Authorities did not arrest anyone, unseal any documents or make any announcements about the case Friday. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office said only that their activity was related to an ongoing investigation. But agents did load both a Chevrolet Tahoe and a motorcycle of Thomas' onto a tow truck. Agents also took out at least two small garbage bags of items as well as several cardboard boxes.
"From Day One, we've cooperated with the government's investigation of this matter. We'll continue to do that," Karl Racine, one of Thomas' attorneys, said late Friday afternoon outside the councilmember's home. "At the conclusion of the matter, we sincerely believe that there'll be no finding of any criminal violations."
Agents left Thomas' home around 5:20 p.m. One of his attorneys, Frederick Cooke, answered the door when reporters knocked and said neither he nor Thomas had any comment.
Federal authorities have been investigating Thomas, a Democrat who represents Ward 5, since at least June, when the District of Columbia attorney general filed a lawsuit accusing him of spending more than $300,000 in city funds on an Audi SUV, vacations and other personal expenses. Thomas agreed to repay the money but did not acknowledge any wrongdoing.
Thomas subsequently stepped down from his post as chairman of the Council's economic development committee. Three colleagues called on him to resign, but he has vowed to remain in office.
Council Chairman Kwame Brown hastily called a closed-door meeting of the Council on Friday afternoon to discuss "personnel matters," but postponed it until Monday because some councilmembers were sick or out of town, said Brown's spokeswoman, Karen Sibert.
Councilmember Mary Cheh confirmed that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss Thomas. The Council could reprimand him or strip him of committee assignments. It could also begin censure proceedings, but that would require the Council to launch its own investigation, which Cheh said would not seem to be a prudent course of action.
"This changes the complexion of things," said Cheh, one of the council members who had called on Thomas to resign, of Friday's raid. "I'm very, very concerned about how it reflects on the Council. It is a fairly grave situation for the institution."
FBI spokeswoman Jacqueline Maguire would only confirm that “law enforcement action was taken” Friday morning at Mr. Thomas’s home.
Mr. Thomas’s lawyer, Fred Cooke, was seen at the house throughout the day and at about 5 p.m. emerged with another lawyer, who read a brief statement on Mr. Thomas’s behalf.
“We certainly understand the interest of the public and respect that interest,” lawyer Karl Racine said. “From day one, we’ve cooperated with the government’s investigation of this matter and we’ll continue to do that. At the conclusion of the matter, we sincerely believe that there will be no finding of any criminal violation.”
Law-enforcement sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the raid said they did not expect to make any arrests or to make public any papers associated with the search. Mr. Thomas’s city hall office building was not expected to be searched on Friday.
Mr. Thomas, Ward 5 Democrat, agreed to repay $300,000 to the District after the city’s attorney general filed a $1 million lawsuit against him this year for funding lavish trips and a luxury vehicle with public funds earmarked for youth baseball.
Mr. Thomas said after the settlement was announced that he entered into it in the “best interest of the city” and denied “purposeful misuse” of public funds.
An investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office is ongoing.
Mayor Vincent C. Gray said Friday he hoped for a quick resolution to the probe.
“I continue to support the investigation into these allegations so that justice can run its course,” he said. “For the sake of the District, I hope the investigation is concluded quickly.”
D.C. Council member Mary M. Cheh, who has already called on Mr. Thomas to resign, noted that the raid marks a ratcheting up of the probe. She said there is not a high standard for the evidence required to get a search warrant, but “it is a standard.”
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