review is under way, headed by a former federal prosecutor and president clinton's attorney, robert bennett. the council wants to know if councilmember marion barry did anything wrong when he awarded a $60,000 contract to his now- former girlfriend. behind a locked door, 11 members of the d.c. council met to discuss it ethics issues brought to light by a contract awarded to council member marion barry's former girlfriend. mr. barry attended the meeting, which sources say was to discuss the need for an independent law firm to look into the 60,000 of the contract awarded to donna watts-brighthaupt. also on the table was whether ethics regulations should be put in place for the district's governing body. >> i do not need something written down to tell me to behave honorably. them he is under fire for allegedly using public funds to hire his former girlfriend. council members have been hesitant to weigh in on the matter and on the beat today began making comments on the latest scandal. >> it has been very distracting for councilmember barry and for everyone who works with him. for the rest of u

the legislators appointed robert bennett to investigate the contracts that marion barry gave his girlfriend. barry sat down today in his home with our own, bruce johnson in this 9news now exclusive. >> councilman marion barry left his home today driving a new car with maryland tags. he says it's the rental that u.s. park police only recently returned his own car and cell phone following his arrest on july 4. >> they say they want to use it, they got a warrant to search my car and search my car for what? >> barry continued to blame police while dismissing any personal responsibility for his arrest. after he was stopped while following his exgirlfriend in a car with her ex-husband. > the blame aught to be on the park police. that's what started all this. if they did not illegally arrest me, we would not have some of this going on. >> you apologize to the council member. what would you apologize for? >> i brought unintented consequences to em>>. what about the contracts? e hired donna for nscongtiul work whereyth thwere dating to pay her some $60,000 in taxpayer funds. >> very serious financia

the council being interviewed by robert bennett to determine whether marion barry may have crossed anyring of his former girl friend. and i know you can't discuss any detail, but where is this investigation? >> well mr. bennett, who everyone truly respects, he'll work very diligently and responsibly in trying to figure out what recommendations we can have to have a better city and council and with the mayor. we have to do a better job of transparency so the residents of the district of columbia know how the government is operating and tat's what i think the end result will be. >> about 30 seconds left. let me talk with the summer jobs program. there was talk when we spoke with the mayor that some council members want to cut the program short to stop the bleeding and there was big-time flaws in it. you told the examiner that ten come over instead. >> i think there was some sense of child dumping where young folks were put in jobs even if they didn't have nothing to do. we still have a lot of kids at home getting checks and we have kids that haven't been placed yet. so after last year's

>> reporter: well, barbie is bringing star power to the investigation naming robert bennett no stranger to investigating allegations of corruption by public officials. he led an investigation for 20 years ago and represented president clinton in the monica lewinsky impeachment case and now turning his attention to marion barry. >> at issue are the contracts awarded to donna watts and the policy that allows council members to award these contracts. >> we believe it should be independently investigated and to do the best job to ensure there were no rules that were broken in the district of columbia about this contract and also, frankly, the question that was raised about public perception is important. we want the public to be as satisfied as they can that this situation has been investigated and we have gotten at what the facts are. >> reporter: barry expressed confidence dense he has done nothing wrong. >> i welcome the inquiry. i have no doubt in my mind we followed all the procedures. >> reporter: the council is expected to meet next week to vote to give bennett subpoena power one con

. >>> the council appointed robert bennett to investigate contracts that marion barry awarded his former girlfriend. barry spoke with bruce johnson, and in it barry admitted he hired her while they were dating. he also said agreed to pay her $60,000 in taxpayer money for her consulting work. >> donna watts had very serious financial problems, being foreclosed on her house and some other things that i don't want to get into that were personal. >> reporter: but is that the reason? >> wait a minute, let me finish. and we were talking about how do you work that out. and i was at the same time, i thought about this program. >> reporter: did you use this contract and the fact that she needed this money to control your personal relationship? >> absolutely not. >> reporter: you didn't cut this off when the relationship ended? >> no. >> one councilman wants the inspector general to look into nonprofit groups that barry helped to establish. >>> by now we know american troops have begun handing the war in iraq over to the iraqis, but how is that going to work out? andrew stack sat down with a colon

. >> authorized a private attorney, robert bennett to investigate barry's contract with his exgirlfriend and other contracts in the councilman's office. >> absolutely. they should be upset about it the park police. >> you hadn't been in anacostia park. >> new no, i drive through that park 90% of the time. >> one observer said there's a fatigue setting in among supporters and the former four- term mayor couldn't win an at large race in the city these days. barry would respond, he doesn't have to. all he has to do is keep winning in ward 8. >> have you talked? >> no, absolutely not. >> if you had a chance to talk to her, what would you say? >> i'm not going to talk to her. >> bruce johnson, 9news now and wusa9.com. >> joining us now. david and councilman, everybody thinks this is all about the girlfriend, but you think it goes even deeper than that to nonprofits to the exmayor established in ward 8? >> after all of this came out last friday after the council decided to go forward, new information surfaced that councilman barry -- received earmarks that council member barry designated and h

