August 24, 2011: The Washington Post, D.C. Council panel endorses report faulting Gray administration’s hiring practices, by Tim Craig: Members of a special D.C. Council committee voted Wednesday to accept the findings of its investigation into Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s hiring practices, vowing to use the results of the inquiry to push for reforms this fall.http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-council-panel-endorses-report-faulting-gray-administrations-hiring-practices/2011/08/24/gIQA8vXQcJ_story.html

August 24, 2011: The Post investigation found that a small percentage of gun stores sells most of the weapons recovered by police in crimes - re-confirming the major finding of studies that came out before federal gun-tracing data were removed from public view by an act of Congress in 2003. For the most part, these sales are legal, but an unknown number involve persons who buy for those who cannot, including convicted felons such as Dixon, in a process known as a "straw purchase." Such sales are illegal for the buyer and the store, if it knowingly allows a straw purchase.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102302994.html