Vincent Orange facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vincent Orange
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia At-large
In office May 10, 2011 – August 15, 2016
Preceded by	Sekou Biddle
Succeeded by	Robert White
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia for Ward 5
In office January 2, 1999 – January 2, 2007
Preceded by	Harry Thomas, Sr.
Succeeded by	Harry Thomas, Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1957-04-11) April 11, 1957 (age 68) Oakland, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of the Pacific Howard University Georgetown University

Vincent Bernard Orange, Sr. (born April 11, 1957) is a former American politician from Washington, D.C.. He also served as the president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.

Orange is a lawyer (someone who practices law) and a certified public accountant (an expert in managing money and taxes). He represented Ward 5 on the Council of the District of Columbia from 1999 to 2007. Later, he was an at-large member of the Council from 2011 to 2016. An at-large member represents the entire city, not just one specific area or "ward."

Vincent Orange's Early Life and Education

Vincent Bernard Orange was born on April 11, 1957, in Oakland, California. He grew up there. He received a scholarship to attend Fountain Valley School of Colorado in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Orange went to the University of the Pacific. He earned a degree in Business Administration in 1979 and another in Communications in 1980. In 1983, he earned a law degree from Howard University School of Law.

He worked as a senior tax accountant for the accounting firm Arthur Andersen from 1983 to 1987. In 1988, he earned a Master of Laws degree in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Orange is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Early Career and Public Service

In 1981, Orange worked weekends as a security guard at Washington Post newspaper. He kept this job for fourteen years. From 1987 to 1989, Orange worked for the District's finance and revenue department.

He managed the District's Tax Amnesty Program. He was also the acting chief of the Office of Real Property Tax Assessment Services Division. In 1988, he was a U.S. delegate to a special meeting in Tokyo, Japan. In September 1990, he was a delegate to a conference in Moscow about law and economic relations.

Vincent Orange's Political Journey

Vincent Orange ran for various political offices in Washington, D.C. over the years.

First Attempts to Join the Council (1990s)

In 1990, Orange ran for chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia. He ran against John A. Wilson. Orange believed the city's financial problems were due to Wilson's leadership. Orange suggested collecting unpaid taxes instead of raising new ones. Wilson won the primary election.

In 1991, Orange worked for the University of the District of Columbia. He found that the university was paying a fuel supplier for fuel it never received. The District's inspector general later said the city had paid one million dollars for fuel not received. Orange's job was ended the day after he shared his findings.

In 1993, Orange tried to run for a council seat but did not get enough signatures. He tried to appeal the decision, but the court disagreed. He ran as a write-in candidate, but did not win.

In 1994, Orange ran for council member to represent Ward 5. He ran against the current council member, Harry Thomas, Sr.. Orange wanted to ban new liquor licenses and improve areas like Fort Lincoln. Thomas won that election.

Joining the Council (1998)

In 1998, Orange ran again for the Ward 5 council seat. The Washington Post newspaper supported his campaign. Orange focused on improving New York Avenue, boosting the economy, and helping schools. He also wanted to limit new liquor licenses.

Orange won against Thomas, which was seen as a surprise victory. He then won the general election with a large majority of the votes.

Running for Mayor (2006)

In 2006, Orange ran for Mayor of the District of Columbia. He lost the primary election, receiving a small percentage of the votes.

From 2007 to 2010, Orange worked as a regional vice president for Pepco Holdings Inc. This company provides electricity to the Washington, D.C. area.

Running for Council Chair (2010)

In 2010, Orange announced he would run for chairman of the D.C. Council. He challenged Kwame Brown. Orange criticized Brown's financial issues. The Washington Post supported Orange's campaign. However, Brown won the primary election.

When Brown later resigned from his at-large council seat, Orange hoped to be appointed to fill the spot temporarily. However, Sekou Biddle was chosen instead.

Returning to the Council (2011)

Orange ran in a special election in 2011 to fill the at-large seat that Brown had left. Orange won the election with 28 percent of the votes.

In March 2011, the council was working to fix a budget problem. Orange supported a tax idea only if the council would spend $500,000 on an Emancipation Day parade. Orange was on the board of directors for the Lincoln Theatre, where the parade would be held.

Reelection and Council Work (2012)

In 2012, Orange ran for reelection as an at-large council member. This was his fifth campaign in six years. Orange received some unusual campaign donations, which he called "suspicious." He won the Democratic primary and the general election.

During his time on the council, Orange supported a bill to increase the minimum wage for some large employers.

In December 2012, health inspectors found problems at a market. Orange stepped in to help the owner, who had donated to his campaign. Orange later agreed to attend ethics training. He said he believed his actions were simply helping a resident.

Running for Mayor Again (2014)

On November 8, 2013, Orange announced he would run for Mayor of the District of Columbia again in the 2014 election. His campaign slogans were "Leaving No One Behind" and "Taking No One for Granted." He suggested replacing Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium with new businesses and attractions. He came in sixth place in the Democratic primary.

Final Council Reelection Attempt (2016)

Orange ran for reelection in October 2015. Robert White and David Garber also ran against him. The Washington Post supported Orange. However, White won the Democratic primary election.

Council Committees

While on the Council of the District of Columbia, Orange served on these committees:

• Committee on Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (he was the chair during his last term)
• Committee on Finance and Revenue
• Committee on Housing and Committee Development

Leaving the Council

On July 28, 2016, the D.C. Chamber of Commerce announced that Vincent Orange would be its next president. Council rules allow members to have other jobs. Orange said the city's ethics office told him his new job would not cause a conflict of interest. However, his colleagues on the council disagreed.

On August 5, Orange announced he would leave the council on August 15, 2016. This was the same day his job at the Chamber of Commerce began. He officially left the council on August 15. The D.C. Office of Government Ethics later said that Orange did not break ethics rules by seeking the Chamber of Commerce position.

Later Council Races (2020 and 2022)

In June 2020, Orange left his job at the D.C. Chamber of Commerce to run for an at-large council seat again. He lost the general election.

In 2022, Orange declared he would run for the Ward 5 council member seat.

Leading the D.C. Chamber of Commerce

Orange officially became the president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce (DCCoC) on August 15, 2016. He said that because of rules about lobbying his former colleagues, he would focus on getting new members and raising money for the Chamber. The Chamber's board announced on July 16, 2020, that Orange would step down from his role on July 30, 2020.

Vincent Orange's Personal Life

Vincent Orange lives in Ward 5 with his wife, Gwendolyn. They have three children. He is a member of the Metropolitan AME Church.

Images for kids

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  Vincent Orange in 2014