According to three sources familiar with the closed-door meeting to discuss the ramifications of Marion Barry's July 4 arrest, the councilmember apologized to his colleagues. He even made sure to apologize to Councilmember Jim Graham, who was late to the meeting.

One councilmember says that Barry confessed his love for the District and said that he was sorry that he hurt the council. "It really, really seemed heartfelt," the councilmember says. "His colleagues were pretty damn pissed off at him."

"He apologized to all the members," says another source. The source added that Barry almost cried during his mea culpa.

But Barry was clear about who he would not apologize to: the public.

Read More "Barry Apologizes To D.C. Council During Private Meeting" »

Chenille Spencer, once a regular ladyfriend of Marion Barry's---and a regular with him at Player's Lounge---described her connection to Barry in 2006 as "loyal." She remains so. In a phone call to Washington City Paper to "speak on the the police and the way Mr. Barry was treated," Spencer defended her former flame and current friend.

"Mr. Barry is like a tree and all of us are the branches and leaves," she says. "I am just one of the apples that never fell off." Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, the woman at the center of the latest Barry scandal, "needs to know that she has to accept certain things. She will never be able to have a public dinner with him....She needs to accept the fact that Mr. Barry is loved by reverends, bishops, friends, me....You'll never have him all to yourself."

Read More "Marion Barry Is the Tree, Says Former Girlfriend. “All of Us Are the Branches.”" »

Last night, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced that it would not pursue the stalking charge against Councilmember Marion Barry. The charge stems from a July 4 incident in which Barry allegedly sought out ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt in Anacostia Park. Watts-Brighthaupt was with her ex-husband Delonta Brighthaupt at the time Barry was pulled over by U.S. Park Police.

Brighthaupt is disappointed that prosecutors dropped the stalking charge against the councilmember. "They could have taken it to court to hear all sides," he tells City Desk. "I don’t like to see anybody locked up, but I’d like to see justice pursued.”

Read More "Delonta Brighthaupt Responds To Barry Stalking Charge Being Dismissed" »

At a little after 9 p.m., Councilmember Marion Barry spokesperson Natalie Williams began another hastily scheduled press conference in front of the Wilson Building by thanking the U.S. Attorney's Office for dropping the stalking charge against the councilmember. Prosecutors had announced three hours earlier that they would not press on with the stalking case. "Our hearts are full tonight with thanks," Williams said. "We are grateful that the U.S. Attorney's Office has seen fit to not charge Mr. Barry."

Barry had been charged with stalking Donna Watts-Brighthaupt over the July 4 weekend. The arrest had since provoked a series of press conferences and embarrassing disclosures concerning Barry's troubled relationship with Watts-Brighthaupt. The disclosures included bizarre hotel fights and audio tapes showing how obsessed Barry had become with his ex-girlfriend. Yet to be clarified is how Barry came to secure lucrative contract work for Watts-Brighthaupt. 

Williams stated that Barry would answer questions about the the payments tomorrow. She also said that they would be able to provide the documents (contracts, e-mails, etc.) proving that the councilmember had acted properly. She insisted that the nothing Barry had done was illegal. 

Read More "Barry Press Conference: ‘Hearts Are Full’ Edition" »

This evening, City Desk reached Donna Watts-Brighthaupt to get her reaction to the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement that it has declined to prosecute the stalking case against Marion Barry. As everyone knows by now, Barry had quite the obsession with her. The obsession culminated in the councilmember getting locked up over the July 4 weekend on stalking charges. Watts-Brighthaupt spent much of this past week getting hammered by the Barry Machine as "unstable."

“I’m relieved it’s over," Watts-Brighthaupt says. "It’s a large price I’ve had to pay. I didn’t ask for this. I’ve learned such a large lesson in dealing with Marion. I’m not invincible. It’s unbelievable the type of person he is. But I wish him well. And I wish him good health. I’d really like him to do the best he can, do what he can for Ward 8 from this day forward.”

Do you think it’s possible he can be an effective councilmember? “No comment.”

Read More "Donna Watts-Brighthaupt Responds To Barry Stalking Charges Being Dropped" »

"I'm just listening," she said quietly.

She was dressed in jeans, a thin sweater, t-shirt, and dark glasses. In her left hand, she held a drink from McDonald's. In the other, she held a cellphone.

She had found the cameras and the reporters and the microphones in front of the Wilson Building, and felt she needed to take it all in. She stood off to the side, away from the lights, and watched the woman talking into all those microphones.

Read More "Barry Press Conference: Political Science 101 For Ex-Girlfriend’s Daughter" »

Michael Jackson's memorial service monopolized every media outlet yesterday and seems to be the only national news event worth covering this morning.  It was poignant, it was tasteful, but what does it have to do with Washington?  Everything, according to Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), who spoke at the service yesterday and announced House Resolution 600. Oh yes, here comes the Michael Jackson tribute resolution, and it is lengthy.  They praise him for his humanitarian efforts and then proceed to list every kind thing he did.  For example, "in 1994, Michael donated $500,000 to Elizabeth Taylor's AIDS Foundation."  Good to know.

Apparently, watching the funeral online was an important part of yesterday's Congressional schedule.  Politico posts this message from the head of the House's tech operations.

"The Michael Jackson event is causing even more inbound Internet BW usage.
We are monitoring both Internet connections and they are maxed out at 155 Mbps inbound."

More District news, plus Obamas in Russia after the jump. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Busted Edition" »

This weekend, Marion Barry engaged in some rather questionable behavior. The councilmember allegedly snuck into his ex-girlfriend's house and later found and/or followed her in his car and was arrested on stalking charges. He had also allegedly locked her out of his hotel room in Denver during the Democratic Convention and canceled her return flight to D.C. The two apparently weren't soul mates. All of this behavior is stunning considering that Barry really, really does not like being stalked.

Barry especially doesn't like being stalked by reporters. In fact, he has quite the history of using the police to prevent reporters from following him.

Read More "WCP Reports: Barry Doesn’t Like Being Stalked" »