Oh, to be a congressional office caught in the orbit of Lindsay Lohan. It’s not necessarily exciting or fun, and certainly no reason to go out and have
a drink and a laugh. Just ask Steve Tomaszewski, press secretary for Illinois Representative John Shimkus. Or at least try to, as we did Monday morning. Over the weekend, a Shimkus staffer,
Christian LaBella, was arrested early Sunday morning in New York after reportedly clubbing with La
Lohan, returning with her to her hotel room, and getting into some kind of fight with
her over cell-phone photos. She pulled a fire alarm, reports say, after the kerfuffle
with LaBella. She said he grabbed her. He said she grabbed his phone. Whatever happened,
he spent a few hours in the slammer and was released after the charges were dropped.
But that doesn’t mean intrepid journalists weren’t hot on the follow-up. We tracked
down Tomaszweski at Shimkus’s Collinsville, Illinois, office to ask a few questions.
It was clear he’ll be happy when Lohan moves on to her next moment of tabloid news.
Is Christian LaBella on your staff?
He is an employee.
Is he an intern?
No. But I can’t say anything else about his employment.
Where does he work?
He is based in DC.
How long has he worked for you?
He’s been with us for months. I don’t know the exact time frame.
Have you or anyone on the staff talked to him since he was released?
I believe there has been communication with him at this point.
Has the Congressman talked to him?
No.
How did you find out about the incident?
I found out from a person in the media, and I only know what’s been reported in the
media.
What kind of impact has this had on your office?
The offices are open, and we’re going about our business.
Are the phones ringing off the hook?
Just mine.
Do you know where LaBella is?
I’m not going to comment on his whereabouts.
Will the Congressman talk to him about Lohan and what happened?
No comment.
Congress is not in session now, but when you do return, do you think the staff will
have a drink over this and laugh about it?
On the Matter of Lindsay Lohan’s Scuffle With a Congressional Staffer
The office of Illinois Representative John Shimkus is tight-lipped about the staffer who was involved.
Oh, to be a congressional office caught in the orbit of
Lindsay Lohan. It’s not necessarily exciting or fun, and certainly no reason to go out and have
a drink and a laugh. Just ask
Steve Tomaszewski, press secretary for Illinois Representative
John Shimkus. Or at least try to, as we did Monday morning. Over the weekend, a Shimkus staffer,
Christian LaBella, was arrested early Sunday morning in New York after reportedly clubbing with La
Lohan, returning with her to her hotel room, and getting into some kind of fight with
her over cell-phone photos. She pulled a fire alarm, reports say, after the kerfuffle
with LaBella. She said he grabbed her. He said she grabbed his phone. Whatever happened,
he spent a few hours in the slammer and was released after the charges were dropped.
But that doesn’t mean intrepid journalists weren’t hot on the follow-up. We tracked
down Tomaszweski at Shimkus’s Collinsville, Illinois, office to ask a few questions.
It was clear he’ll be happy when Lohan moves on to her next moment of tabloid news.
Is Christian LaBella on your staff?
He is an employee.
Is he an intern?
No. But I can’t say anything else about his employment.
Where does he work?
He is based in DC.
How long has he worked for you?
He’s been with us for months. I don’t know the exact time frame.
Have you or anyone on the staff talked to him since he was released?
I believe there has been communication with him at this point.
Has the Congressman talked to him?
No.
How did you find out about the incident?
I found out from a person in the media, and I only know what’s been reported in the
media.
What kind of impact has this had on your office?
The offices are open, and we’re going about our business.
Are the phones ringing off the hook?
Just mine.
Do you know where LaBella is?
I’m not going to comment on his whereabouts.
Will the Congressman talk to him about Lohan and what happened?
No comment.
Congress is not in session now, but when you do return, do you think the staff will
have a drink over this and laugh about it?
I’m certain that won’t happen.
Most Popular in News & Politics
The Missing Men of Mount Pleasant
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This July
The Washington Nationals Just Fired the Manager and GM Who Led Them to a Championship. Why Has the Team Been so Bad Since?
FBI Building Now on Track to Leave DC After All, Whistleblower Leaks Texts Suggesting Justice Department Planned to Blow Off Federal Court Orders, and NPS Cuts Leave Assateague Island Without Lifeguards
Families of DC Air Disaster Victims Criticize Army’s Response, Trump Settles His Scores Via Tariff, and Police Dog Kicked at Dulles Returns to Work
This DC-Area Lawyer Wants More Americans Betting on Elections
Trump Threatens DC Takeover, Says He’d Run the City “So Good”; Supreme Court OKs Mass Federal Worker Layoffs; and You Should Go Pick Some Sunflowers
Trump Pledges Support for RFK Stadium Plan, Ben’s Chili Bowl Will Strand Us Half-Smokeless for Months, and Pediatricians Are Suing RFK Jr.
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor