WASHINGTON (AP) - A District of Columbia councilman already in trouble for allegedly using city money intended for kids to pay for a car and trips now has to answer charges he didn't pay $13,000 in student loans and interest.

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Harry Thomas Jr. is not expected to be in court Wednesday for a hearing on the student loan debt claim. His attorney, Frederick Cooke, will appear on his behalf.

A lawyer representing the government, Thomas Mauro, says Thomas incurred the debt after taking out two federally guaranteed student loans in 1983 and 1984. The hearing will determine how lawyers in the case proceed.

In a separate matter, city officials sued Thomas earlier this month, accusing him of misusing more than $300,000 in city money.