Good morning. Sunny with a high around 87 and low humidity. Should we all smudge our houses today to try to keep this respite going? A low around 69 overnight. The Nats will host the Reds again this evening. The Mystics will host the Los Angeles Sparks. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
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I can’t stop listening to:
Weird Al, “Mission Statement.” A superb send-up of corporate jargon, yes, but this 2014 track also offers a tight read of ’60s Laurel Canyon pop. Weird Al plays Wolf Trap tonight with Puddles Pity Party. (I saw him there in 2015 with my oldest son, who’s still a fan, and it was a lot of fun. I recommend a Weird Al show without hesitation!)
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I’ve made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of my daily music recommendations this year.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
Everything is Epstein: The Trump administration removed the Wall Street Journal from a press pool to cover the President’s upcoming trip to Scotland. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, writing in the completely natural tone characteristic of this White House, said, “Due to the Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the thirteen outlets on board.” Trump sued the Journal after it reported he wrote a weird letter to disgraced, deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein, which he denies. (Politico) Someone amended a sign for one of Trump’s Scottish golf clubs to say the property is “TWINNED WITH EPSTEIN ISLAND.” (Reddit) Meanwhile, Republicans in the House of Representatives “have virtually stopped work on all major legislation leading up to their six-week summer recess to avoid taking votes on forcing the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.” (Axios) Speaker Mike Johnson said the administration needs some “space.” (NYT) The administration did find some room to release records about Martin Luther King Jr.‘s FBI surveillance “despite opposition from the slain Nobel laureate’s family and the civil rights group that he led until his 1968 assassination.” (AP) Attorney General Pam Bondi also agreed to release records about DOJ’s investigation of Hillary Clinton‘s email server. (Newsweek)
Is any of this working? Mainstream press articles that argue Trump has managed to unite MAGAs by focusing on common enemies rather than the Epstein story tend to share a common source: Steve Bannon. (Slate) And many on the online right—who drove the sustained interest in the government’s Epstein files in the first place—aren’t buying it, Will Sommer reports. (Bulwark)
Remember DOGE? The Office of Personnel Management plans to cut about a third of its staff by the end of the year, director Scott Kupor said Monday. Kupor also said the Elon Musk-ordered “5 things” emails proved “not efficient.” (Washington Post) The General Services Administration removed the DOGE-allied Stephen Ehikian as its acting director, perhaps another sign of the Musk project’s diminishing influence. (NextGov) Unrest continues at NASA, where hundreds of employees signed a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who’s also the acting administrator of the space agency, asking him not to pursue staffing cuts. (NYT)
Administration perambulation: The Defense Department began to withdraw US Marines from Los Angeles. (NYT) A federal judge in Kentucky sentenced former police officer Brett Hankison to almost three years in prison for his role in the raid that led to Breonna Taylor‘s death and said the Justice Department, which requested a one-day sentence for Hankison, had treated the matter as “an inconsequential crime.” (AP) Ken Pagurek, who ran FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue system, resigned. (CNN) Sam Altman plans a visit to official Washington this week to finally provide influential people an opportunity to discuss AI. (Axios)
Check out some punk at the library, by Daniella Byck:
Ever wanted to scream inside a quiet library? We can’t help you there, but you are invited to get loud on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library rooftop. Punk shows atop the building have become a summer tradition, and the DC Punk Archive recently announced three upcoming concerts, including one on Wednesday, July 23. Musicians Silver Spring, XK Scenario, and Petrichor are on the bill, and there are no hand stamps required at this all-ages show. The free concerts kick off at 6:30 PM, though you can arrive as early as 6 PM. Miss this week’s event? Mark your calendar for shows on August 13 and September 4. (And yes, this is the ideal opportunity to break out your “what’s more punk than the public library” shirt.)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Arlington is once again the US’s fittest place to live.
• Nicklas Backstrom‘s McLean mansion is for sale for just under $12 million.
• A cheat sheet for the Mubadala Citi DC Open—five players to watch.
Local news links:
• Trump’s recent interest in the Washington Commanders’ name might not affect the team’s attempts to strike a new stadium deal. Or it might. Who knows? (Washington Post)
• Children’s National Hospital has cut about 70 positions as it prepares for federal funding cuts. (WBJ)
• Former Secret Service agent Harold Christy got sentenced to probation and community service for assaulting a dancer on a Metro train last year. (Washington Post)
• The Washington Post’s plan for a “third newsroom” appears to be on ice. Krissah Thompson, the newsroom veteran who’d been tapped to lead the initiative, will take a buyout, Oliver Darcy reports. (Status)
• Cheryl Hines reportedly thinks DC is a “deadbeat town.” (Page Six)
• Maryland and the District joined a lawsuit by attorneys general (attorneys generals?) over the administration’s decision to block some immigrants from accessing federal health and education programs. (NYT)
• The Block food hall in Annandale will close. (WTOP)
• WAMU’s management thinks the station can weather the loss of federal funding. (WAMU) Flashback: WAMU took an ax to its news operation last year. (Washingtonian)
• RIP Prince William County Supervisor Bob Weir. (NBC4 Washington)
• Arlington police are looking for a pistol-packing cyclist. (ARLnow)
Tuesday’s event picks:
• You can do magic at Signature Theatre’s new cabaret show, “Sailing: Yacht Rock,” which opens today.
• DJs Harry Hotter and Doc Delay spin off in a Verzuz battle during happy hour at Anthem Row.
• Solve puzzles at a live game of Dungeons & Dragons The Twenty-Sided Tavern at the Kennedy Center.
See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
We’re now taking suggestions for this year’s “Most Powerful Women” list. You can nominate someone here. Know someone we should consider for our Tech Titans feature this year? Put their name forward here. Did you miss our 100 Very Best Restaurants List? It’s here.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
