What’s with Kenyan McDuffie’s public safety push?

First Up

Kenyan McDuffie wrote a guest post yesterday on Ashley Schapitl’s Capital Commonsense Substack. The topic? Public safety. Again. A day earlier, the mayoral candidate released a blistering attack ad on the exact same subject. In photo ops, campaign mailers, and public forum statements, he’s closing out the campaign relentlessly attacking Janeese Lewis George as dangerously soft on crime.

When the election is over, political scientists will need to explain the campaign trail transformation of McDuffie, a mild-mannered liberal, into an anti-crime attack dog. Is it — as Lewis George’s supporters will say — a desperate bid to change the subject by a guy whose 1990s ideas are out of gas in the new D.C.?

Or is it — as McDuffie partisans believe — a way to rally the old-D.C. normies who aren’t on board with the college-educated newcomers powering his Democratic Socialist rival?

Maybe it’s both. Either way, it’s unprecedented. The spectacle of a mayoral hopeful running as the anti-crime avenger is pretty normal elsewhere, but in Washington it’s an altogether new look. In a couple weeks, we’ll see if it works.

What D.C.'s Talking About

NSO DOA? “Our National Symphony Orchestra is in real trouble,” Ben Folds writes in an open letter published this week. “It may not survive.” The alt-rock legend, who resigned last year as an NSO artistic advisor, noted that the orchestra had yet to announce programming for next season, which has been upended by Donald Trump’s decision to close its Kennedy Center home for renovations. (A judge has put the decision on hold.) Folds wants people to call Congress and demand safeguards.

Condo Crash. While D.C. pols debate building affordable housing, the grim DMV economy may be making a lot of places more affordable than their owners would like: According to Axios, the condo market has tanked, with prices at a record low and many would-be sellers opting to rent out their places instead (which in turn eases the rental market). Grim line from the story: “If you bought your condo in the last few years and are listing it now, you likely won't break even.”

A Wealth Tax? Progressive D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau is proposing a tax on wealthy people's passive income. She says it'll raise $120 million and stave off budget cuts for the vulnerable. One challenge: The tax would hit a lot of people who don’t consider themselves very rich in pricey D.C. It applies to anyone who makes more than $200,000 a year. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Mayor Muriel Bowser both say they don’t like the idea.

Liberty Loan Buyer Speaks. The man who paid $17 million for a former federal office building located on the Tidal Basin, tells the Washington Business Journal that he wants to turn the place into either luxury condos or a hotel. Satvik “Vinny” Raj’s plans had been a subject of some curiosity because he’s a little-known figure in D.C. development, and the Liberty Loan Building is situated on such a key patch of land that it may influence what happens with other de-accessioned nearby federal property.

Anacostia Museum Struggles. Writing in The Atlantic, historian Camille Borders chronicles the fight for survival of the Anacostia Community Museum, a “gem” that “essentially fills the role of the museum of the capital city” but remains part of the Smithsonian. The museum was almost zeroed out of last year’s budget but got a reprieve. Don’t assume that will last: “The future of the smallest Smithsonian is still uncertain, and there is a real risk that Trump’s ongoing campaign against Black history might claim this unique institution,” she writes.

No Needles. Responding to news last week that Lewis George backs “safe injection” sites for drug addicts, a group of clergy convened by the pro-McDuffie political organizer Ron Moten rallied in Ward 7 against “drug injection houses in our community.” It’s another example of McDuffie aligning with traditionalists on a divisive culture issue.

Finally: The Washington Post scoops that the money to fund this year’s biggest-in-history July 4 fireworks fest comes from entry fees at national parks across the country. In another time, the idea of a president diverting money from Yellowstone into a D.C. fireworks show would have people up in arms: There goes POTUS, sucking up to Washington insiders again! But given the history between our city and this president, there’s little danger of that. So thanks, Trump! I guess.

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Friday Floof

Our periodic tradition where we feature a different pet from City Dogs & City Kitties Rescue that is looking for a forever home.

(Male, 6-years-old)

This is Rocco. A professional cuddler and gentleman seeking a forever plus-one. His love languages are snacks, naps, and aggressively leaning his entire body weight against you while pretending he’s lap-sized. Do you have kids? He loves them like they are his own already. Cats? He’s been known to ignore them.

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