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Alex Koma

@alexkoma.bsky.social

2.4K followers 190 following 300 posts

Senior D.C. politics reporter, WAMU 88.5. Pittsburgh born and forever a Hokie. Send story ideas or spam to akoma(at)wamu.org

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Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 14h

Trump's crackdown on DC's homeless has mostly slowed, but shelter providers say it will have ripple effects "for years."

A great (if difficult to read) look at the issue from @sarahykim.bsky.social for the annual @streetsensedc.bsky.social Homeless Crisis Reporting Project
wamu.org/story/25/10/...

Many remain unhoused on D.C. streets, months after the Trump administration ordered sweeping encampment clearings

The Trump administration abruptly cleared numerous homeless encampments in less than a month during its federal takeover of the District. Nearly two months later, many people are still in the region, ...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 17h

This sort of thing is not exactly uncommon: the VP of the police union got caught doing virtually the same a few years ago:
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/5881...

But the extent of this case is unusual. BEGA says he did this 193 times over a two-year period!
bega.dc.gov/sites/bega/f...

Former D.C. Police Union Vice Chair Arrested for Felony Fraud

The Metropolitan Police Department paid former D.C. Police Union Vice Chair Medgar Webster $33,845 while he was working a second job at Whole Foods.

washingtoncitypaper.com

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 17h

Quite the ethics case here: An MPD officer got caught working his second job at Giant while he was also on duty (including posting on Insta about going to the movies while he was theoretically working).

He got charged with fraud, but acquitted. Now he faces $10,500 in fines...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 1d

I got more details on this poll from people who received it, and it sure reads like it's by someone aligned with Bowser. It asks about her stances on various policy issues (including testing out negative messages against her).

And very notable that it asks specifically about a JLG-Bowser matchup...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 1d

Big protest from immigrant organizers in the Wilson Building today demanding an end to MPD cooperation with ICE. A spicy banner, too.

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 1d

More polls! Bowser has, of course, not publicly shared her reelection plans yet, but somebody is already out there asking about her as a candidate.

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 2d

SO after all that, Pinto got to move to withdraw the juvenile curfew bill after Nadeau agreed to move to reconsider it (as she was on the prevailing side of the first vote).

That means the bill can come back in two weeks rather than simply failing, as it was set to do...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 2d

🤔🤔🤔

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 2d

Seems pretty clear that this took Pinto and other backers of this bill by surprise: Mendo hopped off the dais immediately afterward and has plainly been working behind the scenes on something since...

Martin Austermuhle @maustermuhle.bsky.social · 2d

NEWS: The D.C. Council just rejected an emergency bill that would have extended the summer's expanded youth curfew for another three months. The votes against came from Trayon White, @robertwhitedc.bsky.social, @brianneknadeau.bsky.social, @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social, and @chenderson.bsky.social.

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 2d

New: Remember how the Caps/Wiz tried to get exemptions from D.C.'s green building laws for their big Capital One Arena renovation? Regulators just stiff armed Ted Leonsis' firm on the subject.

They've asked for more energy efficiency if they're to let the project advance:
wamu.org/story/25/10/...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 2d

Revisiting this: the Council is bringing the RENTAL Act back up for reconsideration today to fix this issue and clarify that single-family homes are still exempt from TOPA. Bowser is supporting them doing so:

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 2d

Hey, we haven’t had one of these news cycles in a while: I hear someone is polling about a potential Jack Evans challenge to Phil Mendelson next year.

Most 2026 speculation has been about a challenge to Mendo’s left, but Evans would be running to his right…

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 3d

Probably no coincidence that Janeese Lewis George chose this morning to forcefully endorse Robert White for the delegate seat.

Also notable that Pinto is listing an endorsement from former Ward 3 CM Mary Cheh on her website. This race is gonna be spicy…

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 3d

As Brooke Pinto launches her campaign for D.C. delegate, she now faces an ethics complaint over last week's controversial mailer.
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

Former Ward 2 ANC Mo Pasternak filed it, questioning if it only went to Democrats (which would make it a clear campaign move)

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 6d

Former AG Karl Racine told me he found Nadeau's decision not to run refreshing. "Hopefully it's a message generally to elected officials that the office does not belong to them.”

You've gotta imagine this is a message to both EHN, and his old foe Bowser...
wamu.org/story/25/10/...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 7d

This fight could define the race: particularly if Raj's early fundraising success is an indication of her strength as a candidate.

But how much will the ward's Latino community factor in? And what about the impacts of RCV? This is new territory for a ward that hasn't had an open seat since 1982...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 7d

In a preview of the bruising fights to come, Nadeau has already begun attacking @aparnafordc.bsky.social, the former DSA organizer, over her pro-Palestinian advocacy.

Raj has rejected her comments, saying she's a loyal Democrat and they're reminiscent of Trump's attempts to divide the left.

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 7d

New: Brianne Nadeau's exit from the Ward 1 race has kicked things into high gear.

The primary is shaping up to feature two candidates on the left (including Nadeau's hand-picked successor) and others running more to the center. Will Ward 1 remain a progressive stronghold?
wamu.org/story/25/10/...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 8d

The NYT finally managed to get some clarity on an important question: How much is MPD still cooperating with ICE now that the federal takeover is over?

Bowser was very evasive when @segravesnbc4.bsky.social asked about this last month.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/u...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 8d

Some more Ward 1 movement: I just spoke to Jackie Reyes-Yanes, a longtime Bowser/Jim Graham staffer, who plans to file soon. She left DC government yesterday.

A source close to Rashida Brown also confirms she'll launch her campaign (with Nadeau's backing) in the next few weeks.

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 14d

Nadeau makes it official, after months of speculation about her future:
wamu.org/story/25/05/...

The endorsement she alluded to here is almost certainly Rashida Brown, a Park View ANC. I’m not sure that’ll clear the field, though, with so many candidates eyeing this race.

Reposted by Alex Koma

Andrew Kulak @andrewkulak.com · 9d

Proud to have finished my third Hokie Half Marathon this weekend, this year with @alexkoma.bsky.social! And we ran into someone we knew after the race 🦃

Andrew and Alex with their Hokie Half finisher medals and the Hokie Bird!

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 13d

And another tidbit: J.P. Szymkowicz, a lawyer and
Ward 3 ANC, has filed to run against Brian Schwalb for attorney general.

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 13d

In 2026 news: Nate Fleming says he won't run for the at-large seat, after all. He was viewed as a top contender given his long history of Council runs.

That leaves only Shadow Rep. Oye Owolewa in the race, for now. At-Large CM Anita Bonds is expected to run again, but who else might get in?

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 13d

"If I had that one to take back, I probably would have voted no," Ward 3 CM Matt Frumin tells me of his vote to exempt small buildings from TOPA.

The Council is only just beginning to understand what the change will mean after it was rushed through last week:
wamu.org/story/25/09/...

The D.C. Council passed a last-minute change to tenants rights laws. Some lawmakers are rethinking their vote

The D.C. Council moved to exempt small apartment buildings from a longstanding law giving renters the right of first refusal to buy their properties if they go up for sale. Some fear the change will h...

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 14d

It all points to what a rushed process this was, with lawmakers poorly understanding the impacts of the policy they just passed that impacts thousands of tenants.

Probably not surprising that they've already found errors and are considering revisions: