WASHINGTON - D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray awoke to bad headlines in the Washington Post and the Washington Times Wednesday, alleging two separate possible ethics violations.

The Washington Post reported Gray used council stationery to solicit a $20,000 contribution from Comcast to help D.C. Democrats at the 2008 DNC convention in Denver. Comcast actually gave $10,000, which is double the limit corporations are allowed to give.

"A lot of that time was spent on voting rights for the District of Columbia," Gray said. "Frankly, I know there's no improprieties involved in this."

On NewsChannel 8's NewsTalk Wednesday, Gray defended the soliciting of the funds, but admitted he should not have used Council letterhead.

"I think the intent here was worthy," Gray said. "It was a worthy purpose that was involved. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't send it on the stationery. And I certainly wouldn't ask for more than we were supposed to get."

But that was not the only bad headline Wednesday. The Washington Times reported a frequent city contractor performed repairs at Gray's home in Southeast.

Gray admits the William C. Smith company, which does lots of business with D.C., did $5,000 worth of repairs to gates and his roof, and $5,000 in architectural work -- even though Smith doesn't do residential work.

Gray said he's a personal friend of Chris Smith, who runs the company.

"The work was commissioned appropriately," Gray said. "The work was paid for. I paid what they sent me in terms of a bill."

But the Times reported that the bill was not sent until it started making inquiries.

"We have the mayor . . .employing all his buddies and I thought Mr. Gray was the good guy," said Byron Sanford, a D.C. resident.

"They shouldn't be doing it but they do it anyway," said Dusti Ridge. "They break the law constantly." 

Mayor Fenty declined to comment Wednesday on the trouble faced by Gray, a potential rival in the 2010 mayoral election. But one of the mayor's supporters, Peaceoholics' Ron Moten, has been openly warring with Gray, including at a Nov. 5 Council hearing.

When asked if he would be sworn in before answering questions, Moten asked: "For what?"

"Because I asked you to." Gray replied.

"You're not going make me do nothing you didn't make nobody else before me do," Moten responded. "Can I ask you some questions under oath? If I can ask you questions under oath, you can ask me question under oath."

Neither the Smith company nor Comcast would comment on the reports Wednesday.

When Gray was asked whether he thinks someone might be trying to derail any future mayoral run, he replied: "These things happen in politics."

D.C.'s Republican Party has called on the U.S. Attorney to investigate Gray's soliciting of a donation from Comcast.

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