nation of Islam event in Chicago.

At the event, the group’s leader said powerful Jews are his enemy.

“People say controversial stuff all of the time, and I don’t agree with the things some people say. Including people in my family, including Louis Farrakhan,” White said. “The reality is these brothers are on the front-line fighting for some of the same causes I fight for.”

However, the donated money came from White’s “constituents services account.”

According to campaign finance law, that money source is only supposed to be used to benefit D.C. residents.

White’s office has until May 3rd to explain the donation and answer questions from auditors.

“I want to hear him reject — unequivocally, no reservations, no equivocation. I want to hear him say ‘I reject Louis Farrakhan. I reject the Nation of Islam. I reject anti-Semitic bigotry and racism.’ Those are the things I’d like to see him do,” Halber said.

WUSA9 reached out to all 12 remaining council members for comment.

While many councilmembers were silent on Monday, others such as Brianne Nadeau and Mary Cheh called on the council to formally disapprove White’s actions.

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