D.C. Council member Trayon White pleaded not guilty to federal bribery charges, rejecting a plea deal during his court appearance. He is accused of accepting $156,000 in bribes to influence contracts worth $5.2 million related to violence intervention projects, where he allegedly received around $35,000 in cash payments from an FBI informant. Prosecutors have evidence including video footage of White accepting cash and discussions about expanding the corrupt scheme into other sectors like mental health services. White, who is running for a third term representing Ward 8, has until the ballot deadline to decide whether to stay in the race despite the charges, which could disqualify him if convicted. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson plans to remove him from his committee leadership role amid the ongoing investigation. The case has sparked a broader review of the city's violence interruption efforts following White's arrest on August 18.