Good morning. Cloudy with a high around 84. The dew point creeps upward, a reminder that all respites are temporary. A low around 68 overnight. The Nationals begin a homestead against the Athletics today. The Mystics will visit the Chicago Sky tonight. 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:
The Gobs, “adopt a baby (to get some chicks).” You will know in 56 seconds whether tonight’s show at Rhizome is for you. (It’s definitely my bag!) Olympia, Washington’s Gobs will play with locals Sad Roach and Winchester’s Power Pants.
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:
Redraw hoo-ha: Efforts to redistrict US states to provide more seats for individual political parties heated up Monday. In Texas, Republicans in the statehouse voted to arrest Democrats who vamoosed to prevent a quorum in the body, where a plan to gift as many as five seats to the GOP, which was pushed by President Trump, is under way. (Texas Tribune) Governor Greg Abbott described the Democrats’ flight as “truancy” and threatened to vacate their seats, though that process is anything but quick. (Politico) In New York, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul embraced a reciprocal effort, saying, “We are at war and that’s why the gloves are off.” (Times-Union) US Representative Kevin Kiley, a Republican from California, promised to introduce legislation to try to “stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country,” but that effort is not likely to go anywhere. (Axios)
Ride the symbols: FEMA moved to withhold disaster-relief funds from cities and states that support boycotts against Israel, though just a few cities and no states have actually taken such a stance. (NYT) The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, later reversed the gambit, introducing an apparently new Trump administration policy of not being interested in “political litmus tests.” (Reuters) The National Park Service announced a plan to reinstall a statue of Albert Pike in DC. Pike was a Massachusetts-born traitor to the US who fought for the Confederacy, which resoundingly lost the Civil War it fought to preserve slavery. He may have helped form the Ku Klux Klan, though some of his fellow Masons contest that. (NYT)
Today’s number is 15: The US State Department will propose bonds of $15,000 for visa applicants from certain countries who wish to visit the country for business or tourism. (AP) Trump claimed he had lowered drug prices “by 1,200, 1,300, 1,400, 1,500%,” which “would theoretically mean that people are being paid to take medications.” (AP)
Interesting efforts: US Representative Nancy Mace announced plans to run for governor of South Carolina. (Washington Post) US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene pushed the administration to pardon George Santos. (Axios) Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered her department to “move forward with a probe into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.” (AP) The White House is preparing an executive order to wallop banks “over perceived discrimination against conservatives and crypto companies.” (WSJ)
Administration perambulation: The administration moved to fire Voice of America director Michael Abramowitz after he refused to accept a demotion. (Washington Post) In the ongoing internal power struggles under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, top aide Ricky Buria “tried and failed to oust a senior White House liaison assigned to the Pentagon.” (Washington Post) Trump claimed the Bureau of Labor Statistics, whose work he praised when it made him look better, had “concocted” jobs data that did the opposite. He fired BLS’s director as a result. (CNBC) Trump made that statement on his social media network Truth Social, whose head, former GOP Representative Devin Nunes, had one of his anti-media-company lawsuits dismissed yesterday. (The New Republic) Well-connected Washington attorneys led by Tom Green announced the formation of the Washington Litigation Group, a boutique, nonprofit firm that will represent, for free, “those looking to push back on Trump’s use of executive power.” (CNN) The US plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon. (Politico)
Go to a county fair, by Daniella Byck:
Summer fair season is in effect, and the nostalgic jamborees feature carnival rides and games, various exhibitions, and all sorts of decadent foods, from fried Oreos to funnel cakes. The Howard County Fair is currently underway at the fairgrounds in West Friendship, Maryland, about an hour outside of DC. The event will run through August 9. Two county fairs kick off on August 8 through August 16: the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg and the Prince William County Fair in Manassas. Both events offer monster truck and demolition derbies, a carnival, and farm-related activities.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Think your job is weird these days? Try being a seed-oil lobbyist.
• The RAMMY awards for local restaurants “highlighted just how much DC’s dining scene is powered by the talent of immigrants.”
• Area bear Bao Li turned four. We went to his party.
Local news links:
• Trump sort of endorsed Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears. (Washington Post)
• Activity has halted for the moment at an aspirational turf farm in Fauquier County that neighbors claim is in fact an illegal dump. (NBC4 Washington)
• Falls Church has begun construction on, depending on where you’re from, a traffic circle, a rotary, or a roundabout. (ARLnow)
• The Postal Service halted delivery to a neighborhood in Beltsville after a dog attacked a letter carrier. The dog’s owner says, “If they’re scared of dogs, that’s a personal thing.” (NBC4 Washington)
• The corpse flower is about to bloom again. (PoPville)
Tuesday’s event picks:
• The “Great American Farmers Market,” a MAHA event on the National Mall, will continue.
• Gun-violence doc “The Great Divide” will show at Alexandria’s Lyceum.
• It’s National Night Out. In the Mosaic District, opportunities to mingle with first responders come with sides of barbecue and music.
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.
