Local
Ethics board says Graham violated ‘code of conduct’
But gay Council member won’t face sanctions
An ethics investigation against gay D.C. Council member Jim Graham was dismissed on Thursday. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The recently created D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability says it found “sufficient evidence” that gay D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) violated the city’s code of conduct for a public official.
But in a 27-page opinion issued on Thursday, the three-member board declared that the improper actions it claims Graham took in 2008 to interfere with the selection of competing companies for lucrative Metro and D.C. Lottery contracts occurred before the city’s new ethics law went into effect last year.
Based on the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on holding someone responsible for an action that wasn’t prohibited by law at the time the person committed the action, the board said it decided not to open a formal investigation into Graham’s alleged ethics breach and dismissed the case.
“[W]e find there to be sufficient evidence to conclude that Council member Graham committed one or more violations of the District of Columbia Code of Conduct, justifying a formal investigation and the issuance of Notice of Violation,” the board said in its opinion.
“However, Constitutional constraints concerning ex post facto application of the sanctions available to the board effectively prevent the board from imposing any sanction on Council member Graham for his misconduct,” the ruling states.
“Without the power to sanction Council member Graham, the Board concludes that there is little benefit to advancing the preliminary investigation to a formal investigation and issuing a notice of violation,” the board said. “Accordingly, this matter is DISMISSED,” it said.
Graham’s attorney, William W. Taylor III, said in a statement that he and Graham expected the Ethics Board to end its proceedings.
“It is disappointing and unfair, however, for the Board to purport to make “findings” which Mr. Graham has no opportunity to contest and had no notice would be at issue in this matter,” Taylor said.
The Board’s initial proceeding in the Graham case was to determine whether the board should conduct a “formal” investigation, not to determine whether Graham had committed ethical violations, Taylor said.
“Therefore, under its own rules, the Board was not permitted or required to make ‘findings’ about Council member Graham’s conduct,” he said.
The Board of Ethics, which is chaired by gay former D.C. Attorney General Robert Spagnoletti, began its probe into an alleged ethics breach by Graham after the completion of an earlier investigation conducted by a law firm on behalf of the Metro transit board.
That investigation found that Graham violated the Metro board’s ethics rules in his alleged dealings with a Metro contract. Graham was a member of the Metro board at the time the alleged improprieties took place in 2008.
The Metro board probe, and the Board of Ethics findings released this week, each claimed that Graham offered to support a bid for a lottery contract from a D.C. businessman if the businessman agreed to withdraw a separate bid for a contract from Metro. The Metro contract was for a major real estate development project on land owned by Metro.
The Ethics Board findings, among other things, allege that Graham wanted the Metro contract to go to another company whose two principal owners made campaign contributions to Graham in the past. Graham has vigorously denied his motive for favoring the bid from the opposing businessmen was based on their campaign contributions to him. He said he favored the opposing company because it was better qualified to carry out the development project.
In its ruling, the Ethics board said Graham violated three provisions in the Code of Conduct – he lost his independence and “impartiality,” he gave preferential treatment, and he damaged public confidence in government.
The Ethics Board’s findings prompted the Washington Post to publish an editorial Thursday night calling for Graham to resign from the Council.
“I am not resigning,” Graham said in a statement released on Friday.
“There has been no allegations or suggestion that a crime has been committed, or that there is an illegal financial request or laws that have been broken,” he said. “I categorically deny any connection between any campaign donation and my actions on these matters.”
Graham added, “I am now in discussions with my lawyer as to next legal steps.”
Delaware
New LGBTQ visitor center slated for Wilmington, Del.
The Collective to feature gift shop, queer museum, more
During Pride month this year, the Delaware Sexuality and Gender Collective (DSGC) announced plans for “The Collective,” the first LGBTQ+ visitor center in Wilmington in nearly 40 years.
“We’ve been talking about the concept of a brick-and-mortar space for a long time,” said Noah Duckett, co-founder of the DSGC.
A licensed clinical social worker, Duckett co-founded DSGC with his mother, Julissa Corianno, in 2018. Established under Sussex Pride, the DSGC serves as a hub for leaders and organizations working directly with LGBTQ+ communities throughout Delaware.
“Our vision for The Collective is a place where our community can come to learn, create, work, and be inspired,” said Corianno.
The Collective will feature a visitor center and gift shop highlighting LGBTQ-owned businesses in Delaware.
“I think that this is something that’s going to benefit our community so much,” said Duckett.
Some of the LGBTQ-owned businesses that DSGC has already partnered with include Stressed Induced Art Attack, Moonbeam Art Collaborative, Voce Coffee, Groovy Gemini Co., Scout Cafe, Macaron Social, and Huxley and Hiro.
“Specifically in Wilmington, we haven’t had an LGBTQ-dedicated space in almost 40 years,” said Duckett.
