Last week’s cover story from Jeffrey Anderson weighing the merits and demerits of Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration two years into her first term was perhaps an overdue reflection on a politician who campaigned on growing the city’s middle class but has presided over an enduring gulf between the rich and abjectly poor.

Though Bowser has her defenders, readers seized more strongly on their beefs with the city’s top executive, who is perhaps best known for nurturing relationships with developers, many of whom contributed to her controversial political action committee Fresh PAC and frequently benefit from deals involving city-owned land.

“What do you expect from a [Mayor Adrian] Fenty clone?” reader S.E. wrote. “The Mayor needs more diversity in her hiring practices and selection of directors,” Pointpleasant wrote. “There is no outreach to a diverse workforce. The inability to attract staff from all backgrounds is astounding and will continue to keep DC as a sleepy southern town rather than a robust metropol[is].”

At least one reader, djbuckdc, was willing to cut her some slack. “When all is said and done, not sure what the beef is,” he wrote. “Overall, I’d say she’s done a pretty good job. Being mayor of any large city is no easy task, resources are limited, challenges many.”

But Jack_B_8 doubled down. “Bowser is just like Trump: both arrogant egomaniacs, who lie through their teeth, as they play metaphorical sleight of hand with you,” he wrote. “And dump Bowser, voters shall in two years. She’ll never carry wards 7 & 8—she’s too uptown BOUGY and insincere.” He also offered props to those who were willing to go on the record with their criticisms of Bowser. “Bravo to Elissa Silverman, Elizabeth Davis, and Parisa Norouzi. These are women DC can be proud of.”