'Gasifier' Promoted As Energy Answer

Windell R. King Sr., right, explains the giant contraption to D.C. Council member Marion Barry and others in a parking lot in Southeast Washington. King is the chief financial backer of the machine. (By Sarah L. Voisin -- The Washington Post)

Discussion Policy

Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

The confrontation between Barry and Wilson devolved into a yelling match so heated that police intervened.

Wilson called Barry a liar and told him to watch his mouth, according to footage of the fracas captured by WRC-TV (Channel 4). In return, Barry called Wilson "power hungry" and threatened to have the church's nonprofit status "investigated."

"He's out of his mind, being un-Christian and crazy like that," Barry said. "What's wrong with him?"

Barry declined yesterday to talk about the altercation, calling it "yesterday's news." He said that as part of a compromise with Wilson, the machine was not turned on yesterday and will be removed from the parking lot today.

Romana's chief financial backer is Windell R. King Sr., who made his fortune manufacturing cigarettes on reservations.

King, who attended yesterday's news conference, said the machine should be called "The Simon" after its inventor.

He said he met Romana at a Christmas party in Ottawa last year. Now, just 11 months later, King is in the nation's capital unveiling the machine.

"Pinch me," he said.

< 2

'Gasifier' Promoted As Energy Answer

More in the D.C. Section

Fixing D.C. Schools

Local Explorer

Top High Schools