Former AG Karl Racine told me he found Nadeau's decision not to run refreshing. "Hopefully it's a message generally to elected officials that the office does not belong to them.” You've gotta imagine this is a message to both EHN, and his old foe Bowser... wamu.org/story/25/10/...

New: Brianne Nadeau's exit from the Ward 1 race has kicked things into high gear. The primary is shaping up to feature two candidates on the left (including Nadeau's hand-picked successor) and others running more to the center. Will Ward 1 remain a progressive stronghold? wamu.org/story/25/10/...

The NYT finally managed to get some clarity on an important question: How much is MPD still cooperating with ICE now that the federal takeover is over? Bowser was very evasive when @segravesnbc4.bsky.social asked about this last month. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/u...

Some more Ward 1 movement: I just spoke to Jackie Reyes-Yanes, a longtime Bowser/Jim Graham staffer, who plans to file soon. She left DC government yesterday. A source close to Rashida Brown also confirms she'll launch her campaign (with Nadeau's backing) in the next few weeks.

Proud to have finished my third Hokie Half Marathon this weekend, this year with @alexkoma.bsky.social! And we ran into someone we knew after the race 🦃

In 2026 news: Nate Fleming says he won't run for the at-large seat, after all. He was viewed as a top contender given his long history of Council runs. That leaves only Shadow Rep. Oye Owolewa in the race, for now. At-Large CM Anita Bonds is expected to run again, but who else might get in?

"If I had that one to take back, I probably would have voted no," Ward 3 CM Matt Frumin tells me of his vote to exempt small buildings from TOPA. The Council is only just beginning to understand what the change will mean after it was rushed through last week: wamu.org/story/25/09/...

New: The move to exempt small buildings from TOPA was a messy, last-minute affair. Some lawmakers are already having second thoughts And TOPA experts warn it'll have more wide-reaching consequences than initially predicted, as these bldgs are easier for tenants to buy: wamu.org/story/25/09/...

Just spoke to Nadeau about her decision: I asked if Trump's interference with DC contributed to her retirement. She said it "weighs on me to leave in the middle of a Trump administration" when things are so bad for Ward 1 residents, but she trusts she'll leave it in good hands.

Nadeau makes it official, after months of speculation about her future: wamu.org/story/25/05/... The endorsement she alluded to here is almost certainly Rashida Brown, a Park View ANC. I’m not sure that’ll clear the field, though, with so many candidates eyeing this race.

I hear there was a bit of an oopsie as the Council passed the RENTAL Act last week: Anita Bonds meant to exempt 2-4 unit buildings from TOPA *in addition to* single family homes. Instead, her amendment *only* applied to 2-4 unit bldgs and reversed the 2018 law exempting sfh from TOPA.

Interesting to hear Bowser publicly entertaining the idea she won't run again: "I'm not the only one that can make good decisions." (I have heard her opinion of other potential contenders is...not so high in private.) When will she announce, either way? www.nbcwashington.com/news/politic...

I asked Robert White today why he picked this race instead of another run for mayor. "I think I would have won the mayoral race and that's where I thought I was heading, but sometimes history calls us to a different path...Congress is where the fight is right now." More here:

Huge news in DC politics: The timing is unexpected, but I've been hearing for months now that White's had his eye on her seat. He's never seemed fully committed to a mayoral bid. There were suggestions EHN could step aside and then endorse White: this is a very different outcome

The RFK stadium deal passed yesterday...and despite lots of haggling, a last-minute nastygram from the Commanders, and a bunch of amendment votes, it all looks pretty similar to what passed last month. Here's some of what did change: wamu.org/story/25/09/...

As expected, Matt Frumin will try to pass this amendment establishing harsher penalties if the Commanders miss some of their development deadlines: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Not hearing much optimism it will pass, however, as team remains staunchly opposed.

It's the day of the final RFK deal vote! Some amendments are online already, with more expected on the dais. Trayon White has three, largely adding priorities to the CBA/changing enforcement: lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LI... lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LI... lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LI...

The final RFK bill is out, and I'm not seeing much to address concerns from CMs on things like housing timelines/environmental protections. documentcloud.org/documents/26... It does require the hiring of a consultant to monitor the stadium's progress. But suspect we'll see amendments tomorrow...

New: From housing timelines to energy efficiency standards, the DC Council is debating last-minute changes to the RFK deal. The stadium pact is a sure bet to pass tomorrow (and end this saga), but there's lots left to haggle over. Here's a look at some sticking points: wamu.org/story/25/09/...

As this hearing on bills to repeal various DC criminal justice reforms drags on, I hear the White House told the House GOP today that repealing the city's record sealing/compassionate release laws are "a priority of Stephen Miller and Jeanine Pirro." Their talking points:

New: Bowser's attempts to play nice with Trump have critics searching for a challenger in next year's mayoral race who can channel DC's anger over the feds' intervention. Many are urging W4 CM Janeese Lewis George to jump into the race. Some unions are pushing her publicly: wamu.org/story/25/09/...

Nate Fleming seems to have launched a bid for the at-large Council seat held by Anita Bonds next year, the first candidate to do so. nate4dc.com He finished third in the crowded race against her in 2022: if ranked choice voting becomes a reality in 2026, this will be a very closely watched race.

Normally I don’t post the hate mail I get whenever I go on NPR (otherwise what else would I do all day?) but this one seems relevant as Bowser catches more flak. Her critics think she’s giving cover to Trump by praising her “federal partners.” Plainly, MAGA is taking notice!

Norton’s appearance here has only intensified chatter about her political future. Former Bowser statehood director Jason Fink told me he’d run if EHN runs again. I hear Shadow Rep. Oye Owolewa is also considering the race (or an at large Council bid) now that he’s retiring…

New: Stephen Miller says Trump's focus on DC is meant to help Black residents. But people living in the city's historically Black wards don't want this kind of help So what could the feds actually do for wards 7/8? I asked and a federal police takeover didn't make the list: wamu.org/story/25/08/...