The last LGBTQ community center in Wilmington was The Griffin Community Center, which was open for only a few years in the 1990s.
“The Griffin was a community space in the ’90s, founded by our friends James and Evo, who are so incredible and have been so supportive throughout this process,” said Duckett.
Duckett said the DSGC hopes to carry on The Griffin’s legacy.
“I think now more than ever, there’s more and more spaces closing their doors. More and more spaces are losing funding, seeing reduced funding and reduced access, especially LGBTQ+ organizations and communities,” said Duckett.
The Collective will also feature Delaware’s first LGBTQ history museum, curated by queer historian Carolanne Deal.
“We don’t have any permanent displays in the state about Delaware’s queer history, and we want people to be able to access that history any day of the year, not just during Pride month,” said Deal.
With a master’s degree in art history for museum professionals, Deal has more than seven years of experience in curatorial work and hands-on collections care.
“It’s mainly going to be a graphic display with photographs, articles, and accessible text that draws people in and creates a story for the community,” said Deal.
Although the museum will not initially have an object collection, Deal said she hopes to add physical archival pieces in the future.
“Delaware has been at the forefront of a lot of queer civil rights, and it’ll be really amazing to have that enshrined in a permanent display that’s not only up for Pride month,” said Deal.
Duckett said DSGC is currently raising funds with the goal of breaking ground this summer and opening by the end of the year.
“We would love to have rent paid for, like, multiple years up front,” said Duckett.
Duckett told the Blade that fundraising efforts have reached just under $29,000 and that the organization is awaiting several major donations from community partner organizations.
However, he said DSGC continues to be denied many grants tied to federal or state funding because of restrictions on those funds being used for LGBTQ-serving organizations.
“Private and corporate donations are absolutely vital,” said Duckett.
Anyone interested in supporting the construction of The Collective can donate online or contact [email protected] for more information.
District of Columbia
D.C.’s Mary’s House For Older Adults names new executive director
Charlene Leach to succeed Imani Woody as leader of LGBTQ-supportive seniors home
The board of directors of Mary’s House for Older Adults, the D.C.-based home dedicated to providing affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors, has announced it has named longtime nonprofit organization leader A. Charlene Leach as its new executive director.
Leach, who is now serving in the executive director’s position, is succeeding Dr. Imani Woody, the Mary’s House founding president and CEO, who announced her retirement from her official leadership role at Mary’s House on July 7.
Woody, who holds a PhD in Human Services, is credited with playing the lead role over many years in arranging both city and private funding needed to construct and operate the Mary’s House three-story building located at 401 Anacostia Road, S.E., in the city’s Fort DuPont neighborhood.
“With over three decades of nonprofit experience and 15 years serving as an executive director, Charlene brings a wealth of knowledge in organizational leadership, program development, and community engagement,” the Mary’s House board says in a statement.
“Her proven track record of building impactful programs and leading mission-driven organizations makes her uniquely suited to guide Mary’s House into its next phase of growth,” the statement continues. “Charlene is deeply aligned with the mission of Mary’s House and is committed to advancing its work to provide safe, inclusive housing and supportive services for LGBTQ+ older adults,” it says. “Under her leadership, the organization will continue to expand its impact while remaining grounded in the values that define our community.”
Leach’s LinkedIn page shows she has most recently served since 2022 as executive director of the African American AIDS Task Force in Minneapolis. Prior to that, it shows she served as executive director of the Fredericksburg Area Health and Support Services organization in Fredericksburg, Va., and before that as director of development for the D.C.-Baltimore area Women’s Collective.
Her LinkedIn page says she has been involved with Mary’s House as a volunteer and grant writer since 2016.
The newly built and enlarged Mary’s House, which opened in March 2025, with a grand opening ceremony held in May 2025 attended by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, includes 15 single-occupancy residential apartments and more than 5,000 square feet of shared communal living space.
An earlier statement released by the Mary’s House board announcing Woody’s retirement said Woody would continue to be involved with the organization as a member of the board. The earlier statement and board’s more recent statement on July 29 announcing Leach’s appointment as executive director did not say whether the board plans to name someone else as president and CEO, the title that Woody held before her retirement. But the latest statement says Leach will be running Mary’s House’s day-to-day operations as Woody did.
Virginia
Doug Ollivant to face Eugene Vindman in Va. 7th Congressional District
Republican defeated challengers in Tuesday’s primary
Republican Doug Ollivant will face off against incumbent U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
Ollivant defeated his Republican opponents in Tuesday’s primary. Vindman ran unopposed.
Vindman in 2024 ran to succeed then-Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger in the U.S. House of Representatives after she ran for governor. Spanberger succeeded Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2025.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Tuesday easily won his primary. All other Democratic incumbent members of Congress from Northern Virginia also won their respective primaries.
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