GW Athletics: Only the House Side of the Capitol Matters

(Courtesy George Washington University)

Sad day for George Washington University Law School alum/Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (or something): A rendering of the school’s new basketball court includes an image of the Capitol — but not the Senate side!

Of course, no one has cared about GW basketball since Pops Mensah-Bonsu and that time people accidentally won brackets in 2006 thinking that “George Mason” was the same as “George Washington.” But no matter. Senators feel snubbed over everything, and with all the Colonials crawling around the Capitol, HOH is sure there will be enough “the upper chamber got usurped by the White House!” snark to go around.

Truth be told, this reporter is a big basketball fan, has actually been to multiple GW basketball games (not suggested to attend a game on Greek Day) and thinks the court is pretty cool.

Per the school’s press release, GW was created in 1821 through an act of Congress and everyone is stoked about running and sweating all over the Washington Monument, White House and two-thirds of the Capitol.

“After our graduating students and student-athletes enjoyed their Commencement ceremony on the National Mall yesterday, unveiling this spectacular new floor design today further emphasizes our campus setting in the heart of D.C.,” Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero said in the statement. “When people around the world are watching our games, we want them to immediately recognize and understand the university’s unique setting in the middle of the action in this world-class city.”

Meanwhile, Georgetown students still will be left to struggle to figure out how to use public transportation from the Verizon Center downtown to their campus in far Northwest.

Capitol Quip: Let’s Go On Tour

Illustrator R.J. Matson’s latest cartoon needs a caption.

With the White House dealing with a trifecta of scandals, we figured it only made sense to turn from the Capitol for a short spell to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue for source material. Have at it!

Leave us your caption in the comments section below. Editors will pick five finalists Wednesday, and then everyone can vote for the winner until Thursday afternoon. The winner gets a signed print from Matson.

Overheard: A Lot of Questions

“Sir, that was a lot of questions, sir.”

— Acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller, responding to a 368-word question from Rep. Paul D. Ryan at Friday’s House Ways and Means Committee hearing.

Fantastic Sanford-Appalachian Trail Gala Timing

Hmm.

Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., gets sworn in on Wednesday, in Washington, D.C., in the House chamber.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s gala is held on Wednesday, in Washington, D.C., on the rooftop terrace of 101 Constitution Ave. NW.

You can’t make this stuff up.

McHenry Stretches With Beyonce Homage

Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-N.C., is obviously a pretty with-it guy.

He’s up with the baddest pop culture trends and down with all the things the cool kids love.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when his own words fail to communicate just how important abstinence education is, McHenry would turn to the lyrical stylings of Lady Bey to help him get his point across … about a bill to amend the Securities and Exchange Commission. Full story

Overheard: No Love Lost Between Holder, Issa

“The way you conduct yourself as a member of Congress is unacceptable and shameful.”

— Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa at Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing.

We Are Marshall, Sanford That Is

HOH continues its roll out of the welcome wagon for former-but-soon-to-be-officially-back-again Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C.

Or is that Rep. Marshall Sanford?

The nameplate for the newest member of the House. (Photo courtesy of HOH Tipster)

For the record, the Biographical Record of the United States Congress does indeed list the former governor as Marshall Clement Sanford Jr. (Mark). But in all our years, we’ve never heard anyone refer to him as anything but Mark.

Domenici Hopes to Repair Ties With Reid After Affair

Former Sen. Pete V. Domenici, R-N.M., wants to patch up his relationship with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid after the Nevada Democrat refused to see him because of an affair Domenici had with the daughter of one of Reid’s close friends three decades ago.

“I have occasion to call him every now and then,” Domenici told the Albuquerque Journal. “Harry has been a longtime friend. I’m sorry for what happened 35 years ago, and I look forward to any opportunity to talk with him about these matters.”

Full story

This Caption Had the Right Lift | Capitol Quip

Thanks to the many readers who contributed captions for last week’s Capitol Quip contest. Here’s the winning entry as voted by readers of Heard on the Hill.

The winner will receive a signed color print suitable for framing from Roll Call cartoonist R.J. Matson.

Larry Flynt Endorses Mark Sanford — Because it Wasn’t all Weird Enough

Because things weren’t weird enough in the special election for South Carolina’s 1st District House seat, what with satirist Stephen Colbert’s sister taking on the world’s foremost Appalachian Trail hiker, now Hustler publisher Larry Flynt has entered the picture.

