{{Short description|American attorney and politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use American English|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Brooke Pinto | caption = Official portrait, 2024 | office = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia<br>from Ward 2 | term_start = June 27, 2020 | term_end = | predecessor = Jack Evans | successor = | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|28|2020|6|16}} | birth_place = Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = Cornell University (BA)<br>Georgetown University (JD) | website = {{url|brookepintodc.com|Official website}} | image = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia Brooke Pinto (cropped).jpg }} '''Brooke Pinto''' (born {{birth based on age as of date |28 |2020|6|16 |noage=1}})<ref name=wp20200616/> 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.<ref name=wp20200617/> She is the youngest council member in the District's history and the first woman to represent Ward 2.<ref name=wp20200617/>
==Early life and education== Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Pinto is the daughter of James Pinto, a private equity investor who heads MVC Capital.<ref name=wcp20200611/> She attended Cornell University and completed a degree in business and hospitality administration.<ref name=georgetowndish/> She then moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Georgetown University Law School, where she earned a Juris Doctor in 2017.<ref name=wp20200213/><ref name=patch/> While at Georgetown Law, Pinto worked with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Georgetown University School of Medicine, where she helped to address the intersectionality of health and legal issues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet Brooke - Brooke Pinto, DC Council Ward 2 |url=https://www.brookepintodc.com/meet-brooke |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=www.brookepintodc.com}}</ref>
==Career== 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.<ref name=wcp20200611/><ref name=wp20200213/><ref name=wp20200630 />
===2020 campaign for the D.C. Council===
====June 2020 Primary Election====
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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jack Evans Resigned 10 Days Ago. He Just Filed For Reelection |url=https://dcist.com/story/20/01/27/newly-resigned-ward-2-councilmember-jack-evans-just-filed-to-run-for-reelection/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=DCist |language=en |archive-date=March 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313181120/https://dcist.com/story/20/01/27/newly-resigned-ward-2-councilmember-jack-evans-just-filed-to-run-for-reelection/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-26 |title=Candidate Profile: Brooke Pinto For Ward 2 Seat On DC Council |url=https://patch.com/district-columbia/washingtondc/candidate-profile-brooke-pinto-ward-2-seat-dc-council |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Washington DC, DC Patch |language=en}}</ref>
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).<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name="patch" /> Karl Racine endorsed her campaign.<ref name="wcp20200611" />
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.<ref name="wp20200430" />
Pinto garnered support from Senator Richard Blumenthal, for whom she had previously interned,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |title=How 28-year-old Brooke Pinto became D.C.'s youngest-ever council member |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/brooke-pinto-dc-council/2020/06/29/c97493a6-b0cc-11ea-8f56-63f38c990077_story.html |access-date=2023-03-13 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> and to whom her father had donated $7,800 <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/31/did-a-wealthy-family-which-may-have-ties-to-trumps-mar-a-lago-buy-a-seat-on-the-dc-council/ |title=Did a Wealthy Family, Which May Have Ties to Trump's Mar-a-Lago, Buy a Seat on the DC Council? |accessdate=2024-02-25 |first1=Pete |last1=Tucker |date=2020-07-31 |website=counterpunch.org}}</ref> as well as Joe Kennedy III, who previously received $12,800 in donations from her father James Pinto.<ref name="wcp20200611" /><ref name="wamu20200519" />
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.<ref name="electionresults" /><ref name="wp20200630" />
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.<ref name="wcp20200611" /><ref name="wp20200606" /> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dcist.com/story/22/04/26/dc-councilmember-brooke-pinto-campaign-finance-law/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521113459/https://dcist.com/story/22/04/26/dc-councilmember-brooke-pinto-campaign-finance-law/ |archive-date=2022-05-21 |website=dcist.com |first1=Martin |last1=Austermule |date=2022-04-26 |title=D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto Broke Campaign Finance Law Last Year}}</ref>
'''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.<ref name=2020s/><ref name=dcist /><ref name=wp20200617/>
====November 2020 General Election====
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.<ref>"[https://dcboe.org/dcboe/media/PDFFiles/Copy-of-List-of-Candidates-in-the-November-3-2020-General-Election-(00000013)_1.pdf List of Candidates In the November 3, 2020 General Election]". ''District of Columbia Board of Elections''. Retrieved August 11, 2020.</ref><ref name=wp20201016/><ref name=electionresults/><ref name=ggwash /><ref name=dcist2 />
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 permissible and that OCF officials did not raise any objections. OCF disputed this characterization.<ref name="dcist.violation" />
