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Brooke Pinto

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Brooke Pinto
Official Headshot, 2021
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia
from Ward 2
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 27, 2020
Preceded byJack Evans
Personal details
Born1991 or 1992 (age 32–33)
Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationCornell University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Brooke Pinto (born 1991 or 1992)[1] is an American attorney and politician. In June 2020, she won the special election to succeed Jack Evans on the Council of the District of Columbia, representing Ward 2.[2] She is the youngest council member in the District's history and the first woman to represent Ward 2.[2]

Early life and education

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Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Pinto is the daughter of James Pinto, a private equity investor who heads MVC Capital.[3] She attended Cornell University and completed a degree in business and hospitality administration.[4] She then moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Georgetown University Law School, where she earned a Juris Doctor in 2017.[5][6] While at Georgetown Law School, Pinto worked with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Georgetown University Medical School, where she helped to address the intersectionality of health and legal issues.[7]

Career

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After graduating from law school, Pinto worked for Attorney General for the District of Columbia Karl Racine through a one-year fellowship, after which he hired her as assistant attorney general for policy and legislative affairs. She helped craft legislation to address hate crimes and deceptive charity practices. She left the role after one year to launch her campaign for Council of the District of Columbia.[3][5][8]

2020 campaign for the D.C. Council

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June 2020 Primary Election

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In February 2020, Pinto announced her candidacy for Ward 2 Councilmember after incumbent Jack Evans resigned amidst an ethics scandal. Evans resigned before his colleagues could potentially expel him.[9] As with other candidates, Pinto ran in the primary election for the Democratic nomination and the special election to fill the remainder of Evans' term.[10]

Pinto was the last entrant into a crowded field that included Evans (who filed to run in both the primary and special elections just ten days after he resigned following multiple ethics violations).[9] Pinto touted that she was the only candidate with business, tax, and legislative experience, which was needed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] Karl Racine endorsed her campaign.[3]

In early polls, Pinto trailed behind opponents with only two to three percent of the vote. However, after the Washington Post editorial board endorsed Pinto, claiming that she would provide a "needed new start," she began to gain momentum.[11]

Pinto garnered support from Senator Richard Blumenthal, for whom she had previously interned,[12] and to whom her father had donated $7,800 [13] as well as Joe Kennedy III, who previously received $12,800 in donations from her father James Pinto.[3][14]

Pinto pulled off a surprise victory, earning 28 percent of the vote in a field of eight candidates listed on the ballot and ultimately winning the Democratic primary by about 300 votes.[15][8]

Following her June 2020 primary election victory, Washington City Paper reported that Pinto had never previously voted in a DC election. Among Ward 2 candidates, she had the lowest share of D.C. contributors and the most money from out-of-state donors. Pinto was the only candidate who did not participate in D.C.'s Fair Elections public financing program, which allowed her to self-fund $45,000 for her campaign.[3][16] Pinto's funding of her campaign has been subject to scrutiny for allegations of campaign finance violations. However, those allegations have been dismissed by the DC Office of Campaign Finance.[17]

June 2020 Special Election

In the June 16 special election to finish the remaining term on the vacant Ward 2 Council seat, Pinto won with 43 percent of the vote in a field of seven candidates.[18][19][2]

November 2020 General Election

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Pinto faced multiple challengers in the general election, focusing their campaigns on her finances and local expertise. Opponents included Peter Bolton, the D.C. Statehood Green Party candidate, and independents Martín Miguel Fernández and Randy Downs.[20][21][15][22][23]

In 2021, Pinto was accused of breaking campaign finance laws in an effort to retire her campaign debts. At a $500-a-head fundraiser hosted by a Ward 2 developer, Pinto raised $21,000. That violated a DC law prohibiting candidates to pay off campaign debts by fundraising more than six months after being elected. Pinto said that, in meetings with the Office of Campaign Finance (OCF), she specifically asked if such a fundraiser would be permittable and that OCF officials did not raise any objections. OCF disputed this characterization.[24]

Council member (2020-present)

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In office, Pinto has established herself as a swing vote between the more progressive and the more moderate blocs.[12] In her first term, Pinto introduced and passed legislation to streamline business licensing processes that support new and existing small and local businesses,[25] expand access to menstrual health products,[26] and increase access to public restrooms.[27]

On December 21, 2022, Pinto was announced as the new chairwoman of the council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. That gave Pinto an influential position to address the crime rise in the city.[28]

During her tenure, Pinto has been subject to repeat campaign finance lawsuits.[29]

