Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Greig Campaign Slips In Donor Form Gaffe

Ward 2 city council candidate Fiona Greig mistakenly released an internal spreadsheet of campaign finances that classified one donor as “super wealthy” and another as “homosexual” on Sept. 30.

The Georgetown Patch reported Friday that when Greig provided the District’s Office of Campaign Finance with a list of donors to her campaign, she additionally turned in this unofficial list of potential donors. Yet according to the Washington City Paper, the notes were made by a volunteer during a brainstorming session that included Greig.

Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commission representative Jake Sticka (COL ’13) added that the incident should not affect Greig’s prospects for election.

“This is an unfortunate event but it is important to note that it was a volunteer, and clearly an inexperienced one, that put this list together, not Ms. Greig herself,” he said.

Campus campaign manager Craig Cassey (COL ’15) said that the Greig camp has faced significant backlash from the incident.

“[Some are saying] she’s done with, and commenting ‘Rest In Peace,'” Cassey said.

Regardless of the submitter, the comments have also prompted a harsh reaction from within the Georgetown community.

Meghan Ferguson (COL ’15), co-programming chair of GU Pride, said that she found the contents of the spreadsheet discouraging.

“I am disheartened by the fact that Greig felt it was necessary to differentiate between heterosexual and homosexual donors because a person’s sexual orientation has nothing to do with the matter at hand,” she wrote in an email.

According to the Patch, Greig issued an apology for the phrasing on the spreadsheet.

“I convey my deepest and most sincere apologies for anyone who might take offense,” Greig said to the news outlet. “I have family members who are gay.”

Cassey commended the apology.

“Her choice to apologize is not a rookie move, but is what we would want to expect from an elected figure,” Cassey said.

Sticka added that, while critics have focused on Greig’s spreadsheet blunder, discrepancies in the Evans camp have gone underreported.

“I also think that if we’re discussing campaign finance, it is worth noting that Jack Evans has been far from perfect,” Sticka said.

Fiona Greig could not be reached for comment and Jack Evans declined to comment on the incident.

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