===Council member (2020-present)=== In office, Pinto has established herself as a swing vote between the more progressive and the more moderate blocs.<ref name=":1" /> In her first term, Pinto introduced and passed legislation to streamline business licensing processes that support new and existing small and local businesses,<ref>{{Cite web |title=DC Legislation Information Management System |url=https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B24-0301 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=lims.dccouncil.gov |language=en}}</ref> expand access to menstrual health products,<ref>{{Cite web |title=DC Legislation Information Management System |url=https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B24-0158 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=lims.dccouncil.gov |language=en}}</ref> and increase access to public restrooms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DC Legislation Information Management System |url=https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B24-0025 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=lims.dccouncil.gov |language=en}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brice-Saddler |first=Michael |date=December 21, 2022 |title=Vincent C. Gray protests proposed D.C. Council committee assignment |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/12/21/dc-vincent-gray-committee-health/ |access-date=March 13, 2023}}</ref>
In April 2026, she introduced the HOMES Act, which would create a housing lease-to-own program, provide a tax credit for first time home buyers, and accelerate the lot splitting process.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 13, 2026 |title=Lease-to-Own, Lot Splits, and a Faster Permit Process: Brooke Pinto Introduces New DC Housing Bill |url=https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/lease-to-own_lot_splits_and_a_faster_permit_process_brooke_pinto_introduces/24515 |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=UrbanTurf |language=en}}</ref>
During her tenure, Pinto has been subject to repeat campaign finance lawsuits filed by a Ward 2 resident known for being highly litigious.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/639572/litigious-dupont-lawyer-ed-hanlon-claims-brooke-pinto-repeatedly-violated-campaign-finance-law/ |title=Litigious Dupont Lawyer Ed Hanlon Claims Brooke Pinto Repeatedly Violated Campaign Finance Law. These claims are unsubstantiated and have been dismissed. |first1=Alex |last1=Koma |date=2023-11-28 |accessdate=2024-02-25}}</ref>
=== 2026 Congressional Campaign === Pinto announced a campaign for the Delegate seat currently held by Eleanor Holmes Norton on October 6, 2025, three months before Norton announced she would not seek re-election amidst growing concerns surrounding her health.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-10-06 |title=D.C. Council’s Brooke Pinto joins race for Congress, challenging Norton |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/10/06/brooke-pinto-congress-norton/ |access-date=2026-04-10 |work=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Pinto faces fellow Councilmember Robert White in the June Democratic primary for the Delegate seat.
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change|title='''2020 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 2, Democratic Primary Election'''<ref name=electionresults/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=3,142|candidate=Brooke Pinto|percentage=28}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=2,763|candidate=Patrick Kennedy|percentage=25}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=2,385|candidate=Jordan Grossman|percentage=22}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=1,100|candidate=Kishan Putta|percentage=10}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=695|candidate=John Fanning|percentage=6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=473|candidate=Yilin (Ellen) Zhang|percentage=4}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=376|candidate=Jack Evans|percentage=3}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=129|candidate=Daniel Hernandez|percentage=2}} {{Election box candidate no change|party= |candidate=Write-in|votes=8|percentage=0}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title='''2020 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 2, Democratic Special Election'''<ref name= 2020s>"[https://electionresults.dcboe.org/election_results/2020-Special-Election Special Election 2020 - Certified Results]". ''District of Columbia Board of Elections''. June 27, 2020.</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=4,554|candidate=Brooke Pinto|percentage=43}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=2,159|candidate=Patrick Kennedy|percentage=20}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=1,563|candidate=Jordan Grossman|percentage=15}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=895|candidate=Kishan Putta|percentage=8}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|votes=549|candidate=Katherine Venice|percentage=5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=488|candidate=John Fanning|percentage=5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=382|candidate=Yilin (Ellen) Zhang|percentage=4}} {{Election box candidate no change|party= |candidate=Write-in|votes=82|percentage=1}} {{Election box end}}
==References== <references>
<ref name=dcist>{{cite news |last=Austermuhle |first=Martin |date=June 6, 2020 |title=Political Newcomer Brooke Pinto Wins Tight Ward 2 Primary Race |url=https://dcist.com/story/20/06/06/political-newcomer-brooke-pinto-wins-tight-ward-2-primary-race/ |work=DCist |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609161409/https://dcist.com/story/20/06/06/political-newcomer-brooke-pinto-wins-tight-ward-2-primary-race/ |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=dcist.violation>{{cite news |last=Austermuhle |first=Martin |date=April 26, 2022 |title=D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto Broke Campaign Finance Law Last Year |url=https://dcist.com/story/22/04/26/dc-councilmember-brooke-pinto-campaign-finance-law/ |work=DCist |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426142928/https://dcist.com/story/22/04/26/dc-councilmember-brooke-pinto-campaign-finance-law/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=electionresults>{{cite web |url= https://electionresults.dcboe.org/election_results/2020-Primary-Election|title= Certified Results |date=June 14, 2020 |website=dcboe.org |access-date= June 14, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=georgetowndish> {{cite news |last=Beermann |first=Judith |date=June 4, 2020 |title=Congratulations, Brooke Pinto!