Anthony A. Williams
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Anthony A. Williams (born July 28, 1951) is a United States politician who has served as mayor of Washington, DC since 1999.
Williams first rose to prominence as a member of the financial control board that took over DC's finances after the administration of Mayor Marion Barry nearly bankrupted the city. He led the city into a fiscal recovery, which made him a popular figure; he was elected mayor in 1998.
In 2002, Williams ran for reelection. Because DC is dominated by Democrats, the Democratic primary election is widely considered to be the actual deciding contest. In the 2002 primary, the mayor needed to collect signatures from voters to get his name on the ballot. The firm that he hired to do this had some irregularities with the names on petitions. Examples of faulty signatures on his petitions included Tony Blair, Billy Joel, and Robin Hood. As a result of the dodgy petitions, Williams was fined $277,700 by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and was kicked off the ballot. Because of this mess, he had to run as a write-in candidate. His chief opponent, minister Willie Wilson, also ran as a write-in. Despite this handicap, Williams won reelection.
In the DC political spectrum, Williams is generally seen as a moderate; he has good relations with both the business community and DC at large. His public persona is that of an uncharismatic bureaucrat, especially when compared to the colorful Barry. He is known for his signature bowtie.
Williams was instrumental in arranging a deal for the Montréal Expos, a Major League Baseball team, to come the city. The new team is expected to be called the Washington Nationals. However, the decision has also been marred by controversy, as many residents oppose his plan for a publicly-financed stadium for the team, claiming that tax dollars could be spent better on other needs.
