Near Mayor Muriel Bowser has won the election, but she still has hands to shake. Lots of them. Hundreds of bigwigs and job hunters stood in a receiving line yesterday to tromp through the Near Mayor’s Judiciary Square office suite, all for a brief picture with Bowser.
Anyone looking to get in early with the Bowser administration first had to hazard a lengthy security line outside Judiciary Square, then another line outside of the 7th floor offices. Once they reached the suite, they met another line….and, if they came at the right time, a live steel drum performance of Toto’s “Africa.”
Among the well-wishers: newly elected attorney general Karl Racine, fire union honcho Ed Smith, pro-Bowser music video supporter Ron Moten, and D.C. Chamber of Commerce president Harry Wingo (in a green tie, natch), who declared Bowser’s open house to be a sign of her administration’s, well, “openness.”
Was Vince Gray superfan Robert Brannum, who had an appointment in Gray’s administration and was at the open house, looking for a job in the next one? If he was, Brannum said, he certainly wouldn’t tell LL.
Already at work inside were remnants of Adrian Fenty‘s Green Team. After announcing her transition’s co-chairs on Friday, Bowser’s transition introduced more staffers on Friday. Longtime Fenty advisor and fundraiser John Falcicchio will direct the transition, while Fenty administration lawyer-turned-lobbyist Thorn Pozen has been hired on as counsel for the transition.
Elsewhere in the transition, Bowser supporter and potential Ward 4 D.C. Council replacement Brandon Todd will manage the office, while Bowser campaign “traveling chief of staff” Angie Gates works as operations director. Bowser brought over economic development committee staffer Lindsey Parker to handle the transition’s policy operations. Bowser has brought on Tamara Watkins, described in the Post as a college friend of hers, to handle hiring.
If you relish the idea of fending off job requests, the transition is already looking for communications and scheduling staff.