On Tuesday, calling former Gov. Mark Sanford the “sex pioneer of our time,” Flynt endorsed the one-time Republican House member who in 2009 disappeared for several days for a tryst in Argentina with his then-mistress, now-finacee María Belén Chapur. Sanford’s aides at the time said the governor was hiking the Appalachian Trail, providing generations of comedians and political writers a ready-made euphemism.

“Sanford’s open embrace of his mistress in the name of love, breaking his sacred marriage vows, was an act of bravery that has drawn my support,” Flynt said in a release on his website. It was an endorsement, though, that the smut peddler and free-speech activist made with a few reservations. Full story

Artichoke Week! Not Kidding!

Perhaps there just aren’t enough artichokes in your life.

Thankfully, HOH is here to direct you to friendly neighborhood restaurant Boundary Road (414 H St. NE), which is letting loose with Artichoke Week. Through Friday, drop by for artichoke inspired food, cocktails and wines.

And if an artichoke inspired libation isn’t enough for the artichokiphiles out there, just sample some of Boundary Road’s stock of Cynar, the artichoke liqueur. (We couldn’t make this up if we tried.)

Boundary Road will sell you Cynar, an artichoke liqueur. (Jason Dick/CQ Roll Call)

Discerning HOH readers will recall that the Boundary Road gang has kind of thing for challenging drinks. At their one-year anniversary party in February, they offered $5 shots of Becherovka, a mysterious Czech herbal liqueur.

Five Captions Hoping to Get Pulled Over | Capitol Quip

Five finalists for this week’s caption contest are speeding your way. Now it’s your turn to vote.

Using the comments section below, vote for your favorite caption until 5 p.m. Thursday.

Here are this week’s finalists:

My name? I’m officer Phil I. Buster

Sir, did you know you were going 55 in a 60 vote zone?

Yes, sir, I’m afraid that attempting to pass ANY legislation here is a “moving violation.”

No, sir, a super-majority of the speed limit is not the new normal.

Sir, you’re under arrested development.

The cartoon with the winning caption will appear on this blog on April 29 and in that day’s print edition of Roll Call. The contest winner will receive a signed color print of his or her Capitol Quip cartoon from the cartoonist, R.J. Matson.

Anthony Weiner Peeks Head Out, Twittersphere Explodes

Ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., who, for some reason or another in 2011 abruptly resigned from office/bailed on the social mediaverse, burst back onto the scene Monday:

(Screenshot)

As expected, the Twitterati have been having a field day with this particular second coming Full story

Mayor Rahm Emanuel in DC While Chi-Town Floods

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Thursday morning event at The Atlantic was canceled at the last minute due to the torrential rains and subsequent flood ravaging the Windy City. Yet, it doesn’t appear the mayor canceled plans to be at the White House on Friday.

The weather in Chicago was so horrendous that by Thursday afternoon, flights in and out of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport were grounded or severely delayed. On Friday, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn has declared a state of emergency in 38 Illinois counties, including Cook County, where Chicago is located, and the neighboring counties. And Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., was on the ground to see the devastation first hand.

By contrast, Emanuel was seen walking past the Westend Bistro in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., on Thursday night. On Friday, Emanuel went to the White House, which houses another famous Chicagoan, President Barack Obama.

According to the mayor’s office, Emanuel left Chicago Thursday morning. The mayor was in D.C. to participate in the (now-rescheduled) Atlantic event and to meet with former President Bill Clinton and the U.S. Conference of Mayors for the launch of a new infrastructure taskforce.

The White House visit is just something he does whenever he is in Washington, said Sarah Hamilton, spokeswoman for the mayor’s office. Emanuel, Obama’s first chief of staff, and White House officials apparently catch up and chat about various issues having to do with Chicago.

As for whether the mayor is concerned about how it looks for him to be away while his city is under water, Hamilton assured us that he has stayed abreast of the situation, working the phones beginning late Wednesday night and receiving constant updates.

Meredith Shiner and Warren Rojas contributed to the report.

The Funemployment Chronicles

Rather than cry about the nonprofit post quashed by sequester-mandated budget cuts, an ex-House staffer has decided to seek his entertainments elsewhere.

His current happy place? Think tank luncheons.

The Panel Crasher blog, a virtual soapbox set up by D.C.’s self-described “equal opportunity, bipartisan moocher and offender,” went live April 3, just days after its founder got bounced from a recent gig funded by government grants. With three years of congressional experience (one year as an intern, two years as paid committee staff) under his belt, the rudderless — at least until graduate school starts later this fall — wonk decided to milk the situation for all it’s worth.
Full story