Former D.C. Council member Jack Evans, who resigned in January amid probable expulsion from office and an ongoing federal investigation on ethics violations, faced a new challenge to his bold bid to regain his Ward 2 seat.
Evans filed last month to run in the June special election that was called to fill the seat that he gave up. Evans is accused of using his public office to boost his private business.
“He’s misjudging … the outrage in the ward and, if anything, what this is going to do is put the final nail in the coffin,” said Adam Eidinger, a Ward 2 resident and political activist.
Eidinger, the chair of the Committee to Hold Jack Evans Accountable, had led the recall petition against Evans before it was cut short by Evans’ resignation that went into effect Jan. 17.
With Evans making moves to run for his vacated seat, Eidinger has moved to block him.
“Jack Evans believes he has enough support to get reelected. I think in a head-to-head race … he would easily lose; but in a seven-way race, he figures he might win with a plurality of 20% of the vote,” Eidinger said.
Eidinger filed a complaint Monday with D.C.’s Office of Campaign Finance, charging that Evans illegally raised funds to fight the recall effort and collected more than the maximum funds allowed from each individual donor.
“I just think if the rule says you can only raise $500 increments from individuals, maximum, to fight a recall or for a recall, then he should have played under those rules. But he didn’t,” Eidinger said.
Evans is facing an ongoing federal investigation over alleged unethical practices, including not disclosing outside income and not recusing himself from council votes in actions on behalf of clients he represented in his private consulting business.
