Former Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, who was recently under investigation by federal prosecutors for unreported campaign contributions, announced plans to run for the D.C. Council Thursday.
Gray will challenge Council member Yvette Alexander in June during the Democratic primary for Ward 7. The former mayor previously served Ward 7 and says he has a better chance of winning there then running for an at-large seat, which would require a citywide campaign, reports WUSA7.
An investigation into Gray’s 2010 mayoral campaign uncovered an all-cash operation that misused campaign contributions to assist him in reelection. A city audit of the campaign’s finances released Monday revealed over $800,000 in incomplete records and $141,000 in unreported receipts, reports The Washington Post.
“The matter of the 2010 campaign is unacceptable to me. At present, an experienced campaign finance attorney is working to rectify the situation,” Gray said Monday in a statement following the release of the District’s audit.
Several of Gray’s campaign staffers pleaded guilty to participating in the misused contributions scheme, also known as the “shadow campaign,” however the former mayor was never charged. Gray, who left the mayoral position in 2015, has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation.
“I am disappointed with my 2010 staff for failing to properly maintain records and account for financial transactions,” Gray said in the statement. “It is important to note that the OCF findings detail poor accounting and management, not wrongdoing or malfeasance.”
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