Changes

definition of marriage in the District to include same-sex couples."<ref>[http://www.dcappeals.gov/dccourts/appeals/pdf/10-CV-20_JACKSON_MTD.PDF ''Jackson v. District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics''], citing D.C. Code § 46-401 (a) (Supp. 2010); 57 D.C. Reg. 27 (Jan. 1, 2010).</ref>

definition of marriage in the District to include same-sex couples."<ref>[http://www.dcappeals.gov/dccourts/appeals/pdf/10-CV-20_JACKSON_MTD.PDF ''Jackson v. District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics''], citing D.C. Code § 46-401 (a) (Supp. 2010); 57 D.C. Reg. 27 (Jan. 1, 2010).</ref>

===Corruption===

===Corruption===

The self-interested, often deceitful conduct of power brokers in D.C. results in its nickname as "the swamp," which also fits the historical climate the region.  In addition, its nickname as the "[[deep state]]" reflects how there is an entrenched [[liberal]] bureaucracy in D.C. that serves itself rather than the people of the [[United States]] who pay the bills.

The self-interested, often deceitful conduct of power brokers in D.C. results in its nickname as "the swamp," which also fits the historical climate the region.  In addition, its nickname as the "[[deep state]]" reflects how there is an entrenched [[liberal]] bureaucracy in the D.C. government that serves itself rather than the D.C. residents who pay a separate income tax and a property tax.  

Most people who work in policy-making positions in D.C. are married to (or have a relationship with) someone who holds a different policy-making position.  These relationships have a binding effect that prevents policy-makers from acting independently based on [[logic]], values, or the interests of the [[America]]n people, and their policy decisions or recommendations are often self-serving.

Most people who work in policy-making positions in the D.C. government are married to (or have a relationship with) someone who holds a different policy-making position.  These relationships have a binding effect that prevents policy-makers from acting independently based on [[logic]], values, or the interests of D.C. residents, and their policy decisions or recommendations are often self-serving.<ref>https://mota.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mota/page_content/attachments/Copy%20of%20PBI%2003.31.17.pdf</ref>  Washington DC imposes a residency requirement on many of its employees, because of the wide-spread desire of residents to move to the suburbs if they can afford to do so.<ref>https://dchr.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dchr/publication/attachments/chap_3_residency_trans_222_1.pdf</ref>

The 2010 election was hotly contested and resulted in a number of convictions.  Incumbent mayor [[Adrian Fenty]] lost the Democratic primary to [[Vincent C. Gray]].  However, his primary effort was assisted by a minor candidate [[Sulaimon Brown]], who Gray paid to stay in the primary race and appointed to a position in his administration.  When this became public, Gray fired Brown and the resulting investigation led to campaign staff being convicted. On Tuesday, July 10, 2010, Jeanne Clarke Harris, plead guilty to laundering campaign contributions from city contractor [[Jeffery E. Thompson]] through friends into the Gray campaign.  The effort involved $653,000 in improperly reported donations. U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr said that the 2010 mayor's race was "compromised by backroom deals, secret payments and a flood of unreported cash."<ref name=wp711>{{cite news|title=Gray's victory called tainted|author=Mike DeBonis and Nikita Stewart|date=July 11, 2012|page=A1}}</ref> Harris said that Thompson sought to hide his campaign contributions to Gray to avoid angering the Fenty administration that had awarded large contract to Thompson's firms.<ref name=wp711/>  Howard Brooks and Thomas W. Gore have previously plead guilty to charges surrounding the forwarding of Gray campaign cash to Brown.<ref name=wp711/>

The 2010 election was hotly contested and resulted in a number of convictions.  Incumbent mayor [[Adrian Fenty]] lost the Democratic primary to [[Vincent C. Gray]].  However, his primary effort was assisted by a minor candidate [[Sulaimon Brown]], who Gray paid to stay in the primary race and appointed to a position in his administration.  When this became public, Gray fired Brown and the resulting investigation led to campaign staff being convicted. On Tuesday, July 10, 2010, Jeanne Clarke Harris, plead guilty to laundering campaign contributions from city contractor [[Jeffery E. Thompson]] through friends into the Gray campaign.  The effort involved $653,000 in improperly reported donations. U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr said that the 2010 mayor's race was "compromised by backroom deals, secret payments and a flood of unreported cash."<ref name=wp711>{{cite news|title=Gray's victory called tainted|author=Mike DeBonis and Nikita Stewart|date=July 11, 2012|page=A1}}</ref> Harris said that Thompson sought to hide his campaign contributions to Gray to avoid angering the Fenty administration that had awarded large contract to Thompson's firms.<ref name=wp711/>  Howard Brooks and Thomas W. Gore have previously plead guilty to charges surrounding the forwarding of Gray campaign cash to Brown.<ref name=wp711/>