Today, the D.C. Wire reported that a five-member council delegation met with Mayor Adrian Fenty last night to discuss the standoff over Ximena Hartsock. A symbol of testy council-mayoral relations, Hartsock is Fenty's choice to helm the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. Following some discord among the council, Hartsock, and Fenty, however, the council voted against confirming Hartsock. The mayor responded by keeping Hartsock in place.

According to a source familiar with the meeting, the prevailing sentiment among the councilmembers in attendance (Chairman Vincent Gray and councilmembers David Catania, Mary Cheh, Harry Thomas Jr., and Muriel Bowser) was that Hartsock had to go.

Fenty, according to the source, assured that he was looking for her replacement but stressed that the search wasn't an easy one. The meeting ended with a promise: The mayor would replace Hartsock by Dec. 1, the source recalls.

Still, Fenty still couldn't help being Fenty.

Read More "Fenty Promises To Replace Hartsock By Dec. 1" »

On June 30, Councilmember Marion Barry used his office to bounce his on-again-off-again girlfriend's ex-husband from the Wilson Building. At the time, he claimed that Delonta Brighthaupt had threatened him on the phone and in person.

Barry never got into detail with council staff. But it was enough for Brighthaupt to get barred that night from a Wilson Building event. At 10:30 that night, Barry left a voicemail on his ex-girlfriend's cellphone apologizing for his actions. He goes on to state that Delonta Brighthaupt was now free to go anywhere he wants.

This wasn't the end to this love-hate triangle between Barry, Donna Watts-Brighthaupt and Delonta Brighthaupt which we detail in this week's cover. On July 1, Barry wrote a letter to Donna apologizing further. Barry's staff provided the letter to Washington City Paper this week.

In the letter, Barry writes: "In an effort to resolve this situation in an amicable manner, I sincerely apologize to you, Brew and to Mr. Brighthaupt."

Full letter after the jump.

Read More "Marion Barry Apologized For Wilson Building Incident" »

You can call Councilmember Marion Barry a lot of things:  Civil Rights Leader, Mayor-for-Life, Addict, Male Slut. You can now add Incurable Optimist to the list. In his rocky relationship with Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, he endured one rejection after another. And the man kept coming back.

A Hotel spat in Denver where he threw her out of his room for refusing to give him a blowjob. A fight in Las Vegas. Pleadings over e-mail that involved a high-ranking staffer and public money.  Now we know there were plenty of intense moments closer to home between Barry, Donna, and Donna's ex-husband Delonta Brighthaupt.

In this week's cover, we detail the love triangle and pay particular attention to the councilmember using his office and authority in an attempt to get Delonta out of the picture.

Barry's move backfired. Within a few days, he would be arrested on stalking charges. The charges were later dismissed. But the police report surely shows a man in hot pursuit.

We'll post the police report tomorrow.

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" »

The situation now brewing this very moment at the John A. Wilson Building isn't making tons of sense. Standing in front of a throng of about 200 people are three burly-looking dudes with credentials. They are keeping the crowd from entering the 51st State Inaugural Ball, that must-go-to event featuring precious ball commodities like Vincent Gray, Marion Barry, Harry Thomas, and many, many other D.C. councilmembers.

What could be the thinking behind keeping the crowd out? Does Gray need to groom his mustache just a touch more before everyone pours in? Does Thomas need to change out of his sweatpants? Are the cheese cubes going too fast? Come on, let the masses into the 51st State!

Update: Chuck Brown just arrived, with an escort provided by the Federal Protective Services. Chuck likes to play to a packed house, too!

Update: The security forces appear to be giving up. They're giving people a "cursory wanding" and letting them pass.

Reporting by Mike DeBonis, writing by Erik Wemple