Kenyan McDuffie

Kenyan R. McDuffie (born c. 1975) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Council of the District of Columbia representing Ward 5 since 2012.

Early life[]

McDuffie grew up in Stronghold, a neighborhood in Ward 5 in Washington, D.C.^[1] After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School, he sold ice cream at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. and briefly attended the University of the District of Columbia.^[2] He later worked for the United States Postal Service, delivering mail in the Friendship Heights and Spring Valley neighborhoods.^[2]

After four years with the Postal Service, McDuffie enrolled in the University of the District of Columbia before graduating from Howard University summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in political science and community development^[3] in 2002.^[4] He received a juris doctor from University of Maryland School of Law^[5] in 2006. At the University of Maryland School of Law, he served as an Associate Editor of The University of Maryland Journal of Race, Religion, Gender, and Class, and research assistant to then-Professor Tom Perez.^[4]

Following his graduation, McDuffie was hired by Prince George's County, Maryland, first working as a law clerk for an Associate Judge on the 7th Judicial Circuit of Maryland and later as an assistant state's attorney where he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases in District Court and on appeal in Circuit Court.^[5] McDuffie later worked for Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton in both her local constituent services office and Capitol Hill office, where he drafted legislation.^[6] In 2008, he served as a trial attorney for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he conducted investigations and managed complex cases throughout the United States regarding enforcement of key federal civil rights statutes, including defending the rights of the mentally ill. During his tenure at DOJ, he worked on cases to reform the policies and procedures of police departments.^[1][5] In 2010, McDuffie became a policy advisor to Public Safety and Justice Deputy Mayor Paul Quander,^[5][7] serving as a liaison to public safety agencies.^[8] He has also served as president of the Stronghold Civic Association.^[9]

Political career[]

2010 election[]

In February 2010, McDuffie resigned from his position in the mayor's administration^[10] and declared his candidacy to represent Ward 5 on the Council of the District of Columbia.^[1] McDuffie supported expanding employment opportunities and tackling HIV.^[6] He criticized incumbent Harry Thomas Jr. for being reactive rather than proactive.^[6] During his campaign, McDuffie stressed several urgent problems in the ward, including lack of quality education, lack of effective job-training programs, lack of affordable housing, and a need for more services for senior citizens.^[11] Thomas won the Democratic Party primary election^[12] and went on to win the general election as well.^[13]

2012 election[]

In January 2012, Thomas resigned from the Council and pleaded guilty to two federal crimes: theft and filing three years of false tax returns.^[14] McDuffie entered the special election to fill the vacant Ward 5 seat.^[15]

The District's firefighter union, the Service Employees International Union Maryland and DC State Council, National Nurses United union, Local 25 Hospitality Workers' Union, AFL-CIO, DC Latino Caucus, Gertrude Stein Democratic Club and Councilmember Tommy Wells^[16] endorsed McDuffie's candidacy.^{[16][17][18][19]}

McDuffie won the special election,^[20] receiving 43 percent of the votes.^[21]

2014 election[]

McDuffie ran for re-election in the 2014 election^[22] and won the primary against Kathy Henderson, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Carver Langston;^[23] and Carolyn C. Steptoe, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Brookland.^[24] Libertarian Preston Cornish is the only candidate who opposed him in the General Election.^[25][26] He was re-elected with 83.93% of the vote.

2018 election[]

McDuffie ran for re-election in the 2018 election. He won with 79.3% of the vote, defeating Kathy Henderson, Joyce Robinson-Paul, and Amone Banks on November 6, 2018.

D.C. Council Committees[]

Committee on Government Operations, Chair (2013 - 2015)[]

As Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations, McDuffie successfully passed campaign finance reform to close the “LLC loophole,” which historically has allowed limited liability companies to make campaign contributions well above individual limits. His bill also requires campaigns to report all fundraising data online for the Office of Campaign Finance to publish publicly, mandates campaign finance training for candidates, expands the range of penalties for violations, and restricts money order donations to $100. Additionally, the legislation requires lobbyists to disclose any contributions bundled and forwarded to a campaign. This bill constituted the most significant reform in the financing, accountability, and transparency of District elections seen in years.^[27]

Judiciary Committee, Chair (2015 - 2017)[]

As Chair, McDuffie oversaw sweeping updates to the District’s criminal justice law. He passed comprehensive juvenile justice reform that ended the use of solitary confinement, life sentences, and indiscriminate shackling of juveniles in court. McDuffie also oversaw the creation of the police body-worn camera program, including ensuring that there was a fair process for the video footage to be made public. He advanced “Ban the Box” legislation that bans the use of criminal background checks in housing as well as passing legislation to end the unfair use of credit history in hiring.^[28] McDuffie also passed the innovative Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act (NEAR Act),^[29] which reforms the District’s criminal justice system by incorporating behavioral and mental health professionals to perform tasks that previously fell to law enforcement officers.^[30]

Committee on Business and Economic Development, Chair (2017 - present)[]

In 2017, McDuffie was appointed the Chairman of the Committee on Business and Economic Development and remains in that role currently.^[31] Kenyan has focused on tackling systemic barriers to access capital and supporting workers & small businesses. He introduced the Clean Hands Certification Equity Amendment Act of 2021, a bill that reduces the obstacles imposed on small business owners, returning citizens, and low-income residents to obtain licenses and permits.^[32] He was also a leader in pandemic recovery and reopening efforts, providing support for the nightlife industry, advocating for equitable recovery, and helping to secure $100 million to assist District businesses. McDuffie also prioritized addressing the District’s racial wealth gap through the Child Wealth Building Act, a child trust fund, or “baby bonds,” aimed at eliminating the District’s stark racial wealth gap and ending generational poverty.^[33]

As a leader on racial equity and social justice in the District, McDuffie passed the transformative REACH Act (Racial Equity Achieves Results) in 2020.^[34] This legislation established the Office of Racial Equity, led by the District’s new Chief Equity Officer, created a new Racial Equity Impact Assessment for Council legislation, and established the , which trains all DC government employees on racial equity, creates a Racial Equity Tool to ensure the District government is accountable and establishes a Commission to advance racial equity into the future. In the same year, he introduced legislation to create a Task Force to research and develop reparation proposals for African American descendants of slavery.^[35]

In addition, McDuffie serves as a member of the following committee's:^[36]

• Committee on Transportation and the Environment
• Committee on Housing and Executive Administration
• Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs

Personal life[]

McDuffie lives on North Capitol Street with his wife, Princess, and their daughters, Jozi and Kesi.^[37]

References[]