Orange Attempts to Script Ward 5 ANCs at Tonight's State of the Ward Convention and Address

From The Washington Post's "DC Wire" blog:

Will Ward 5 ANCs Erase The Script?

D.C. Council member Vincent B. Orange Sr. (D-Ward 5) wanted the ward's Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners to join him during his State of the Ward address today.

So Orange's office announced that he plans to do a roll call of the ANCs during the "convention and address," where Orange and the commissioners will talk about the ward's past improvements and future steps.

To make sure that the council member and the commissioners would be on the same page, Orange's office sent them "scripts" to read.

There is only one problem: some of the commissioners don't want to read them. They don't like the idea of Orange telling them what to say. After eight years on the council, a few commissioners rhetorically asked why Orange now wants the ANCs to tout the ward's accomplishments on his political stage.

"I was infuriated that my intelligence had been insulted ... that someone would have the nerve to write a script for us to deliver," said Mary Currie, one of the outspoken commissioners. "It would have been a lot more personalized if Mr. Orange had called the ANCs and talked to people. There was no personal touch. It was 'Just do this' like we're on his payroll."

We won't know whether they'll read the scripts or erase Orange's plan until today's program, which will be held at Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, 610 Rhode Island Ave NE at 6 p.m.

Also of interest: "April is Vincent B. Orange Sr. Month!"