Mayor Gray Fires D.C. Taxicab Commission Chair Leon Swain

Leon Swain is no longer chair of the D.C. Taxicab Commission. A press release from Mayor Gray’s office stated, “City Administrator Allen Y. Lew informed Mr. Swain at close of business April 26 that he would not be reappointed and thanked him for his years of service to the Taxicab Commission and District government.”

Drivers responded favorably to news of Swain’s firing, which they had been calling for. Nathan Price, chair of DC Professional Taxicab Drivers Association, said, “Leon Swain was chosen to be the chairman of the D.C. Taxicab Commission in 2007, but like many other campaign workers before him, he was unqualified to be the head of a regulatory agency. Hopefully Mayor Gray will nominate a person with regulatory experience.”

The mayor’s press release said, “Dena Reed has been appointed Interim Chairperson of the D.C. Taxicab Commission as Mayor Vincent C. Gray completes his search for a permanent Chairperson to replace former Chair Leon Swain… Ms. Reed served for the last year and a half as the Taxicab Commission’s General Counsel. She previously served more than two decades with the D.C. Office of the Attorney General.”

At a recent D.C. Taxicab Commission meeting Ms. Reed attempted to ban Jason Smith, a Fox 5 photojournalist. “If the cameras don’t leave the room we’re not going to have the meeting,” said Reed. After pulling Mr. Swain outside the hearing room, Ms. Reed reversed herself and decided to allow the press to attend the public meeting, but she refused to participate.

I received Mayor Gray’s Wednesday afternoon press release as I was standing outside D.C. taxicab mogul Jerry Schaeffer’s offices, having just been kicked out. Initially, Mr. Schaeffer told me I was welcome to attend the meeting on the recently introduced taxicab medallion legislation. He later reversed himself when John Ray, the former councilmember and leading medallion mouthpiece, arrived (late to his own meeting) and demanded that I leave.

The meeting consisted of more than a dozen drivers and fleet owners, including Mohammad Momen, owner of Silver Cab. Mr. Momen said that he had some concerns about the medallion bill but overall he supported it so long as he received enough medallions.

More than an hour into the meeting, Mr. Ray became enraged when drivers questioned him. After making xenophobic remarks Mr. Ray kicked the drivers out.

These issues – and more – will be discussed this Sunday from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. on WUST 1120 AM on “The Voice of DC Cab Drivers,” which is sponsored by the Dominion of Cab Drivers.

See below for the most recent show.

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First two shows of “The Voice of DC Cab Drivers”

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