the council appointed private attorney, robert bennett to investigate contracts that barry awarded his former girlfriend, donna. in an exclusive interview, barry spoke today with our bruce johnson and he admitted that he hired him while they were dating. he also said he agreed to pay her $60,000 in taxpayer funds for consulting work. >> very serious financial problems and some other things that i don't want to get into that were personal. we were talking about how you worked it out. >> did you use this contract? >> absolutely not. >> when the relationship went sour? >> absolutely not. > barry could be under more scrutiny. wants the district's district general to look into nonprofit groups that barry helped to establish. >>> new developments tonight in last month's deadly metro crash. the firm congressional hearing into the crash began today and a survivor took center stage. digital correspondent is live from capitol hill with more on that. >> everybody was singing from the same song sheet and that is metro needs an infusion of billions of dollars. the victim, patrick put a very public

lawyer robert bennett to lead the investigation. bennett was in charge of a high profile senate ethics probe of a corruption case 20 years ago. he represented president clinton during the impeachment scandall. barry said he's innocent of wrong doing and promised to cooperate. >> i have no doubt in my mind that he followed all procedures. >> saying i can't take this anymore, the councilman walked out joined by two others who objected to him using a council event to defend himself. ben it promised to act quickly. >> i'm going to try to do it as expeditiously as i can. >> as it sounds now, council members can unilaterally award contracts. bennett may also make recommendations on whether that process should be changed and the council is set to adopt a new ethics code in an attempt to prevent future scandalls. derek? >> gary in the information center. appreciate it. thank you. >>> well remember that $700 billion bail out for the big banks? now it looks like the white house is going to make a big withdrawal. there's word tonight that pres

the headline out of the news conference, they have selected robert bennett, an attorney, to lead an independent probe into marion barry's spending of public fund, particularly surrounding this woman who was his friend, the 40-year-old woman. also, the council has announced they will develop a code of conduct and plans to have that ready for consideration. reporting live from the john wilson building, sam ford, abc 7 news. >> we will speak with d.c.'s attorney general about what he may or may not do about marion barry. the latest on this growing controversy tonight on abc 7 news at 6:00. >>> loudoun county, a jury store robbery has turned into a hostage situation. -- a jewelry store robbery has turned into a hostage situation. the swat team is running a home. pamela brown is live on the scene with the latest. >> we have confirmed the two hostages are inside the home, a barricade situation unfolding since around 2:00 this afternoon crisis negotiators have established contact with the armed suspect in the home. this began when the suspect robbed a local jewelry store and from there a manhunt and s

the dc attorney robert bennett will lead the investigation. >>> a convicted murderer gets a stay of execution from the supreme court. >>> and the shuttle crew is forced to wait a while longer before heading to space. we'll be right back. yeah, no it's great. i eat anything that i want. key lime pie, pineapple upside down cake, raspberry cheesecake... ... yeah, every night is something different. oh, yeah yeah... ... she always keeps them in the house. no, no, no. i've actually lost weight... i just have a high metabolism or something... ...lucky. babe... umm, i gotta go. (announcer) 28 delicious flavors at around 100 calories each. yoplait, it is so good. >>> in the news, a virginia death row wins a stay of execution from the supreme court. the high court will consider whether paul warner powell's case is double jeopardy, being tried twice for the same crime. after his conviction was overturned in the murder of stacey reed of manassas, virginia powell was tried again after writing a letter detailing the crime. >>> authorities arrested a fourth man in connection with the slayings of a wealthy

gray appointed robert bennett t probe the rules under gray and how berry as used them. >> i know mr.most of america knows mr. bennett. he has an absolutely sterling and impeccable reputation. >> reporter: neither gray nor bennett revealed then that gray's daughter, a lawyer, had worked several years with bennett unti march. chairman gray on monday confirmed the personal connection but told news4 it wouldn't cloud the probe. >> my daughter was with them as an associate for seven years. she has since left the firm. she left several months ago. she's now a partner in another firm but i made direct contact with him probably a couple of years ago. >> reporter: some council members say privately they are concerned that bennett's former instructions to be voted on tuesday center only on berry's contracts and not all contracts issued through gray's office. >> we're focusing on the issue that brought this to light and the investigation takes us in another direction. >> the council vote on this probe is tomorrow. but how deep the probe will be is still uncertain. back to you. >> thank you, tom

the council appointed private attorney robert bennett to investigate contracts marion barry awarded his girlfriend. in an exclusive interview, marion barry spoke with bruce johnson. he admitted he hired her while they were dating and he said he agreed to pay her $60,000 in taxpayer funds for consulting work. >> serious financial problem, foreclosuring on the house and some other things i don't want to get in to. and we were talking about, how do you work that out and at the same time i thought about this program. >> did you use the contract, and the fact she needed this money to control your personal relationship. >> >> absolutely not. >> barry could be under more scrutiny. the councilman wants the inspector general to look in to nonprofit groups barry helped to establish. >>> it is time for the first living smart report of the morning and jessica doyle is here with a preview of the day on wall street. earnings made the map yesterday. >> earnings was a good factor yesterday. and we have a report out on consumer inflation. the labor department is set to release the reading on the consume

