Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Smith wants no-shows fired Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 15:30:30 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Smith wants no-shows fired \BY Jonetta Rose Barras \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Two board members of a troubled District housing agency and its former director broke city laws when they failed to appear before a D.C. Council committee, a council member charged yesterday. Council member Frank Smith called for the immediate removal of John Gloster and Irving Ferman from the board of the D.C. Housing Finance Agency and requested Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly to withhold any benefits that may be due M.L. Carstarphen, former director of the agency. The board members and the former executive director refused to answer subpoenas issued by the Committee on Housing, one of several local and federal agencies probing the spending practices of the agency. DCHFA came under scrutiny when it was disclosed Ms. Carstarphen used $4,000 in agency funds to purchase eight tickets to a political fund-raiser for Mayor Kelly. The money was repaid and Ms. Carstarphen was fired. Reports also disclosed that Mr. Gloster was a consultant for a local developer whose project was receiving financing from DCHFA. Mr. Smith made his request to the mayor in a letter citing the D.C. Code section that states "any officer or employee of the District who refuses to testify upon matters relating to his office or employment . . . shall forfeit his office or employment and any emolument, perquisite, or benefit arising therefrom, and be disqualified from holding any office or employment under the District." Mr. Smith said he would ask the full council at its Dec. 1 meeting to adopt a resolution asking a Superior Court judge to enforce the subpoenas. If the court acts on the request, he said, the witnesses would be ordered to appear before the committee on Dec. 18. "We are still moving forward with the council proceedings," said Robert Goldman, staff director for the housing committee. "What we are trying to do with this letter is get the mayor to establish a precedent. These officials and employees work for the D.C. government and served on our behalf, and it is their duty to testify about the use of public funds. Their failure to understand their responsibility in that respect calls for their removal." Vada Manager, spokesman for Mrs. Kelly, was not aware of the letter but said the mayor is reviewing possible candidates to appoint to the board. "I don't know that this [the letter] would change the process much," he said. Walter E. Diercks, an attorney for Ms. Carstarphen, called the lawmaker's action "premature." He said Ms. Carstarphen failed to appear at the earlier hearing because her primary attorney is out of the country and that a letter was sent to Mr. Smith requesting a postponement. "This system Mr. Smith has put in place had the effect of depriving Ms. Carstarphen of her counsel," Mr. Diercks said, adding the law cited by Mr. Smith "contemplates someone refusing to testify because of self-incrimination." "He is anticipating something that hasn't happened. It's really amazing," Mr. Diercks added. George Keyes, attorney for DCHFA's board, including Mr. Ferman, said he had not seen a copy of the letter. Mr. Ferman's term on the board expired in June. Edward Ross, attorney for Mr. Gloster, who is chairman of the board, did not return telephone calls to his office. In a letter dated Nov. 13, he said Mr. Gloster did not appear at the previous hearing because of illness and because he did not have sufficient time to prepare. The D.C. Office of Campaign Finance (OCF), the Office of the Inspector and the D.C. auditor are conducting independent investigations into the agency's spending, as is the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. An FBI probe began after the agency received anonymous information regarding the spending practices of Ms. Carstarphen. An unofficial audit by Coopers & Lybrand found more than $250,000 in questionable spending at the agency from 1988 through August 1991. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM