Good morning and happy Monday.
A Virginia lawmaker has backed off his plans to introduce articles of impeachment for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who has been accused of sexual assault by two women. According to reporting from CNN, VA delegate Patrick Hope told colleagues over the weekend he planned to file a resolution this morning. Yet in a tweet sent at 6 am, Hope explained that “additional conversations” are necessary. And things continue to be messy for other parts of the commonwealth. You may have blinked and missed embattled governor Ralph Northam’s tone-deaf interview on CBS, during which he indicated he has no plans to step down. Confused about what happens if both, either, or neither leave his position? A Washington Post flowchart has you covered.
I’m your author, Brittany Shepherd. Email me at bshepherd@washingtonian.com and follow me on Twitter. Sign one pal up for this newsletter here.
Ever crave a political-themed brownie with the face of your she-ro on it? A DC bakery has you covered. Buttercream Bakeshop is serving up brownies featuring quotes from Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Michelle Obama, among other prominent women. Reclaim your sweet tooth! (They also have these pretty awesome Cardi B ones.)
Did you watch the Grammy awards last night? I was keeping up via Twitter. Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance! Standing beside Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, and Jada Pinkett Smith, Obama said: “Music shows us that all of it matters, every story within every voice, every note within every song—is that right ladies?” Bethesda’s very own Pusha T did not win rap album of the year—that went to Cardi B—but that didn’t stop the nominee from partying it up with Dior.
What we have cooking at Washingtonian:
- Lisa-Marie Riggins, the wife of Redskins great John Riggins, is an attorney. This is bad news for the NFL.
- Send this article about veil lengths to your Tinder date with no context. Happy Valentine’s Day!
- Something called stage zero breast cancer is very real. Here’s how the medical community breaks it down.
- These two DC politicos got married in a ceremony so beautiful it may make me believe in love again.
- Does Roger Stone’s indictment truly advance the Mueller probe?
- Valentine’s Day date ideas that don’t suck.
Our pick for things to do around town:
BOOKS Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian will speak about his memoir, Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison—Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-Stakes Diplomacy, and the Extraordinary Efforts It Took to Get Me Out at the National Press Club. Rezaian spent 18 months in Iranian prison before his eventual release. $40 (includes a copy of the book), 7 PM.
Good reads:
As the office of the presidency sluggishly catches up with the world around it, Joanna Weiss asks: is the country ready for a single commander-in-chief? (POLITICO Magazine)
Big events from Washingtonian:
Join me and Brad Jenkins, a veteran of both the Obama administration and Funny or Die’s DC office, for a discussion on what it’s like to work in the White House, how Americans get their information, how to make policy entertaining, and more! Listen: The bar will be open, the laughs will be plentiful, and the karaoke optional. This is a great opportunity to mingle with folks in the know. Plus you get to meet me, which is often a memorable experience. It’s happening on February 27. Get tickets here.
Brittany Shepherd covers the societal and cultural scene in political Washington. Before joining Washingtonian as a staff writer in 2018, Brittany was a White House Correspondent for Independent Journal Review. While she has lived in DC for a number of years now, she still yearns for the fresh Long Island bagels of home. Find her on Twitter, often prattling on about Frasier.
