The Needle: Incoming Democrats Plan to Investigate Corruption, Man Arrested for Pointing Finger Gun at National Guard, Blue Wave Could Slow Trump’s Renovation Plans for D.C., and More
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Gail O'Hara (via Washington CityPaper)
Lawyer up: Democrats in the House and Senate are planning to investigate convicted felon and President Donald Trump’s corruption, and are preparing an oversight agenda to examine the Trump family’s self-enrichment, crypto business, real estate, and business dealings, the bunker/ballroom and other vanity projects, along with government stock trading, ICE raids, the Epstein files, and DOGE. Plus one point for investigations into the extravagant self-dealing that has come at the public’s expense. +1 [AP News]
Hand gun: On Monday, police charged D.C. man William Johnathan Clark, 28, with “threats in a menacing manner” after he pointed a “finger gun” at National Guard members. Guard troops asked police to arrest Clark over a “threatening hand gesture.” Clark was also charged with assault on a police officer but the affidavit didn’t explain that charge. Making hand gestures is typically constitutionally protected free speech. Guard members in D.C., many of whom are from outside the area, have been jeered, threatened, and spit on, the Post says. During Clark’s arraignment, prosecutors reduced the charges to a misdemeanor count of simple assault, and a judge scheduled a hearing for December. Minus one point for overreacting. -1 [Post]
Power dynamic: Democrats’ historic victory Tuesday night could slow down Trump’s plans to remake D.C. in his image, including the 250-foot arch, the ballroom, the Kennedy Center closure and renovation, and the East Potomac Golf Links. With the Democrats taking control of the House and Senate, Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck calls the midterm results a “huge public repudiation of so much of the president’s agenda” and suggests that the courts might align with voters in these cases. Also Democrats will be replacing Kentucky Congressman James Comer, who has pushed to overturn D.C. laws, on the House Oversight Committee. Plus one point for more control of our city. +1 [WTOP, Axios DC, WBJ]
Forced exposure: While most federal workforce “separations” in Trump’s second term have been classified as “voluntary,” a new survey suggests many civil servants left their posts because they felt coerced. Almost 75 percent say they left due to “pressure, incentives, or an involuntary separation.” More than 2,000 former federal employees from 55 agencies who left two years ago responded to the survey, with 85 percent saying they “strongly disagreed” that their departures were handled with dignity and respect. Instead of making government more efficient, respondents say the cuts reduced capacity, expertise, and services to the public. About 87 percent said either “yes” or “maybe” when asked if they’d return to government jobs. Minus one point for losing top talent, service, and expertise. -1 [Federal News Network]
Falling stocks: Elon Musk spent $474 million on GOP races in the midterms, nearly half in Texas, where his companies are based. But after his candidates lost bigly, shares of SpaceX and Tesla plummeted on Wednesday. That’s even as tech stocks, including Meta, Microsoft, Google, and the rest of the stock market, were doing great. Democrats have indicated they will investigate Musk when they take control of Congress, which could complicate the richest man alive’s future plans. Plus one point for poetic justice, not that it will really impact his bank account. +1 [NYT]
