A federal judge set the bribery trial date for D.C. Council member Trayon White on Wednesday morning. It will begin Jan. 12, 2026.
Judge Rudolph Contreras set the date after discussions between prosecutors and public defenders about managing caseloads and vacation. The judge also wanted to give both sides plenty of time to prepare their cases and allow the defense time to review evidence against White.
Jury selection will begin sometime in December 2025.
Last month, prosecutors had requested a July 2025 trial date following White’s arrest in August.
“I am entitled to a due process like everyone else,” White told reporters after the hearing. “I’m a citizen of the United States of America.”
“Here in D.C., we are concerned about President [Donald] Trump becoming president, and what that can mean for D.C. I’m a Democrat, but I have nothing against the incoming president, but I want to say this, as a citizen, I will expect the council to give me and the people of Ward 8, the same justice that we allow just the federal government to give,” he continued
White won reelection in Ward 8 last week against Republican challenger Nate Derenge.
“That’s just the vote of the people; 20,000 people voted for me to be the council member last week of Ward 8,” he said.
Flanked by friends and family, White said he will fight the charge in court and plans “on having meetings with certain leaders in the community to ensure that we’re moving Ward 8 forward.”
He did not take any questions.
Federal prosecutors have alleged White accepted $156,000 from a business owner in exchange for help in renewing violence-interruption contracts with D.C.
They said White was caught on video taking money from said business owner and agreed to accept more payments.
The two contracts between that unnamed business owner and the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services were valued at $5.2 million.
White pleaded not guilty in September.
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