Council members David Catania and Michael Brown got into a shouting match over Internet gambling during the D.C. Council’s monthly breakfast Tuesday. Catania, an at-large member, grew visibly agitated after Brown, also at-large, said he was proposing an amendment that would kill a repeal of the gambling measure.
“This isn’t even an 11th hour amendment,” Catania said. “An 11th hour suggests you have a little bit of time. This is two hours before a legislative session.”
Catania went on to call Brown’s amendment “the biggest piece of garbage” he’d ever seen. Brown retorted that to repeal igaming was going against the will of the public, which at meeting this summer had generally been supportive of gambling. the public has spoken, he said.
“The public didn’t speak,” Catania snapped.
Then they started yelling. Brown told Catania how could he know the will of the people when he didn’t attend the public meetings.
“Why weren’t you there?” he asked.
“Because I’m not obsessed with igaming!” Catania said.
Council Chairman Kwame Brown finally succeeded in breaking up the spat — but not before they got in one last exchange.
“Like I’m going to take lessons from you? Please,” Catania said.
“Please to you too,” Brown snapped.
The council is slated to vote on a repeal of Internet gambling this morning.
