Councilman Doug Conner responds to TMZ report (I know, right?)

I never thought I would use “Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner” and “TMZ” in the same sentence. Except maybe to say “Can you think of two things that are in two completely different spheres of existence? I can: Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner and TMZ.” But this is a wacky world we live in, kids. […]

September 11, 2009; 1:57 PM • by Valerie Catrow

I never thought I would use “Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner” and “TMZ” in the same sentence. Except maybe to say “Can you think of two things that are in two completely different spheres of existence? I can: Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner and TMZ.”

But this is a wacky world we live in, kids.

A little background for you…

Celebrity gossip/news/what-have-you site TMZ ran a story yesterday about Chris Brown’s impending community service here in Richmond.

For some reason they approached Doug Conner, councilman from District 9 about the “specifics” of Brown’s service activities.

From the TMZ report:

Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner — who works with the city’s hard labor program — tells us Brown will begin his 8-hour work day at 8:00 AM when a Department of Corrections bus picks him up, along with 30-40 other offenders.

Conner says Brown will wear a reflective orange vest and pick up trash and litter along highways and roads. He’ll also have to trim brush along medians, remove gang graffiti from the VCU campus, and wash the inside and outside of law enforcement vehicles.

Conner says Brown will be kept “under the watchful eye of a supervisor” to make sure he doesn’t cut any corners.

And then today, Conner issued this statement in response to some of the, let’s say, “inaccuracies” in TMZ’s report.

“The statements and information ascribed to me yesterday in the article on the celebrity news website TMZ regarding singer Chris Brown are inaccurate and untrue. I have no personal knowledge of, or information regarding, the singer Chris Brown.  In speaking to a TMZ reporter, I simply related my experience with my own individual monthly District Cleanup Project in which I utilize the services of a community service program administered by the Richmond Sheriff’s Office.

Some points I want to make very clear are:

• I have no knowledge of any legal arrangements regarding Chris Brown.
• Richmond, Virginia does not have a “hard labor program.”
• Virginia Commonwealth University does not have gang graffiti.
• I have no knowledge of any clothing attire regarding the singer Chris Brown.
• I have no knowledge of any times or schedules regarding anything to do with the singer Chris Brown.
• I have no knowledge of any purported duties regarding the singer Chris Brown.
• I have no knowledge of any purported management or supervision regarding the singer Chris Brown.
• Richmond does not have a “Department of Corrections.”
• I am unaware of any purported transportation arrangements regarding Chris Brown.

For general information regarding the singer Chris Brown please contact the Richmond Police Department Public Affairs Office, at 804.646.0607. Please be advised there is no information being released regarding Chris Brown’s possible community service in Richmond.”

So there you have it. It’s unfortunate that Councilman Conner even had to deal with this, but I would like to point out an inaccuracy in his own statement. He claims he has  “no personal knowledge of, or information regarding, the singer Chris Brown.” I would argue that Conner is very aware of the fact that Chris Brown is a singer.

September 11, 2009 1:57 PM 4