The Needle: Rock Creek Tennis Center Plan Appears to Be Advancing, Trump’s Iran War Has Cost Taxpayers $47 Billion, DMV Residents Really Love the Kennedy Center, and More
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Gail O'Hara (via Washington CityPaper)
Net gain? D.C. businessman Mark Ein (who also owns City Paper) is reportedly in advanced stages to secure a long-term lease agreement for Rock Creek Tennis Center, which sits on federal land and requires an extensive facility renovation. That work is expected to cost around $25 million; the city has preserved $9.6 million in its budget for the tennis center, which is home to Ein’s DC Open. City officials argue that a spruced-up center would draw tourists and tournaments; critics worry the project is being fast-tracked and advanced without sufficient public input and that public access could become limited. Minus two points for fast-tracking and keeping the public out of the process. –2 [Post]
Big spender: Convicted felon and President Donald Trump’s Iran war has cost American taxpayers an estimated $47.1 billion thus far, per a Pentagon estimate. The massive price tag for the unpopular war and its impact on gas, food, travel, and energy prices will likely impact next week’s midterm elections. It has dragged on for eight months despite Trump’s initial promise it would last a few weeks. At least 21 service members have been killed and 865 wounded. Congress is considering a proposed $1.5 trillion military budget along with a $95 billion war package, but voters want Congress to prioritize ending the conflict, per a recent AP-NORC poll. Minus two points for wasting our tax dollars and failing to listen to the people. -2 [AP News]
Meaningful: As the future of the Kennedy Center is waiting to be determined in the courts, WAMU asked DMV residents what the institution means to them. Plus two points for a beloved community hub, arts center, and grand icon of D.C. +2 [WAMU]
A day at the breach: A massive data breach has reportedly exposed the names, cell numbers, and email addresses of more than 40,000 DHS employees, including those at ICE, CBP, HSI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. A website called Distributed Denial of Secrets said Wednesday it leaked the data. The leaked info provides a map of how DHS is organized and how it operates, including job titles, email groups, assignments, locations, surveillance jobs, computer forensics, and undercover work. This is the third major government data leak in recent months: In September, FBI data was breached and this month the Defense Department was hit with a class action lawsuit over exposed data of millions of military personnel. Minus one point for letting DOGE sack all the cybersecurity experts but plus one point for exposing the bad guys. 0 [US News, Wired]
Mo butts about it: Is it us or is Trump talking more about butts lately? The Washington Sun analyzed 4,600 transcripts of the president’s rallies and events, and yes, he really is. In addition to being obsessed with Ohio Sen. Jon Husted and Nicki Minaj’s bootays, Trump dramatically increased the number of comments he’s made about bodies on the campaign trail. The comments get laughs (perhaps because crowds are so bored hearing endless monologues about the ballroom). David Hamermesh, a University of Texas professor who wrote a book on the economics of physical attractiveness, tells the Sun: “He’s not insulting people for a change. The president shouldn’t be doing this. It has nothing to do with the job.” Minus one point for creepy Trump. -1 [Washington Sun]