I hear there was a big checkpoint involving both MPD and feds along N. Capitol Street last night, across from the McMillan reservoir. To the extent there’s police activity outside of downtown, it’s increasingly taking this form: traffic checkpoints with immigration agents.

Video of a scary scene in Adams Morgan last night is making the rounds on DC listservs. The feds (presumably ICE) seemed to be making immigration/traffic stops. When protesters started shouting, one pointed his Taser at them until other protesters tried to deescalate things...

New: Jeanine Pirro has used Trump's focus on DC as a chance to bash local laws meant to help people convicted of crimes when they're young. These laws don't have any bearing on crime rates, despite her claims otherwise. Still, DC leaders are considering working with her... wamu.org/story/25/08/...

Kudos to the Post for pushing back on this because the anecdotal evidence we have just doesn’t support any surge in policing in wards 7 and 8. I’ll put this to my followers in those neighborhoods: are you seeing federal agents/the National Guard? If so, what’re they doing?

U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro has made this case, where a 19-year-old pleaded guilty to shooting a man on a bus and was sentenced to probation, a key part of her crusade against some DC laws. justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/s... Will it surprise you to learn there's more to the story?

As if this week were not bizarre enough: Mount Pleasant residents tell me a group of federal agents gathered for a photo-op near a pro-immigrant banner, pictured below, then tore it down. In its place, they left a dildo. A neighbor's Ring camera captured the whole thing...

Update: The feds visited several small camps, including one at Washington Circle last night, then backed off. They're back today, trashing tents and moving down Pennsylvania Ave to 25th and L to clear other clusters of tents. Seems like after a quiet evening, Trump is ramping up clearings today...

MPD Chief Pam Smith filed a declaration to support the suit, writing: "In my nearly three decades in law enforcement, I have never seen a single government action that would cause a greater threat to law and order than this dangerous directive." www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

New: DC AG Brian Schwalb is suing over US AG Pam Bondi’s order attempting to install DEA head Terry Cole as a new federal police commissioner. Just as he did in last night’s legal opinion, he calls this a violation of the Home Rule Act, which leaves the mayor/chief in charge.

Bowser’s spox says she won’t be in attendance at said party.

A note on this: a source with knowledge just told me former Ward 4 CM/lobbyist/Bowser pal Brandon Todd is throwing his annual summer party on Martha’s Vineyard tonight. Not saying I’ve heard the mayor is there (she says she’s picking up her daughter from camp) just observing the coincidence…

Homeless outreach sources tell me the feds will lead a citywide encampment clearing tonight. MLK Library, where many folks congregate, is expected to be among the targets. The fear is that the feds may start arresting people as part of this. D.C.'s shelters are full: Many will have no place to go.

New: National Guard troops don't have police training, they can't make arrests, and many aren't even armed. So what's the point of sending them into DC? It's a strategy leaders have long leaned on to appear tough on crime, but there are big doubts it'll make any difference: wamu.org/story/25/08/...

I take internal numbers with a grain of salt until I see finance reports but...if they're accurate, that's a huge haul for one day. For context, Nadeau raised about $55k over the duration of her 2022 campaign. The danger, of course, is hitting matching funds caps too early...

Leave aside whether it's a good idea to charge kids as adults (evidence says it's not!), but why is Pirro so obsessed when DC prosecutors have super wide latitude here? dcjusticelab.org/juvenile-tra... I guess she can't charge the 15 y.o.'s who beat up Big Balls as adults, maybe that's the issue.

As we enter day one of our newly federalized police department, DC leaders still have tons of q's: Will Trump seek to pull MPD away to meet his priorities? Who has the final say over MPD ops? And will Trump ask Congress to extend this for more than a month? It's a mess... wamu.org/story/25/08/...

When I took off for a long summer vacation last year, a certain DC councilmember got arrested for bribery. This year I’m in the Pacific Northwest for a while: can everyone in DC behave themselves? Talk to you all when I’m back next week.

And that's all she wrote. RFK bill passes on its first vote 9-3. (It still needs to pass at the leg meeting coming up immediately afterward, but that's a formality.) The Council now gets a break until Sept. 17 (and so do us reporters!) Second and final vote is set for then.

As the proceedings finally get underway, Mendelson says the new version of the RFK bill includes a provision requiring the team to attempt to reach LEED Platinum environmental standards. They previously offered a different LEED standard environmentalists were skeptical of...

The building trades/UNITE Here/AFL CIO says they're on board with the deal now. This is big for getting RFK passed...

No sign we're getting anywhere close to a vote here on RFK...but the scuttlebutt around the Wilson Building is the Commanders' execs are huddled up in a first floor office awaiting the vote. Lobbyists galore have flitted in and out all morning. It's gonna be a long day...

In some rare non-RFK news, we're getting reports on spending on the Ward 8 race. The charter school association's independent spending group dropped $41k to boost Mike Austin in 3 months. ElectEDDC (aligned with the ward's old guard) spent $41k in July. All for the guy who finished 3rd...

This week on The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi, we’re joined by WAMU’s Senior D.C. Politics reporter Alex Koma, Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich.

Just asked Robert White about this directly: He says he’s a no on the RFK bill as of now. He won’t vote for it without more displacement protections. He expects several amendments, including some from him, to pass tomorrow. We’re still waiting to see the bill itself…

Wanted to zoom in on this dispute between Bowser/Parker. Bowser, despite her protests, is embracing talking points advanced by the construction industry (see below). It's true that it's hard to hire DC residents on construction jobs...but that's because not many can afford to live in DC, period.