Washington Post: New Concern Over Ex-Official's Spending

By Daniel de Vise

Washington Post Staff Writer

In 2006, while he was a deputy superintendent of Montgomery County schools, John Q. Porter spent $11,722 on travel, dining, gifts for co-workers and other items he submitted as business expenses, according to a review of his corporate American Express card for the calendar year.

That's almost twice as much as the $6,932 that his boss, Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, submitted in the fiscal year that ended in June.

Porter's spending habits are at issue now among community activists in Montgomery because of what happened after Porter left Weast's employ in mid-2007. He became superintendent of schools in Oklahoma City, but the school board suspended him in January for 21 alleged transgressions, most involving extravagant spending. The board withdrew the allegations when Porter resigned. Porter said the allegations were largely false, and the Oklahoma County district attorney concluded last week that claims of criminal activity could not be substantiated...

...On June 5, 2006, Porter dined with his second-in-command, Executive Director Sherwin Collette, at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Bethesda for $597.08. The receipt, filed by Collette, does not indicate how many people were at the table or what was served. On May 8, the two men dined at Le Boeuf Angus, a steakhouse in Montreal. The tab: $300.99. Both were listed as business meals.

Washington Post, Tuesday, March 11, 2008; Page B05