{{Short description|American attorney and politician}} {{Infobox Officeholder |birth_name = Harold Brazil |image = |office = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia at-large |term_start = January 2, 1997 |term_end = January 2, 2005 |predecessor = John L. Ray |successor = Kwame R. Brown |office2 = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 6 |term_start2 = January 2, 1991 |term_end2 = January 2, 1997 |predecessor2 = Nadine Winter |successor2 = Sharon Ambrose |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|12|13}} |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic Party |education = Ohio State University (BA, JD)<br>Georgetown University Law Center (LLM) |occupation = Attorney, politician |spouse = Crystal Palmer<ref>Simmons, Deborah. "D.C.'s Gray defends pace of transition: New aides named, but not top cop, schools chief". ''The Washington Times''. December 10, 2010.</ref> }} '''Harold Brazil''' (born December 13, 1947<ref name=post-guide-1996>"[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/counties/dc/longterm/bios/brazil.htm Harold Brazil (D-Ward 6)]". ''The Washington Post''. 1996. Retrieved July 25, 2008.</ref><ref name= seeds/>) is a former attorney and Democratic politician in Washington, D.C.
==Early years== Originally from Columbus, Ohio,<ref name= seeds>Greene, Marcia Slacum. "Seeds of Activism Grow to Aspiration: Mayoral Candidate Brazil's Roots Anchor His Political Views". ''The Washington Post''. August 31, 1998. p. B1.</ref> Brazil graduated from Bishop Hartley High School.<ref name= common>Carmen, Barbara. "Mr. Brazil Takes His Columbus Common Sense to Washington". ''The Columbus Dispatch'' (Columbus, Ohio). July 24, 1998.</ref> 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.
==Political career== 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.<ref name= common/><ref>"First Washington Political Try Goes Well for Columbus Native". ''The Columbus Dispatch'' (Columbus, Ohio). October 28, 1990.</ref> Brazil later served as a United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1978 to 1980.<ref name= 1990vg>"Voter's Guide: D.C. Council". ''The Washington Post''. September 6, 1990. p. VGDC4.</ref> Brazil worked in the office of Senator John Glenn between 1980 and 1984.<ref name="1990vg" /><ref>Pianin, Eric. "Glenn Criticizes Reagan in D.C. Campaign Stop". ''The Washington Post''. p. B3.</ref> In 1984, Brazil began working as a lobbyist for Pepco.<ref name="seeks">Abromowitz, Michael. "Brazil Seeks Council Seat in Ward 6". ''The Washington Post''. April 5, 1990. p. DC11.</ref><ref>Sherwood, Tom. "Officials Take Road Trip in Quest for Baseball: Barry, Smith Explore Minority Ownership of D.C. Team During Visit to West Coast". ''The Washington Post''. July 16, 1987. p. C5.</ref> Brazil was a member of the D.C. General Hospital Commission in 1989.<ref>Abramowitz, Michael. "Gunshot Victims Strain Hospital: D.C. General, Also Citing Budget Cuts, May Shut Trauma Unit". ''The Washington Post''. February 17, 1989. p. D1.</ref>
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.<ref name= seeks/> Brazil ran against Nadine Winter, the four-term incumbent.<ref>McCall, Nathan. "Council Contests Shape Up: Contenders Crowd At-Large Seat Race". ''The Washington Post''. June 7, 1990. p. J1.</ref> Brazil supported increasing penalties for repeat offenders and violent criminals and increasing funding for law enforcement officers.<ref>McCall, Nathan. "Winter Is Facing A Stiff Challenge: Votes on Homeless, Parking Fees Criticized". ''The Washington Post''. July 5, 1990. p. DC1.</ref> The editorial board of ''The Washington Post'' endorsed Brazil's candidacy.<ref>"The Next D.C. Council" (editorial). ''The Washington Post''. September 9, 1990. p. D6.</ref>
