"According to the Attorney General, I don’t need to tell you that."
—Mafara Hobson, mayoral spokesperson, March 26

"When you get called to the Wilson Building at 7 p.m. on a Sunday, you don't expect a fruit basket."
—Clark Ray, ex-parks-and-rec director, April 21

"Our rates are higher than West Africa....They’re on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya."
—Dr. Shannon Hader, city AIDS czar, March 16

"Optimism without data is really just an emotion."
—City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, Feb. 19

"You don’t deal with the general public the way you would deal with yourself."
—Jerry N. Johnson, WASA general manager, Feb. 10

”I was just distracted, frankly.”
—Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, Feb. 10

"I do not blame teachers for the low achievement levels."
—Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee, Feb. 9

"I don’t understand your approach today, coming in and throwing down the gauntlet."
—U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan, Feb. 6

First in a weeklong series

"[T]his takes on a partisan flavor, and, you know, right now I think our legislative agenda’s chock-full. I would like to explore how quickly we can get it done."
—President Barack Obama, Jan. 15