Good morning. Mostly cloudy today with a high around 49. A low near 37 overnight.
DC shooting latest: Metropole building manager James Stuart, 46, was shot and killed inside the VIDA Fitness gym in Logan Circle yesterday morning, and four other people were shot from the balcony of Matt Lambert, a doctor who lived in the Metropole. Lambert had been in a long-running dispute with the building’s management over what he told a court were mold and water issues in his unit, and he told a building manager he had “to do something” when they spoke after the shooting. One of his victims is in critical condition, and the others had non-life-threatening injuries. Lambert was found dead inside his unit after the shooting. The Washington Sun’s Michael Brice-Saddler had worked on a never-finished story over the past year about what Lambert called his campaign of “psychological warfare” with the building and writes about a now-chilling conversation with him.
Sports this weekend: The New Jersey Devils visit the Capitals Saturday. The Wizards host Houston Sunday.
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I can’t stop listening to
“Las Mellas.” The new album “Madre Cumbia” is a collaboration between Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Fruko, and Carmelo Torres, and you can hear them all at Union Stage Sunday night.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I keep ridiculously long playlists on Apple Music and on Spotify of this year’s music recommendations. Here are 2025’s songs (Apple, Spotify), too.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out
The Huang stuff
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is in hot water as the fallout from now former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang‘s infidelities takes on a national security dimension. Inside the administration, fingers are being pointed at Lutnick’s relationship with Huang and his efforts to push back on export restrictions on AI chips. (WSJ) “Within the Commerce Department, Nvidia is treated differently than other firms.” (NYT) And yet: President Trump “had been warned at least twice” about Huang’s affair with a suspected Chinese spy and urged Huang Tuesday to fight to save his job. (NYT) Singapore’s government said the US declined to assist its investigation of Megaspeed International, the company for which the alleged spy and Huang paramour Alice Huang worked. (Washington Post) Democrats in Congress are naturally interested in why Lutnick approved sales to China—”and imposed an ‘unconstitutional’ tariff to take a cut of the profits.” (Washington Sun) Republican lawmakers are keen to learn more, too, and invited Lutnick and Huang to testify before the Senate Banking Committee next month. (NYT) Meanwhile: Huang, who’d reportedly had a second affair with an Nvidia exec, reportedly had a third one with a different employee. (Reuters)
The next Congress
US Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said he would mount a challenge to his Democratic colleague, Chuck Schumer of New York, in a bid to be majority leader. (Washington Post) Van Hollen’s move “threatens to publicly divide the caucus — and risks frustrating colleagues — at an otherwise triumphant moment.” (Politico) Also, Van Hollen “is willing to shut down the government to cut off funding for the war, while Schumer – who has been very critical of Trump’s handling of the conflict – hasn’t said what he’ll do.” (Punchbowl News) Meanwhile on the Hill: Scott Colom‘s Senate victory in Mississippi has some Republicans worried about their once-tight lock on the South. (NYT) And Paul LePage will be the only New England Republican in Congress next year. The former Maine governor flipped a House seat red—a rare occurrence in the recent midterms. (Roll Call)
Administration perambulation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded a medal to Army Specialist Thomas Iglesias, who shushed his party at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day. (Washington Post) Trump declared that “We don’t need a deal with Iran” and told Vice President JD Vance to focus on finding fraud in states and cities run by Democrats rather than try to end the war he started, which is now in its ninth month. (NYT) White House personnel must get approval before meeting with lobbyists, according to a memo from new White House chief of staff Stephen Miller. (Politico) The Justice Department instructed agencies to communicate only in English. The GSA closed down a Spanish-language version of USA.gov this week. (Washington Sun) US Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ isn’t currently investigating any Democratic lawmakers because they plan to investigate the administration. (Politico) Kalshi ended Donald Trump Jr.‘s contract with the firm after his investment company 1789 Capital put money into Kalshi’s competitor Polymarket. (MS Now) Two Democratic senators are looking into Health Secretary RFK Jr.‘s 2019 trip to Samoa. Kennedy, an anti-vaxx activist, told senators during his confirmation hearings that the trip had “nothing to do with vaccines,” but a communication at the time suggests that wasn’t exactly the case. (AP)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com
• An initiative that would raise DC’s minimum wage to $25—and eliminate the tipped wage—yesterday moved closer to being on the ballot for next April’s special election.
• Local restaurants have gone all in on holiday takeout since the pandemic. Here’s our guide to to-go Thanksgiving feasts for two or for 20.
• Three local writers have just put together “Ole Blue Claw: Tales from the Crustier Side of Maryland,” a collection of almost two dozen gritty short stories set in the Free State.
• Our guide to holiday markets in the region this year.
• Where to eat, where to shop, and the best stuff to do in Alexandria.
Local news links
• PETA deleted an X post that attempted to tie the Logan Circle tragedy to its efforts to stamp out foie gras. (City Cast DC)
• Progressives on the DC Council delivered what appears to be a definitive “no thanks” to Waymo’s efforts to plonk robotaxis onto District streets. (It seems my hobby of flipping off their cameras when I pass may be near an end.) (Axios D.C.)
• Police in Alexandria have identified a student they say made social media threats against Alexandria City High School. (ALXnow) In Maryland, Montgomery Blair High School went into “secure status” after one student reportedly showed a gun to another. (BethesdaToday)
• The Commanders actually won last night. (Washington Sun) Over at Capital One, fans are exercised about the often empty luxury “Lexus Vault” seats. (Washington Sun)
• Unionized staffers at Washingtonian (a group that includes me) voted to strike at a date yet to be announced after working without a contract for five years. (Washington Post)
• Looking for tickets to this year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony? Best of luck. (NPR)
Things to Do
Friday: The Downtown DC Holiday Market opens.
Saturday: JoJo performs at CityCenterDC’s tree-lighting.
Sunday: It’s the last day of the Alexandria Film Festival.
See many more ideas for fun stuff to do this weekend from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
