Earlier this week, U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan warned AG Peter Nickles: "You're playing games with the wrong judge." Sullivan was referring to the AG's near endless stall tactics in the Pershing Park cases. These tactics include attempting to preventing depositions from being taken, and fighting the release of documents to the public. But what about Sullivan's characterization that Nickles is playing games?

In an effort to answer that question, City Desk offers a play-by-play concerning the testimony of Det. Paul Hustler.

Read More "Pershing Park Case: The Games Peter Nickles Plays" »

1400 Block of Swann Street NW

Nancee Lyons, a spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Public Works, just returned my call in the matter of the $50 fine Washington City Paper received this week for "failure to separate recycling from other solid waste" at 2390 Champlain St. NW, the location of the paper's newsroom.

The timing seemed curious to some at the newspaper because, just a few weeks earlier, City Paper had published a cover story in which it criticized DPW for failing to crack down on private trash haulers who mix recycling and trash during their rounds.

I asked Lyons if there was any connection—was this meant as some kind of retribution? "Of course not," she said. Usually, she explained, citations are issued after someone makes a complaint and an investigator goes to check it out, not because an investigator is out looking. Lyons did not know if someone had complained about the Dumpster behind 2390 Champlain.

Read More "DPW to City Paper: Recycling Violation Not Retribution" »

Heads are rolling in the Arlington offices of Washingtonpost.com, the longtime WaPo Web lab that is now undergoing a merger with the Post newsroom in downtown D.C. According to a knowledgeable source, the ranks of the RIFed number around ten so far.

City Desk is working on compiling a list of the dismissed, which reportedly includes at least one big industry name.

Meanwhile, one question looms: Are these layoffs? Or just strategic reductions aimed at redundant positions, as Post management would have us believe?

Consider the case of one dismissed employee. This individual was told that the "numbers have been bad on the digital side and because of that, that's why they're doing it."

Another victim of the reduction-in-force reports that the motivation is that the Post is moving to streamline its operations.

Updates to come.

The time has almost come for Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's annual birthday spectacle.

Two years ago, Fenty threw a grand, open-door party at the Washington Convention Center. A year ago, Fenty kicked off his re-election campaign with a massive fete at the Forest Hills home of local developer Chris Donatelli. This year, for Hizzoner's 39th, the birthday bash/campaign fundraiser will also take place at a tony, oversized residence. This one, however, isn't occupied by any developer.

In fact, it's vacant. The Dec. 5 event will be held at 1821 Hoban Road NW, a 7,000-square-foot, six-bedroom model home built as part of the Residences at 1801 Foxhall, a development of 27 single-family homes in the upscale Ward 3 neighborhood.

Read More "Fenty’s 39th Birthday Bash Set for Old Mayoral Mansion Site" »

Busted?

Washington City Paper has been slapped with a $50 fine from the D.C. Department of Public Works for "failure to separate recycling from other solid waste" at 2390 Champlain St. NW, the address of the paper's newsroom.

Normally, City Paper wouldn't report on this as news. Except there are several curious things about the citation (view a PDF of it here). First, the timing: City Paper recently ran a cover story by Christine MacDonald about how D.C.'s private trash haulers often commingle recycling with solid waste during their pickups and how the city has been lax in cracking down on them. The story hit the streets Nov. 5 12. The date of violation on the citation is Nov. 16.

Read More "DPW Nails City Paper After City Paper Nails DPW" »

Stories broke this morning in the Los Angeles Times and in the Examiner reporting that D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee took an active role in investigations of her fiance, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.

Allow LL to explicate a little more fully what this is and what Rhee is alleged to have done.

Read More "What Was Michelle Rhee’s ‘Damage Control’ for Kevin Johnson?" »

Multiple sources are reporting that several employees at washingtonpost.com are losing their jobs as part of the merger of the site with the main Washington Post newsroom. Several of dot-com's editorial staffers as well as some non-editorial workers are among those who've gotten the ax, according to the sources.

Read More "Breaking: Reported Dismissals at Post Web Site" »

Commercials running all day on Dan Snyder's sportstalk station, WTEM, are pushing the pep rally that Snyder is sponsoring tonight at Dave & Buster's in Rockville.

Listeners are urged, "Bring your best 'Beat Dallas!' sign and you can win a six pack of club seats!"

I can't wait to see how high the "Worst Owner Ever!" banner will place.

***

Moderators at Dan Snyder's message board, extremeskins.com, no doubt emboldened by the see-no-evil clause their boss invoked while banning signs from FedExField, have a type-no-insult policy in place.

Posters on the site have been warned not to say anything negative about the team in a thread announcing a send-off that's being organized from Redskins Park for the Dallas game.

The warning:

"Be advised: This is not an opinion or debate thread. Please do not use this thread to verbally attack, make fun of, laugh at, or otherwise belittle any of the participating members or Redskins players/coaches/staff or owner. To do so will result in a mandatory ban."

(AFTER THE JUMP: Why would Dan Snyder sanction such censorship? Why is Slate so mean to Sandra Bullock? Why didn't the Redskins draft Michael Oher? Why did John Riggins jump on Joe Theismann when Joe Theismann's leg was broken? Did you just say John Riggins jumped on Joe Theismann when Joe Theismann's leg was broken?)

Read More "Cheap Seats Daily: Did Theismann Pile On Riggins Because Riggins Piled On Theismann?" »

As much local politics as humanly possible. Send your tips, releases, stories, events, etc. to lips@washingtoncitypaper.com. And get LL Daily sent straight to your inbox every morning!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT---"Sullivan to Nickles: 'You're Playing Games With The Wrong Judge'"; "Ximena Hartsock Headed to Youth Trust?"; "Pershing Park Case: Patterson Hopes District Has Learned Its Lesson"; tweets galore!