Brazil won the Democratic primary election, with 43 percent of the vote.<ref>Sanchez, Rene. "Winter Loses Ward 6 Seat: Wilson, Cropp Triumph". ''The Washington Post''. September 12, 1990. p. A21.</ref> Brazil advanced to the general election, where he was on the ballot with the D.C. Statehood Party's candidate, R. Bradford McMahon.<ref>Walsh, Elsa. "Campaign Competition, From Intense to Relaxed: Council Candidate Brazil Walking Tall in Ward 6". ''The Washington Post''. November 1, 1990. p. DC1.</ref><ref>"Voter's Guide: D.C. Council". ''The Washington Post''. November 1, 1990. p. VGD4.</ref> Brazil won the general election,<ref>Sanchez, Rene. "Wilson Elevated to Chairman: Cropp, Mason Beat Barry". ''The Washington Post''. November 7, 1990. p. A31.</ref> with 93 percent of the vote.<ref>"Election Results". ''The Washington Post''. November 8, 1990. p. D10.</ref> Brazil served from 1991 to 2005, first representing Ward 6 and then as an at-large member.<ref name="dcboee-history-ward6">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20080723225407/http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history/ward+6.shtm Historical Elected Officials: Ward 6 Member of the Council of the District of Columbia]". ''District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics''. July 25, 2008. Archived from [http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history/ward%206.shtm the original] on July 23, 2008.</ref><ref name="dcboee-history-atlarge">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20080723225241/http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history/AT_LARGE.shtm Historical Elected Officials: At-Large Member of the Council of the District of Columbia]". ''District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics''. July 25, 2008. Archived from [http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history/AT_LARGE.shtm the original] on July 23, 2008.</ref>
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. <ref name=wp.election>Montgomery, Lori. "Brazil Faces Energetic Foe in At-Large Race: Challenger Brown Captures Some Key Endorsements". ''The Washington Post''. September 9, 2004. p. B1. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6570-2004Sep8_2.html]</ref> Brown won the Democratic Party primary election with 54 percent of the vote, compared to Brazil's 32 percent.<ref>Montgomery, Lori; Woodlee, Yolanda. "Barry In, 3 D.C. Council Incumbents Out; Ex-Mayor Ousts Allen; Chavous, Brazil Also Lose". ''The Washington Post''. September 15, 2004. p. A1.</ref>
==Later years== In October 2008, Brazil and two women entered a tattoo shop in Georgetown.<ref name= epithet>"[http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/04/15/harold-brazil-alleges-racist-epithet-preceded-his-pissing-on-shop-floor/ Harold Brazil Alleges Racist Epithet Preceded His Pissing on Shop Floor]". ''Washington City Paper''. April 15, 2009.</ref> One woman went to the back to get a tattoo, but the shopkeeper said that rules prohibited the other woman to go with her.<ref name= epithet/> 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.<ref name= epithet/> The shopkeeper said Brazil was the one who became belligerent, cursed the shopkeeper, and then urinated on the floor.<ref name= epithet/> In May 2009, Brazil was convicted of assault.<ref name= assault>Alexander, Keith L. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/01/AR2009050102214.html Ex-D.C. Council Member Harold Brazil Convicted of Assaulting Tattoo Shop Manager]". ''The Washington Post''. May 2, 2009.</ref> 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.<ref name= assault/>
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.<ref>Shipp, Jr., Wallace E. "[http://www.dcbar.org/discipline/informal_admonition/20140701Brazil.pdf In re Harold Brazil. Esquire D.C. Bar No. 190124 Bar Docket No. 2013-D123] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304115128/http://www.dcbar.org/discipline/informal_admonition/20140701Brazil.pdf |date=2017-03-04 }}". ''District of Columbia Bar''. July 1, 2014.</ref> On January 18, 2018, he was disbarred by consent.<ref>[https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-01/18-BS-3.pdf In re: Harold E. Brazil, No. 18-BS-3] (D.C. 2018)</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{C-SPAN|39320}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-dc}} {{s-bef | before=Nadine Winter}} {{s-ttl | title=Ward 6 Member, {{nowrap|Council of the District of Columbia}} | years=1991–1997 }} {{s-aft | after=Sharon Ambrose}} {{s-bef | before=John L. Ray}} {{s-ttl | title=At-Large Member, {{nowrap|Council of the District of Columbia}} | years=1997–2005 }} {{s-aft | after=Kwame R. Brown}} {{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brazil, Harold}} Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the Council of the District of Columbia Category:Ohio State University Moritz College of Law alumni Category:Politicians from Columbus, Ohio Category:Washington, D.C., Democrats Category:Lawyers from Washington, D.C. Category:Lawyers from Columbus, Ohio