Former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, Jr. claimed Monday he had never once smoked crack cocaine during an interview with MSNBC's Chuck Todd.
Barry was arrested in January 1990 during a sting operation for cocaine possession, after he was caught on tape smoking crack at the Vista Hotel. Barry, who served his first tenure as mayor from 1979 to 1991, ultimately spent six months in a federal prison for a 1989 possession charge. However, he would eventually win a fourth term as D.C. mayor, serving from 1995 to 1999.
Todd asked if the drug scandal had tarnished his legacy as Barry promoted his new memoir.
"The federal government never proved there was crack in that pipe," he said. "Jurors didn't believe it, so the answer is no. And so, therefore, people ought to stop--
"So you deny that you ever smoked crack?" Todd asked.
"Yes," Barry said.
"You've never smoked crack in your life?" Todd asked incredulously.
"Never smoked crack. Simple as that," Barry replied.
As Barry began to elaborate, The Daily Rundown showed stock footage of the infamous video of Barry smoking crack.