Top candidates trade personal blows in race for DC Delegate

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Brooke Pinto (L) and Robert White (R), candidates for D.C. Delegate.

WASHINGTON - Two of the top candidates for the next D.C. Delegate have publicly traded blows in recent days, exchanging accusations of improper personal attacks in the campaign.

What's happening:

D.C. Councilmember Robert White shared a video on social media on Tuesday, calling out fellow Councilmember Brooke Pinto for what he called a "doxing" of him and his family posted this week on Pinto's campaign website.

The 67-page document of what Pinto's team calls "opposition research" included a photo of White's home and address, as well as other information about his family.

Pinto's campaign said they've taken down White's home address, but said posting the document was in response to attacks White has made on Pinto's character and family.

Now, White is calling for Pinto to end her campaign for Delegate.

"D.C. can't go in this direction where you drag people's dad, brother, wives into political nonsense," White told FOX 5 on Tuesday. "That's not the type of thing we should see in D.C. politics. And I think the only right thing to do here is say, "Look, I apologize. I made a mistake, and I'm withdrawing from this race." Because, if you can't understand folks like my family, then there are a lot of people in D.C. you can't understand."

The other side:

Pinto's campaign said she was not available for an on-camera interview on Tuesday, but instead referred FOX 5 to a statement she released on Monday night. In the statement, Pinto called White a "hypocrite," saying that "he repeatedly attacks me, my family and our campaign.

"He is swimming in conflicts of interest by taking thousands of dollars from developers who have interests in front of the Housing Committee that he Chairs," Pinto's statement went on to read.

D.C. political analyst Chuck Thies said that everything in the original 67-page document posted by Pinto's campaign is "public information that I could find at my computer within a few hours."

"I do opposition research," Thies said. "I've created files like this. None of this is personal information. This is not some type of egregious attack or egregious gaffe that should force a candidate out of a race."

Ultimately though, Thies said, he believes this matter will likely just be a blip on the radar for voters.

D.C.'s Democratic Primary is on June 16.

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