T H E E X A M I N ER4 W EDN E SDAY, J U LY 8 , 2009
LOCAL NEWS
ARNE DUNCAN
Phoning it in will take on new meaning
in America's classrooms if Duncan has
his way. In recent weeks the U.S. edu-
cation secretary has voiced support
for classroom technologies that would
provide more content -- homework,
for example, or video lectures -- via
mobile devices. His backing comes
soon after the release of a depart-
ment analysis finding that students
learn best when provided face-to-face
instruction in addition to technological
perks.
NEWSMAKERS
MONTGOMERY RECEIVES
15 COUNTY AWARDS
Montgomery County has received
15 awards from the National
Association of Counties. Mont-
gomery won more awards than
any other county in Maryland.
The county won for the health
and human services category
with its Customized Employment
Public Intern Project, a program
designed to create flexible work
opportunities in the county for
people with disabilities. The pro-
gram began in October 2007, and
more than 24 part-time jobs have
been created since. The county
was also was awarded in the fol-
lowing departments: consumer
protection, county executive's
CountyStat office, correction
and rehabilitation, liquor control,
public information, recreation
and technology services. Recog-
nized programs include online
training for police officers, senior
Wii tournaments and the Partner-
ship Youth Initiative Internship
Program. � Maria Schmitt
HEART OF THE CITY
REBIYA KADEER
Kadeer, an exiled
Uighur leader
accused by China
of inciting ethnic
violence, led about
100 protesters
Tuesday, who
rallied in Dupont
Circle and marched
up Connecticut
Avenue to the Chinese Embassy.
Kadeer said the Chinese government
was responsible for deadly riots that
broke out Sunday in China's Xinjiang
region. At least 156 people reportedly
were killed in the clashes between
Muslim Uighurs and ethnic Han Chi-
nese. Kadeer said she believed at least
500 have died in the riots.
TRAFFIC
D.C.: First Street SE is closed
between N Street SE and O Street SE
for road construction.
D.C.: Watch for road construction
on 18th Street NW between C Street
NW and E Street NW.
By Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer
The former founder and chief
executive officer of an Arlington
technology firm has pleaded guilty to
paying off a federal agency employee
to help his company obtain $4.5 mil-
lion in contracts.
A niece of the unnamed Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation
employee worked for Irving Gilm-
ore Rodrigues at Avalon Technology
Inc., and helped Rodrigues transfer
about $134,000 to her uncle, pros-
ecutors wrote in court documents
filed in Alexandria's federal court
Tuesday. Rodrigues admitted to
paying only $16,134.
"The payments were made to [the
FDIC employee] for, and because of,
official acts performed, and to be
performed, by [the employee] in the
award of FDIC contracts to Avalon,"
Rodrigues admitted in court docu-
ments.
Calls to Avalon for this story were
not returned.
The employee, referred to only
as "D.S." in court records, was a
supervisor for the FDIC's Telecom-
munications Section from 1998 to
2005. The section evaluates telecom-
munication equipment, software and
other services provided by compa-
nies vying for FDIC contracts.
In May 2004, the FDIC put out a
request for technology companies to
propose a system that would allow
its bank inspectors working in bank
branches to establish secure com-
munication lines with the federal
insurance agency, court documents
said. Rodrigues submitted a proposal
for Avalon, and it was reviewed by
employees who worked directly for
D.S. His employees approved Avalon's
proposal, and the FDIC awarded Ava-
lon the $4.5 million contract. Avalon
had done millions of dollars' worth of
work for the FDIC beyond just the
one contract, Rodrigues admitted.
The records do not indicate that
D.S. has been charged. An FDIC
spokesman on Tuesday declined to
comment for this story.
Rodrigues has more than 25
years of experience in the telecom-
munications industry, according to
a company Web site. He founded
Avalon in the late 1990s after a
career spent working for telecom
providers.
Now he's facing up to two years
in prison and a $250,000 fine when
he's sentenced Oct. 9. He has been
released on $25,000 bail and must
remain in the Washington area
until sentencing, court records said.
Rodrigues' attorney, Robert Trout,
did not return calls for comment.
fkopott@washingtonexaminer.com
Former CEO of Va. tech firm pleads guilty to bribing FDIC official
By Maria Schmitt
and Michael Neibauer
Special to The Examiner and Staff Writer
The District officially has begun
recognizing gay marriages per-
formed in other jurisdictions, but
same-sex couples, city officials and
private companies are struggling
to grasp all the changes that will
bring.
Stephen Gorman and his hus-
band, Dr. Richard Cytowic, married
in Palm Springs, Calif., last July 29.
On Tuesday, their union was legally
recognized in Washington -- the
city each has called home for more
than 20 years. A couple since 1996,
who live in Northwest's Crestwood
neighborhood, the pair had been
registered in the District as domes-
tic partners.
Gorman described a sense of
"serenity" he felt from living in
a city that recognized his status.
But he said he did not know what,
specifically, his new rights and
responsibilities are.
A recent encounter with a win-
dow company demonstrated there
is much to learn concerning private
companies' policies and married
same-sex couples. "There was a
question over property rights, and
the company wanted to talk to the
owners," Gorman said. "I said, `Well,
we are the owners,' and there was a
very long pause."
Gorman said he explained to the
company, based outside D.C., that he
and Cytowic would be married by
the time the work took place.
"They are going to have to adjust
to that reality," he said.
The new law follows a brief battle
between gay rights activists and
their opponents, who unsuccess-
fully sought a referendum on the
statute.
There are 1,298 registered
domestic partnerships in the city,
according to the Department of
Health, and thousands more gay res-
idents. Several hundred new rights
and responsibilities -- financial,
legal and social -- are now available
to those couples who have wedded
in one of the handful of states where
gay marriage is legal.
A spokeswoman for the D.C. tax
office said same-sex married couples
will file their city income taxes as
any married couple would -- jointly
or separately on the same return.
The changes will have no effect on
D.C. government coffers in terms of
new revenues or expenses, accord-
ing to a fiscal impact statement
that accompanied the recognition
bill. It may have a small effect on
the bottom line of some companies,
business leaders say, as they add
new spouses to their health care
rolls.
The District does not perform
same-sex marriages.
mneibauer@washingtonexaminer.com
D.C.'s gay married couples in uncharted territory
Where gays can marry
� Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Iowa
� Vermont as of Sept. 1, Maine as
of September
� New Hampshire as of Jan. 1,
2010
GETTY FILE
There are 1,298 registered domestic partnerships in the city, according to the Department of Health, and thousands more gay residents. Several hundred new rights and
responsibilities -- financial, legal and social -- are now available to those couples who have wedded in one of the handful of states where gay marriage is legal.

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