This afternoon, the D.C. Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA), held a press briefing at its downtown offices on rent-control legislation currently making its way through the D.C. Council. Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham has been AOBA’s main adversary on the legislation—which would do such tenant-unfriendly things as abolish rent ceilings and penalties for landlords that do not file rent increase notices. Loose Lips wrote about the conflict this week.

Shortly before the briefing started, Vincent Mark Policy, an attorney with landlord-favorite law firm Greenstein Delorme & Luchs, spotted Graham inside the meeting. “You weren’t invited,” he told the councilmember.

“You’re asking me to leave?” Graham replied.

“Politely,” said Policy. “This is not a public event.”

“Let me have someone from AOBA ask me to leave. You’re from a law firm.”

Policy said OK and walked away. Asked if he’d ever been kicked out of an event before, Graham said, “Never. This will be a first….I didn’t even get a cookie.”

Policy returned and told Graham “you can stay if you don’t talk.” Said Graham: “I wouldn’t dream of saying a word. I have my car legally parked. I can go down and get in it.”

“You want some change for the meter?” Policy replied.

After the event ended an hour and a half later, Policy apologized to Graham.