WASHINGTON - Marion Barry was expected to appear in court Thursday morning to face a charge of stalking, but instead went to work at the Wilson Building.

That's because the charge has now been dropped, in a somewhat anti-climatic ending to his latest law enforcement skirmish. But one can bet this is not the end of the very public argument between Barry and his ex-girlfriend, 40-year-old Donna Watts-Brighthaupt.
The latest crossfire came late yesterday in the form of voicemail messages obtained by The City Paper from Watts-Brighthaupt's ex-husband. The paper released the tapes of voice mails left by Barry for Watts-Brighthaupt before his July 4 arrest.

In one such recording, Watts-Brighthaupt claims Barry kicked her out of a Denver hotel room during the Democratic National Convention because she wouldn't perform a sex act.

"All I am trying to say is I forgive. I forgive. You put me out in Denver because I wouldn't (explicate). You put me out in Denver," Watts Brighthaupt is heard saying in a recording.

Barry's camp quickly fire back, declaring that the woman and her ex-husband, Delonta Brighthaupt are unstable. "She is currently under psychiatric care," said Barry Spokeswoman Natalie Williams. "The release of those tapes did nothing more than to show the true character of Mr. Barry's former accuser."

Despite no trial, there still will be questions to answer - many of which will certainly surround this fact: No matter what Barry surrogates say about her character now, Barry hired her and put her on the city payroll as a contractor to his office.
It was reportedly a $60,000 non-bid contract, and despite Barry's camp's claims earlier this week about the woman, they maintain she was qualified for the job.

City records show the former mayor hired his former girlfriend soon after they began dating. According to documents, the 40-year-old Watts-Brighthaupt was hired in October to work for Barry. She was paid at least $10,000 from Barry's taxpayer-funded budget.

"If you want to hire someone you like I don't see a problem with that," said one man.

"That's not good. I wouldn't vote for him," added a woman.

The newspaper reports when she was his girlfriend, Barry hired Watts-Brighthaupt to work as a contractor specializing in poverty reduction and she was paid $15,000 out of the councilman's taxpayer-funded budget and that an additional payment of $5,000 is still pending.

The council's secretary office was notified about the hire. According to council sources, it is not against the law to hire a girlfriend but they questioned whether it was appropriate. Barry insists that Watts-Brighthaupt was qualified for the position and that he did nothing wrong in hiring her.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with hiring his girlfriend. He was trying to help a citizen out," said a woman.

"That's definitely not appropriate," said a man.

"I am sorry with the economy the way it is today with millions of people losing their jobs, if you can help a person out, help a person out that's the way I see it," said another woman.

Meanwhile, city residents say the situation surrounding the former mayor is all just too much. "We need to pray for them, for her family, his family. Pray for peace," said one resident.

Barry was arrested July 4 by U.S. Park Police for allegedly stalking Watts-Brighthaupt, but has denied those allegations.

News Conference for Councilman Barry Tuesday Night

 

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