|url=http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/congratulations-brooke-pinto |work=Georgetown Dish |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=June 4, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=patch> {{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Michael |date=May 26, 2020 |title=Candidate Profile: Brooke Pinto For Ward 2 Seat On DC Council |url=https://patch.com/district-columbia/washingtondc/candidate-profile-brooke-pinto-ward-2-seat-dc-council |access-date=May 26, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wamu20200519> {{cite news |author1=Rachel Kurzius |author2=Martin Austermuhle|author3= Andrew Giambrone|author4= Colleen Grablick |date=May 19, 2020 |title=DCision 2020:Your Primary Voting Guide During The Pandemic |url=https://wamu.org/story/20/05/19/dcision-2020-your-primary-voting-guide-during-the-pandemic/ |work= WAMU|location=Washington D.C. |access-date=May 19, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wcp20200611> {{cite news |first1=Mitch |last1=Ryals |first2=Rachel M. |last2=Cohen |date=June 11, 2020 |title=How Did Brooke Pinto Win the Ward 2 Council Primary? |url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/article/21136934/how-did-brooke-pinto-win-the-ward-2-council-primary |work=Washington City Paper |location=Washington D.C. |access-date=June 11, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20201016> {{cite news |last=Zauzmer |first=Julie |date=October 16, 2020 |title=After 4 months in office, Pinto faces energized competitors as she competes for a full term |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/10/16/ward-2-dc-election/|newspaper=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=October 16, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20200630> {{cite news |first=Fenit |last=Nirappil |date=June 30, 2020 |title=How 28-year-old Brooke Pinto became D.C.'s youngest-ever council member|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/brooke-pinto-dc-council/2020/06/29/c97493a6-b0cc-11ea-8f56-63f38c990077_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=June 30, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20200617> {{cite news|author=Julie Zauzner |date=June 17, 2020 |title=Brooke Pinto wins Ward 2 D.C. Council race to serve the rest of this year|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/brooke-pinto-wins-ward-2-dc-council-race-to-serve-the-rest-of-this-year/2020/06/17/3ecba888-b0cd-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=June 17, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20200616> {{cite news |first=Julie |last=Zauzner |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Brooke Pinto leads the vote count in Ward 2 special election |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/most-opt-for-mail-in-ballots-in-dcs-ward-2-special-election/2020/06/16/3de1e9f6-af28-11ea-856d-5054296735e5_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=June 16, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20200606> {{cite news |first=Fenit |last=Nirappil |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Brooke Pinto prevails in Ward 2 D.C. Council race, succeeds scandal-tainted Jack Evans |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/brooke-pinto-prevails-in-ward-2-dc-council-race-succeeds-scandal-tainted-jack-evans/2020/06/06/df523498-a80d-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=June 16, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20200430> {{cite news |date=April 30, 2020 |title= The Post's 2020 endorsements for the D.C. Council |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-posts-2020-endorsements-for-the-dc-council/2020/04/30/d1136ecc-84fb-11ea-ae26-989cfce1c7c7_story.html |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=April 30, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=wp20200213> {{cite news |last=Nirappil |first=Fenit |date=February 13, 2020 |title=Jack Evans draws seventh opponent in D.C. Council comeback bid: Brooke Pinto |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/jack-evans-draws-seventh-opponent-in-dc-council-comeback-bid-brooke-pinto/2020/02/13/2423d504-4d23-11ea-b721-9f4cdc90bc1c_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=May 13, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=ggwash> {{cite news |date=October 7, 2020 |title=Our endorsement for Ward 2 in the 2020 general election: Randy Downs |url=https://ggwash.org/view/79238/our-endorsement-for-ward-2-in-the-2020-general-election-randy-downs|work=Greater Greater Washington |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=October 23, 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name=dcist2>{{cite news |last=Grablick |first=Colleen |date=October 20, 2020 |title=These Independents Are Trying To Give Brooke Pinto A Run For Her Money In Ward 2 |url=https://dcist.com/story/20/10/20/dc-council-race-brooke-pinto-ward-2/ |work=DCist |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=October 23, 2020 |archive-date=October 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024105232/https://dcist.com/story/20/10/20/dc-council-race-brooke-pinto-ward-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
</references>
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-dc}} {{s-bef|before=Jack Evans}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Council of the District of Columbia<br>from Ward 2|years=2020–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Current Council of the District of Columbia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinto, Brooke}} Category:1990s births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Cornell University alumni Category:Living people Category:Members of the Council of the District of Columbia Category:Lawyers from Greenwich, Connecticut Category:Politicians from Greenwich, Connecticut Category:Washington, D.C., Democrats Category:Women city councillors in the District of Columbia Category:21st-century Washington, D.C., politicians