WASHINGTON - Jury selection was underway Friday for the federal bribery trial against D.C. Councilmember Trayon White.
What we know:
White was arrested by the FBI in August 2024 after he was accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in cash in exchange for using his position to pressure government employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to extend certain contracts. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The jury selection comes a week after the Justice Department accused him of trying to influence jurors through a social media video.
In court documents, the department asked a judge to order White to remove a video posted to his social media on Sept. 1 in which he urges D.C. residents to answer their jury summons. He also expressed concerns about lower responses from Black potential jurors.
The Department of Justice argued that the video was an "unabashed attempt to taint the jury," and accused White of "making disparaging comments about the jury selection process."
READ MORE | Justice Department accuses DC councilmember of jury tampering before bribery trial
In the court documents, department officials also asked a judge to order White not to make any additional comments about the topic ahead of his trial.
In response, White’s attorneys claimed the move was not unlawful as White was trying to uphold his right to a fair trial.
White was expelled by the D.C. Council in 2025 after his arrest and an investigation into his conduct. However. He ran for office again in July 2025, reclaiming his seat as councilmember of Ward 8.
The jury selection process is scheduled to continue on Monday, Sept. 14.
The Source: Information in this article is from court records and past FOX 5 DC reporting.