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If a political drama set a lobbyist-laden fundraiser for powerful politicians at the infamous Watergate complex, Loose Lips would probably scoff at such a well-worn series of cliches. As ever, truth is stranger than fiction in D.C. politics.

LL hears that Council Chair Phil Mendelson is hosting a “reception” to raise money for his constituent service fund on Wednesday, with suggested donations ranging from $250 to $500. At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie is listed as a “special guest,” per a copy of an invitation forwarded to LL, while the host committee is a veritable who’s who of D.C. bigwigs. 

The listed chairs of the event include Lloyd Moore Jr. (a lawyer and former pal of Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry) and top lobbyists Jon Mandel and Kerry Pearson. The latter lobbyist, who has made a name for himself shilling for major companies such as Pepco and Fort Myer Construction over the past two decades, owns the $550,000 condo in the Watergate South building where the fundraiser is being held, per city real estate records. Other listed hosts include lobbyists Janene Jackson and Ed Fisher; attorneys Frederick Douglas and Curtis Boykin; and corporate executive turned D.C. Public Library board member Donella Brockington. (Neither Pearson nor Mandel, the listed contact for the event, responded to requests for comment.)

If all those boldface names have started to make the event seem a bit slimy, fear not: Mendo assures LL that his motives here are perfectly pure. Since the money will flow into the Council chair’s constituent service fund—rather than a campaign account, seeing as he’s not up for reelection for two years—he intends to use the proceeds to meet an expected surge in demand for rent and utility relief as the winter holidays draw near. 

Councilmembers and the mayor are allowed to set up these funds for precisely this purpose. The funds allow local pols to throw some money around to host community events, pay for funeral arrangements, or otherwise help their constituents with emergency expenses. That’s a noble enough purpose. But these funds also help lawmakers burnish their reputations in the community. And what better way for a lobbyist or lawyer with interests before the D.C. government to win some favor than by helping politicos with such a project?

“I’m tired of that argument,” Mendelson says in response. “It suggests that officeholders have no spine or ethics. It is true, you can point to one or two who might be questionable, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said, ‘no,’ to Mr. Pearson. I have seen colleagues, over and over, where their best friends were lobbyists, but they still get rejected on a particular issue.”

For a closer look at this swanky evening, what it means for these highly scrutinized constituent service funds, and much more, check out our full story online. 

—Alex Koma (tips? akoma@washingtoncitypaper.com)

Court Services Employee Leaked Personal Information About a Man To Her Gang-Affiliated Boyfriend

Dameshia Cooper pleaded guilty to sharing personal information about a man in home confinement.

• Two women who gave birth while they were incarcerated in the DC Jail say the facility did not always provide them with necessary support before and after their babies were born. Both women say they were shackled (or officers attempted to shackle them) during their pregnancies and postpartum, and they stopped breastfeeding as they dealt with depression and logistical problems. [Post]
• American Airlines is testing new technology to catch passengers who try to board planes before their assigned group, whom airline employees refer to as “gate lice.” The tech is in place in Albuquerque and Tucson and will expand to National Airport soon. [Post]
• Washington Gas is among the plaintiffs that filed lawsuits in D.C. and Montgomery County challenging the laws banning gas appliances in newly constructed residential and commercial buildings by 2026. [WBJ]
• The Washington Spirit will host a quarterfinal playoff match at Audi Field Nov. 10 as the team looks to reclaim their 2021 NWSL title. [Spirit, NYT]

By City Paper Staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Vice President Kamala Harris could opt to spend election night in D.C. She’s currently eyeing Howard University, her alma mater, as a headquarters and setting to deliver speeches on the results on Nov. 5. The Walter Washington Convention Center is another top contender. [NBC News]
• D.C. officials are preparing for weeks of disruptions and enhanced security in the aftermath of the election. Mayor Muriel Bowser doesn’t expect to close schools and isn’t urging downtown businesses to board up their windows, but the experience of Jan. 6, 2021, has still made her cautious. [Post, WJLA, Fox 5]
• The Ward 7 State Board of Education race is getting heated. Challenger Toni Criner has picked up endorsements from onetime rival Charles Boston (whose name will still remain on the ballot) and soon-to-be Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder. “If Eboni-Rose Thompson wanted to run for state board again, she shouldn’t have jumped in the Council race,” Felder said of the incumbent and his former opponent. “I don’t know if her heart is in education or if the state board is a back-up plan.” [Informer]

By Alex Koma (tips? akoma@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Is Chefs for Equality “one of the more slept-on events” in D.C.? Jane Jane’s co-owner J.P. Sabatier thinks so. The event, which took place Monday at the National Building Museum, supports the Human Rights Campaign’s nationwide outreach work. [WTOP]
• The marionberry (the fruit, not the mayor) was first developed in the 1950s by the Department of Agriculture at Oregon State University. As local chain &Pizza finds itself in the middle of a growing controversy over an ad campaign that promotes its new marionberry knots via the Mayor for Life’s arrest for crack cocaine, Washingtonian’s Jessica Sidman takes a quick look back at the origin of the blackberry varietal and its popularity in D.C. [Washingtonian]
• Pumpkin spice is so 2023. From ube lattes to boniato cortados (made with sweet potato and foamed milk), here are 10 fall-themed drinks that are anything but basic. [City Cast]

By City Paper staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)