Greetings all. A congressional report connects Michelle Rhee to unsavory personal accusations involving her now-fiance, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. KJ has been accused of sexual misconduct with young women, and Examiner columnist Byron York writes that Rhee, while serving on the board of Johnson's St. Hope nonprofit, 'learned of the allegations and played the role of a fixer, doing "damage control"' for Johnson. A former St. Hope employee says 'that Rhee told her that "she was making this her number one priority, and she would take care of the situation." A short time later, the employee learned that the girl who had complained about Johnson had received a visit from Johnson's personal attorney.' Allegations against Johnson and St. Hope were first leveled by AmeriCorps' inspector general, who referred the matter to federal prosecutors in California. The L.A. Times reports that Rhee had 'several conversations' with the IG 'in which she made the case for Johnson and the school he ran in Sacramento...[saying] he was "a good guy."' As part of a settlement with St. Hope, the sexual misconduct allegations were not addressed, and the IG was fired by the Obama administration in June. The LAT story notes that Rhee's 'role in the incident may have repercussions among city officials in Washington, where she has developed the profile of a contentious and controversial schools chief.'

AFTER THE JUMP---WaPo ed board calls for probe of Gray allegations; ex-official's name appears in court docs filed in taxi bribery case; Fenty's swim habits spark Wilson pool controversy; council, Catholics explore compromise; DISB changes birth-control policy for insurers; Fenty airplane pitch leads to possible move for Bethesda company; report says UDC should spin off community college

Read More "Rhee Got Involved in KJ’s Personal Mess: Loose Lips Daily" »

At the DC Energy Expo a couple of weekends ago, my jaw dropped when I learned just how much energy it takes to run a plasma television set: A whopping three times as much electricity as a regular TV.  Even when they aren't running, plasma TVs suck an enormous amount of "vampire energy" - the power an appliance draws when turned off but still plugged into the wall. One of these beauties can set you back an estimated 1,452 kilowatts a year, or nearly $160, just by leaving the thing plugged in when your not using it, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

So, it's little wonder that the California Energy Commission - which enjoys being the country's environmental advanced guard - voted yesterday to ban plasma TV sales. The ban came in the form of new regulations requiring new televisions sold in the state to consume 33 percent less electricity by 2011 and 49 percent less electricity by 2013.

California's crusading for tougher vehicle emission rules is often credited with raising the bar for a new national auto emissions standard. Will the same be true for TVs? Or will the ban just ruin some people's enjoyment of big-screen rituals such as Super Bowl Sunday?

For walkers, this week was bad luck
While crossing the street, two were struck
Sure, fate is capricious
But why not delicious?
Heck yes, I'd get hit by this truck

It sure seems that Metro's bemoaning
The change that had riders all groaning
With kiosks outmoded
Make fares auto-loaded
Not yet, though, 'cause Catoe's postponing

I'm sad to see Cephas depart
For with him, that man takes my heart
He's clearly an ass
But lovably crass
In my book, bad taste is an art

When casting your vote in the booth
Just think of Graham's bowtie (so couth!)
Whatever you ponder
Don't let your mind wander
To thoughts of cabs, bribes, or that youth

As poet, I feel obligated
To highlight things classic (or dated?)
And yet, here's my screed:
Screw biking in tweed
That whole thing seemed way overrated...

Mornin', City Desk readers! Welcome to the second edition of what used to be but is no longer Freedom Friday. Remember: Freedom is dead. Don't worry, you'll get used to it.

One word: Oprah! The "queen of daytime television" will announce today she's ending her show in 2011. This is huge! Now, in case you're a little slow, let me connect the dots and tell you what's really going on here. Just this week, Sarah Palin goes on Oprah to plug her book Going Rogue even while insisting that 2012 is "not on my radar screen right now," which is what all candidates for president have to say in 2009. Oprah is all charming, as usual, and gets her biggest audience in two years! Then, just a few days later, Oprah announces that she will be leaving her show after 25 years to "start her own cable channel." Coincidence? This could really only mean one thing: Palin-Winfrey 2012! You heard it here first.

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The “Palin-Winfrey 2012″ Edition" »

On November 17, U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan confronted AG Peter Nickles on his recent attempts to bar witnesses from being deposed and for general feet dragging in the Pershing Park cases  [PDF].

Sullivan ordered depositions to take place. He then stated that there would be serious penalties levied against the District if it failed to cooperate:

"If any depositions are canceled, I'm going to start imposing fines of $1,000 per day for any depositions that the City sua sponte cancels, and I will impose additional sanctions as well. But that Hustler deposition will take place in this courthouse and be under the supervision of a magistrate judge and there will be marshals present as well. I'm not going to play games."

With that, Sullivan turned to the attorney general: "Mr. Nickles, you're playing games with the wrong judge....I'm telling you, you're playing games with the wrong judge."

Read More "Sullivan to Nickles: ‘You’re Playing Games With The Wrong Judge’" »

Whither Ximena Hartsock?

The soon-to-be-ex-director of the city parks and recreation department might have been rejected by the D.C. Council, but Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has made no bones about declaring Hartsock to be a model municipal administrator deserving of continued government employment.

And yet, the confirmation battle has soured relations between Hartsock and several councilmembers, making any appointment to a council-confirmed post a futile exercise. But a solution may exist.

The rumblings are this: Hartsock's next stop in municipal government is likely to be as chief executive of the Children and Youth Investment Trust Corp. That is a quasi-governmental nonprofit that partners public and private entities to fund and oversee various youth programs. Crucially, the president/CEO post is appointed solely by the nonprofit's board.

Read More "Ximena Hartsock Headed to Youth Trust?" »