D.C. Council member Trayon White is expected to enter a plea Thursday in his federal bribery case where he’s accused of taking cash to influence government contracts.

The potential plea for the Ward 8 Democrat comes less than two months before voters will decide whether to reelect him. 

Mr. White is seeking a third term as the representative for the historically crime-ridden neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. Convicted felons can’t run for a seat on the D.C. Council.

FBI agents arrested the councilman on Aug. 18 near the Navy Yard neighborhood in the Southeast part of the city. He was accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in kickbacks in exchange for steering $5 million grants to his preferred anti-violence providers.

Court documents include photos of the 40-year-old councilman pocketing envelopes full of cash from an FBI informant that came out to roughly $35,000.

On one occasion, Mr. White allegedly told the informant, “Once you and I lock eyes and gets to an understanding, I gets to work. I can start making s—- happen,” according to the filing.

In other meetings with the informant, Mr. White is accused of talking about expanding the scheme into mental health services because it’s a “cash cow,” and eventually looking into housing because “you are going to get the most money.”  

Mr. White also took $20,000 to resolve a prior contract dispute by pressuring high-level city officials and accepted trips to Las Vegas and the Dominican Republic as gifts from an FBI informant, according to federal authorities.

The unidentified informant pleaded guilty last month on separate bribery charges.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson plans to remove Mr. White as head of the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs this month.

Mr. White also is accused of directing contracts to the Office of Neighborhood and Safety Engagement and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.

The council is expected to deliver the findings of its own investigation into Mr. White in December.

Civic leaders and activists in Mr. White’s ward told The Washington Times last month that they hope the councilman remains on the ballot to eliminate any possibility that Republican Nate Derenge wins the seat.   

Mr. White, who joined the council in 2017, is perhaps best known for his 2018 comments about European Jewish financiers controlling the weather and federal government.

He has since apologized but has supported Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.