D.C. SHADOW SENATOR
Challengers, Charges Keep Incumbent's Hands Full
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Saturday, November 1, 2008
D.C. shadow Sen. Paul Strauss, vying for his third term as the District's lobbyist on Capitol Hill, is having a tough time.
Strauss has been trying to fend off calls from the Republican Party for him to resign after the D.C. auditor's office criticized him last month for his leadership as chairman of the D.C. Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals, including accepting campaign donations deemed a conflict of interest.
And yesterday, the Washington City Paper's blog broke the news that Strauss was arrested Oct. 1 in Northwest Washington on a drunken driving charge.
Strauss, who is facing misdemeanor charges, said in an interview with The Washington Post yesterday that he could not comment because the case is pending in court. "I do expect that this matter will be resolved favorably," he said.
In September, the auditor's report said Strauss "failed to effectively manage and improve BRPAA's operations, performance and stature." The report also criticized him for accepting campaign donations from real estate interests.
The GOP cited the auditor's concern that Strauss accepted six $500 checks from several real estate companies and lawyers during his 2006 run for the Ward 3 council seat. It also noted that he has raised more than $100,000 in his campaigns.
The shadow seat has no power, but Strauss is facing three opponents: Republican Nelson F. Rimensnyder, businessman Keith Ware of the Statehood-Green Party and Damien Ober, a bartender.
"The D.C. Republican Party has asked Strauss to resign his Senate seat and withdraw from the election because we don't think he has the credibility to represent the citizens of the District of Columbia," Rimensnyder said.
Strauss said he didn't break any law, and Auditor Deborah Nichols agreed, but added in her report that she was "concerned the donations create the appearance of impropriety."
"I have done nothing wrong. . . . I have been on that board since 1994, and when I ran for council in Ward 3, I raised $103,000," Strauss said.
Rimensnyder, 65, is retired as director of research for the House Committee on the District of Columbia.
"I am the only candidate pledged to be a full-time senator," he said. "I have always felt that [Strauss] has never given the job its just due, with his law practice and serving on the real property board."
