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Amid federal bribery charges, Trayon White was sworn in as the Ward 8 representative on the D.C. Council in Southeast Friday afternoon.
The room was largely empty until moments before the event was scheduled to start. Then, a large group of community members entered the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center, escorting White to the stage on the way to their seats.
It鈥檚 been almost a year since the FBI arrested White on federal bribery charges, accusing him of accepting kickbacks in exchange for granting certain groups city contracts. He was expelled from the Council in a unanimous vote, but ran in the special election for his old seat and won.
Speaking to the crowd, he vowed to emphasize health care and make sure seniors in Southeast communities have access to housing. Some watched wearing neon shirts that said, 鈥淚M WITH TRAY.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to be here today, but more excited that God ain鈥檛 finished with me yet,鈥� White said. 鈥淭his may be a reelection, but I know I got a long way to go.鈥�
White said the FBI is after him, and that they want to 鈥渘ot just arrest me, but I believe they want to kill me.鈥� He declined to elaborate during a gaggle with reporters after the swearing in.
White is scheduled to go on trial in January. After an independent investigation found he violated city and council rules, he was expelled from the council by a unanimous vote. Ward 7 Council member Wendell Felder, who issued the oath of office, was the only other council member in attendance for Friday鈥檚 event.
Officials alleged White accepted more than $150,000 in exchange for influencing city contract decisions for violence intervention services. Authorities said the there鈥檚 video surveillance of the transaction.
White said Friday that after leaving a recent meeting at someone鈥檚 house, he learned the FBI knocked on the person鈥檚 door the next day.
鈥淭his ain鈥檛 nothing light,鈥� White said.
But during his remarks Friday, White said his campaign for the most recent election cycle was called 鈥渦nfinished business.鈥� He stressed the importance of making sure hospital facilities are 鈥渟erving the people it鈥檚 designed to serve鈥� and 鈥渆nsuring that we are not leaving our senior citizens behind right here in the great Ward 8.鈥�
White said while he wants the council to consider some changes, he supports a new stadium at the old RFK site. The first vote on the project was taken with the Ward 8 seat vacant.
In response to President Donald Trump boosting law enforcement presence across the D.C. after a Department of Government Efficiency staff member was injured in an apparent attempted carjacking, White said, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need federal interference.鈥�
A spokeswoman for Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said he is out of the country, has no comment on White鈥檚 swearing in, and there have not been any discussions about restrictions or discipline.
Jauhar Abraham, who was wearing one of the neon shirts supporting White, said White is 鈥渢he only person in the Wilson Building that really understands the culture of the people that has been unrepresented, people that don鈥檛 have a voice in our city.鈥�
Calique Barnes, meanwhile, said the swearing in ceremony 鈥渟hows me that despite what you go through, you鈥檙e able to continue to push forward.鈥�
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