that was attorney robert bennett. we caught up with him between council meetings with council members. he's investigating barry's hiring of his ex-girlfriend as well as contracts that awarded grant money to nonprofit groups that barry is associated with. >> i'm glad to see that he is doing this investigation. and i think the public given all the controversy, the public needs to understand what is happening with the council procedures where mistakes are be paid and what we can do to improve them. i would like to know that as well. >> councilman barry denies any wrongdoing. >>> now to a developing story at the white house tonight. president obama playing host to having beers with harvard professor henry gates and esamjle owcrjames crowley, the - caed beer summit follows the arrest and the remarks that sparked a firestorm. >> reporter: the white house is already trying to downplay expectations of what we should expect from all of this, including from the president himself. within the last hour mr. obama said that this is

dc attorney robert bennett will lead the council's investigation. >>> what should have been a routined zoning hearing turned into a battle of philosophy and milk last night in fairfax. -- and politics last night in fairfax. the board of supervisors was considering a petition filed by the international academy to expand its campus by 111,000 square feet. the petition was met with opposition from a group calling itself the antisharia task force. they say the school is teaching hate. parent and students disagree. parents and students disagree. >> we believe that tradition is being taught in this school. it is not a typical school like a public school, parochial school, private, evangelical school. [ indiscernible ] >> work at lockheed martin, they work for government. they work in every big country -- [ indiscernible ] >> what these people are trying to focus on are things which doesn't exist. >> the fairfax board of supervisors says the matter will be decided on land use and zoning issues exclusively and not anything related to the school's curriculum. >>> amtrak has unveiled the first

two other republicans, minority leader mitch mcconnell and robert bennett of utah, said they would vote no. the senate judiciary committee is expected to vote on sotomayor next week. the full senate could vote in early august. pope benedict xvi had surgery today after he fell and broke his right wrist. after the brief operation, he emerged from a hospital in northern italy smiling and waving to crowds who'd gathered. he'd been injured while vacationing at his alpine retreat. doctors said the arm would be in a cast for a month. the pope is 82 years old. >> lehrer: and still to come on the newshour tonight: the naacp at 100; a health care update; and shields and brooks. that all follows the suicide bombings in jakarta, indonesia. eight people were killed and more than 50 wounded at two american luxury hotels. newshour correspondent kwame holman narrates our story. >> reporter: the near- simultaneous explosions happened shortly before 8:00 a.m. as guests were packing the hotel restaurants for breakfast. the first of the two bombs detonated at the j.w. marriott in central jakarta. grainy fo

the council has given washington attorney robert bennett authority to investigate the whole thing. city leaders say the council members can put family members or their friends, people that they he personal relationships with, on payroll if they are qualified. what do we know about the contract that watts-brighthaupt got, and what does the investigating attorney need to find out? jim. >> well, the question that's being asked with regard to this contract is where are the deliverables? what is it that she did for the money? now, earlier adrian -- we were talking, and adrian pointed out that she said every time she tried to present a finding or some product, she was mistreated and they did not receive what she had to deliver. that hasn't been said. the larger question becomes the district of columbia for many, many years has had an environment of entitlement for certain people. if you're on the inside, you can get certain favors. now, some say that marion barry's not the larger issue here. vincent gray has initiated an investigation, and they've brought in mr. bennett, very well-known

one was republican senator robert bennett of utah who said, the administration is wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on a pr campaign. what's the verdict on that claim? >> we didn't rate the wasting part we wondered if they spent millions on signs. we gave that a half true on the truth-o-meter. the truth is in the middle in that the administration is encouraging states to put up signs for the stimulus. the math we're not quite sure it will add up to millions as senator bennett suggested, it's up to the state. that gets a half true on truth-o-meter. >> bill adair, from politifact.com, thanks for joining us. >> good morning, thanks. >>> for all the topics we discussed head to the blog, cnn.com/am fix and check out details. be right back. 44 past the hour. >>> 46 minutes past the hour. welcome back to the most news in the morning. we'll be running down conspiracy theories about whether or not it actually happened later on this morning but 40 years ago today people sat in front of their televisions glued to the black and white images of neil armstrong becoming the first person to walk o

actors gregory peck and robert wagner were among the many who eulogized sinatra while while tony bennettg ave maria. sinatra's family wanted this memorial to be a tribute to his life and the legacy he leaves behind. >> i told funny stories of the things we did to the on the road and a lot of laughs. >> sammy davis, jr.'s widow remembers the day of the rat pack. >> it just brought back memories of the fun times, the good times with sammy and i and frank and barbara. >> reporter: but as the casket draped in flowers was carried out of the church on its way to a cemetery near palm springs, there was a distinct sadness in the air, marking the end of an era. lisa salters, abc news, pefrl hills. >> one of the last big celebrity funerals in l.a., frank sinatra. you get the feeling that's sort of tame compared to what we can expect tomorrow. >> certainly. we've heard so much about these tickets. people are finding out if they're one of the lucky ones. on ebay people are silling the tickets. i was on earlier and there was a ticket selling for $8,000. people are taking their tickets and doing what