What? Do these guys think they're the UN or something?

The Washington Times: If you're a Council friend, you don't pay

D.C. Council members have long distributed to family and friends special license plates that have accrued more than $20,000 in city parking fines, which the plate owners likely will not have to pay.

Since the early 1970s, council members and the mayor have bestowed the license plates -- which feature low numbers -- as political prizes. The 13 council members have exempted themselves from parking restrictions and fines since 2001.

When lawmakers leave office, the plates they have distributed are supposed to be returned to the city to be reassigned to new officials. However, the tickets owed on those plates often go unpaid, The Washington Times has found.

Due to time constraints, we now move to further action.

The Times obtained license-plate information and holders' names through a request to the Office of Secretary of the Council. Violations associated with specific license-plate numbers are public record.

Longtime city activist Gilda Schenkersaid she paid $300 in parking tickets owed on her license plate the last time she registered her car. She has owned her tag since the late Polly Shackleton, Ward 3 Democrat, was elected to the first city council in 1974.

Those plates are a legacy, just like Redskins' season tickets.

"That's very odd," Mrs. Schenker said. "I renewed my license not long ago, and I had no tickets, because, you know, they won't let you renew your license with those tickets."

Curiouser and curiouser, madame.

Frank Kameny, a founder of the homosexual rights movement, has been allowed to keep his special license plate since 1979. He said he plans to pay the $385 he owes before he renews his registration this year.

He must have handicapped plates.

Raymon Murchison, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) 7D, said he is aware of the $1,495 in tickets on his plates.

"I've made arrangements to pay them," he said. "You can't leave them."

Anwar Shakir Saleem Sr. said the tickets owed on his son's car were issued while his son was deployed with the military. His son, who also is named Anwar Saleem, is in the process of having the tickets forgiven, the elder Mr. Saleem said.

Other top violators contacted by The Times did not return calls for comment yesterday.

In 2001, council members voted to exempt themselves from many parking restrictions when on official business. If members are ticketed, they can submit their tickets to the secretary of the council, who contacts the DMV to have the tickets revoked.

Council member Vincent B. Orange Sr., a Ward 5 Democrat running for mayor, has not submitted the tickets associated with his vanity plate since May 11, 2004, when he was issued a ticket in the 1100 block of Constitution Avenue NW for parking during rush hour.

Mr. Orange has $720 in tickets associated with his plate.

Violations on plates issued by the current council date as far back as 1999.

Council members have a total 459 tags available to distribute. As of yesterday, 72 holders of those plates owed the city money for parking tickets.