About Washingtonian Today
Washingtonian Today is not just another political news roundup. Instead, this daily morning brief provides local context on national news, catches you up on what’s happening at Washingtonian, points you toward super duper awesome things to do around town, and lets you in on some special events going on in-house. Sign up here to receive Washingtonian Today in your inbox every morning.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is expected to return to the bench today after leaving in December to undergo surgery. According to NPR, Ginsburg’s friends say the itty bitty justice is working toward regaining her strength, exercising with her trainer twice a week and walking at least a mile a day. That’s more regimented physical fitness than I do on a regular basis—maybe it’s time to switch to the Notorious RBG workout plan?
Yesterday the Washington Post published an op-ed by Meredith Watson, one of the women who accuses Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. In the op-ed Watson says she’s frustrated with calls for a private investigation into Fairfax’s behavior instead of a public hearing and criticizes the Virginia General Assembly and media for “moving on” after she and Dr. Vanessa Tyson came forward. Neither Fairfax nor embattled Governor Ralph Northam has indicated a willingness to resign.
This morning, Senator Bernie Sanders threw his hat into the 2020 field. Yet local respondents may not support the same move from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. A Goucher College poll indicates 55 percent of Marylanders think Hogan should not run for president as a GOP challenger to Donald Trump.
Good Tuesday morning. I’m your author, Brittany Shepherd. Email me at bshepherd@washingtonian.com and follow me on Twitter. Are you paying someone for this newsletter? They’re ripping you off; it’s supposed to be free! Sign up for your own copy here and help stop cybercrime.
What’s on my mind: Sixteen states, including Maryland and Virginia, are suing the Trump Administration over the President’s national emergency declaration to secure funding for security measures on the US-Mexico border.
What we have cooking at Washingtonian:
- Hundreds of actors from Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale assembled in front of the Lincoln Memorial Friday. The optics were haunting, to say the least.
- You won’t spot one “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster in this quirky Bloomingdale home. You will spot a Union Jack on the ceiling and other UK-inspired decor in the three-bedroom abode.
- What does Amazon dropping out of New York mean for Virginia?
- Jelani Cobb lets us know that there may be no catch-all solution to the craziness in Virginia politics.
- These are the folks who made Howard Schultz their Valentine.
- Feel like Meghan Markle in any of these stunning wedding headpieces.
Our pick for things to do around town:
DANCE Founded by Australian dancer/choreographer Dein Perry, the 20 year-old group Tap Dogs is no ordinary tap performance: The show includes rock music, dancing in water, and intense stunts—think Stomp but for tap. With sets made to look like a construction site with scaffolding, this is not Charlie Chaplin‘s tap. The show runs through February 24 at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater. Recommended for ages 8 and up; performance includes fog and strobe lights. $49-$99.
Good reads:
Jemele Hill argues that Kamala Harris’s blackness isn’t up for debate. (The Atlantic)
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.
