Harold Brazil

Originally from Columbus, Ohio,^[3] Brazil graduated from Bishop Hartley High School.^[4] Brazil earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Juris Doctor from Ohio State University and an L.L.M. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Brazil moved to Washington, D.C., to work as a law clerk for Robert M. Duncan, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.^[4][5] Brazil later served as a United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1978 to 1980.^[6] Brazil worked in the office of Senator John Glenn between 1980 and 1984.^[6][7] In 1984, Brazil began working as a lobbyist for Pepco.^[8][9] Brazil was a member of the D.C. General Hospital Commission in 1989.^[10]

After resigning from his position at Pepco, Brazil announced his candidacy to represent Ward 6 on the Council of the District of Columbia in April 1990.^[8] Brazil ran against Nadine Winter, the four-term incumbent.^[11] Brazil supported increasing penalties for repeat offenders and violent criminals and increasing funding for law enforcement officers.^[12] The editorial board of The Washington Post endorsed Brazil's candidacy.^[13]

Brazil won the Democratic primary election, with 43 percent of the vote.^[14] Brazil advanced to the general election, where he was on the ballot with the D.C. Statehood Party's candidate, R. Bradford McMahon.^[15][16] Brazil won the general election,^[17] with 93 percent of the vote.^[18] Brazil served from 1991 to 2005, first representing Ward 6 and then as an at-large member.^[19][20]

In 2004, Kwame R. Brown challenged Brazil's reelection campaign. Brown criticized Brazil for treating his Council position as a part-time job and serving as a rubber stamp for the Mayor. ^[21] Brown won the Democratic Party primary election with 54 percent of the vote, compared to Brazil's 32 percent.^[22]

In October 2008, Brazil and two women entered a tattoo shop in Georgetown.^[23] One woman went to the back to get a tattoo, but the shopkeeper said that rules prohibited the other woman to go with her.^[23] According to Brazil, Brazil objected, and the shopkeeper became rude, cursed Brazil, called him a racial slur, and beat him so much that he required medical treatment for his injuries.^[23] The shopkeeper said Brazil was the one who became belligerent, cursed the shopkeeper, and then urinated on the floor.^[23] In May 2009, Brazil was convicted of assault.^[24] The judge sentenced Brazil to 90 days of imprisonment, but the judge suspended the sentence on the condition that Brazil completes six months of unsupervised probation.^[24]

On July 1, 2014, the District of Columbia Bar admonished Brazil for improperly safeguarding clients' property, failure to represent a client diligently, and failure to act with reasonable promptness in representing a client.^[25] On January 18, 2018, he was disbarred by consent.^[26]

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