Electoral history

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2020 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 2, Democratic Primary Election[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brooke Pinto 3,142 28
Democratic Patrick Kennedy 2,763 25
Democratic Jordan Grossman 2,385 22
Democratic Kishan Putta 1,100 10
Democratic John Fanning 695 6
Democratic Yilin (Ellen) Zhang 473 4
Democratic Jack Evans 376 3
Democratic Daniel Hernandez 129 2
  Write-in 8 0
2020 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 2, Democratic Special Election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brooke Pinto 4,554 43
Democratic Patrick Kennedy 2,159 20
Democratic Jordan Grossman 1,563 15
Democratic Kishan Putta 895 8
Republican Katherine Venice 549 5
Democratic John Fanning 488 5
Democratic Yilin (Ellen) Zhang 382 4
  Write-in 82 1

References

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  1. ^ Zauzner, Julie (June 16, 2020). "Brooke Pinto leads the vote count in Ward 2 special election". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Julie Zauzner (June 17, 2020). "Brooke Pinto wins Ward 2 D.C. Council race to serve the rest of this year". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Ryals, Mitch; Cohen, Rachel M. (June 11, 2020). "How Did Brooke Pinto Win the Ward 2 Council Primary?". Washington City Paper. Washington D.C. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  4. ^ Beermann, Judith (June 4, 2020). "Congratulations, Brooke Pinto!". Georgetown Dish. Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Nirappil, Fenit (February 13, 2020). "Jack Evans draws seventh opponent in D.C. Council comeback bid: Brooke Pinto". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  6. ^ a b O'Connell, Michael (May 26, 2020). "Candidate Profile: Brooke Pinto For Ward 2 Seat On DC Council". Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "Meet Brooke - Brooke Pinto, DC Council Ward 2". www.brookepintodc.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Nirappil, Fenit (June 30, 2020). "How 28-year-old Brooke Pinto became D.C.'s youngest-ever council member". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Jack Evans Resigned 10 Days Ago. He Just Filed For Reelection". DCist. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  10. ^ "Candidate Profile: Brooke Pinto For Ward 2 Seat On DC Council". Washington DC, DC Patch. May 26, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  11. ^ "The Post's 2020 endorsements for the D.C. Council". Washington, D.C. April 30, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "How 28-year-old Brooke Pinto became D.C.'s youngest-ever council member". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  13. ^ Tucker, Pete (July 31, 2020). "Did a Wealthy Family, Which May Have Ties to Trump's Mar-a-Lago, Buy a Seat on the DC Council?". counterpunch.org. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Rachel Kurzius; Martin Austermuhle; Andrew Giambrone; Colleen Grablick (May 19, 2020). "DCision 2020:Your Primary Voting Guide During The Pandemic". WAMU. Washington D.C. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c "Certified Results". dcboe.org. June 14, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  16. ^ Nirappil, Fenit (June 16, 2020). "Brooke Pinto prevails in Ward 2 D.C. Council race, succeeds scandal-tainted Jack Evans". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  17. ^ Austermule, Martin (April 26, 2022). "D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto Broke Campaign Finance Law Last Year". dcist.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Special Election 2020 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. June 27, 2020.
  19. ^ Austermuhle, Martin (June 6, 2020). "Political Newcomer Brooke Pinto Wins Tight Ward 2 Primary Race". DCist. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  20. ^ "List of Candidates In the November 3, 2020 General Election". District of Columbia Board of Elections. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  21. ^ Zauzmer, Julie (October 16, 2020). "After 4 months in office, Pinto faces energized competitors as she competes for a full term". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  22. ^ "Our endorsement for Ward 2 in the 2020 general election: Randy Downs". Greater Greater Washington. Washington, D.C. October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  23. ^ Grablick, Colleen (October 20, 2020). "These Independents Are Trying To Give Brooke Pinto A Run For Her Money In Ward 2". DCist. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  24. ^ Austermuhle, Martin (April 26, 2022). "D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto Broke Campaign Finance Law Last Year". DCist. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  25. ^ "DC Legislation Information Management System". lims.dccouncil.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  26. ^ "DC Legislation Information Management System". lims.dccouncil.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  27. ^ "DC Legislation Information Management System". lims.dccouncil.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  28. ^ Brice-Saddler, Michael (December 21, 2022). "Vincent C. Gray protests proposed D.C. Council committee assignment". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  29. ^ Koma, Alex (November 28, 2023). "Litigious Dupont Lawyer Ed Hanlon Claims Brooke Pinto Repeatedly Violated Campaign Finance Law. These claims are unsubstantiated and have been dismissed". Retrieved February 25, 2024.
Council of the District of Columbia
Preceded by Member of the Council of the District of Columbia
from Ward 2
2020–present 		Incumbent
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