Mitch Ryals

3D Virtual Exhibition Visit the open show!

You can explore the virtual gallery here:

assets.artplacer.com/virtual-exhi...

Inside Voices: Lorton Prison Views Closing on Thursday, this exhibition of photos by prisoners at Lorton Reformatory in the 1980s highlights the talent of incarcerated people.

This photo exhibit unfortunately closes tonight, but the images are incredible. They're taken by and of people locked in Lorton Reformatory in the 1980s.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7806...

Pardoned Capitol Rioter from Maryland Rearrested for Touching Women’s Hair on Metro Bryan Betancur Battisti, a self-proclaimed white supremacist and wannabe Proud Boy, has a history of stalking women. He’s facing new charges in Arlington County.

A Capitol rioter pardoned by Trump was arrested this week after he filmed himself touching women's hair on the Metro. Bryan Betancur is a self-proclaimed white supremacist who has a history of stalking women.

... NBC4 reporter Paul Wagner reports that Andre Wright’s cell phone was seized as part of MPD’s investigation into crime stats and investigators found “inappropriate texts.”

It's unclear exactly why Andre and Natasha Wright have had their police powers revoked (MPD declined to comment beyond confirming their paid leave statuses). But Andre Wright was one of the MPD officials named in the DOJ’s report raising concerns about the department's manipulation of crime data...

MPD Assistant Chief Accused of Having Sex With Subordinates Assistant Chief Andre Wright has had two affairs with subordinate officers and allegedly drank on the job, according to an official complaint and divorce filings.

I reported in 2022 on accusations that Andre Wright had sex with subordinates, had sex on MPD premises, and drank alcohol while on the job. Wright told me the department investigated the accusations, but declined to describe the outcome.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/5691...

MPD Asst. Chief Andre Wright Put On Administrative Leave Wright’s wife, MPD Inspector Natasha Wright, was also suspended. A spokesperson declined to provide a reason the two have been suspended.

@dcpolicedept.bsky.social Asst. Chief Andre Wright has been put on administrative leave, along with his wife, MPD Inspector Natasha Wright.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7807...

Today's Message

The Answers Issue 2026 Your questions are our command.

The Answers Issue is out! We still don't know how old Marty Weil is, but we did find the story behind that psychedelic cloud car in Northwest and the artist behind the sculpture in the front yard of a house just north of Sherman Circle:

Topshelf Records Cancels Album Release for Ekko Astral Ahead of the D.C. punk band’s new album and Liberation Weekend festival, their scene reacts to legal action by frontwoman Jael Holzman.

Following @wcp.bsky.social reporting on @ekkoastral.bsky.social frontwoman Jael Holzman's peace order against former drummer, Topshelf Records dropped the band, cancelled their album release, and said it's issuing refunds for pre-orders. Contributor @taylorruckle.bsky.social has the details:

Lawyer and Shadow Sen. Paul Strauss, who works on housing cases, says Laney's conflicting roles are "pretty shocking.

"You're not supposed to be doing stuff that relates to your government job," he says. "If it's not an actual conflict, it certainly creates the appearance of one."

In his gov job, Terrance Laney is tasked with enforcing tenants' rights. But through his private law firm, he solicited landlord clients, telling them in an ad, "This year is going to be a huge turnaround year for DC landlords."

Moonlighting: D.C. Rental Housing Administrator Solicits Landlord Clients For His Side Gig Terrance Laney was put on leave after City Paper asked about the potential conflict of interest in his dual roles.

ICYMI: D.C.’s rental housing administrator was put on leave after @wcp.bsky.social contributor Suzie Amanuel started asking questions about his side gig.

Ekko Astral Frontwoman Jael Holzman Files Peace Order Petition Accusing Former Bandmate of Making Threats An uncontested order requires recently departed Ekko drummer Miri Tyler to stay away from Holzman for six months. But Tyler denies threatening anyone.

Ekko Astral’s Jael Holzman accused former bandmate Miri Tyler of threatening her in a poem shared to social media. Now Tyler, who denies threatening anyone, is under an uncontested peace order.

It’s not the first time acrimony among Ekko Astral has become public. Taylor Ruckle has the story.

D.C. Attorney General Targets D.C. Slumlord With RICO Lawsuit, Alleging Corrupt Enterprise Across 70 Rent-Controlled Buildings Despite the AG’s lawsuit, another notorious slumlord has reappeared as a representative at a building in Razjooyan’s enterprise.

Following the @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social's announcement of a RICO lawsuit against Sam Razjooyan, @wcp.bsky.social investigative reporter Suzie Amanuel has new details about another notorious D.C. slumlord who's reappeared and is now involved with one of the buildings:

The Next Hottest Rental Strategy? Market To Housing Choice Voucher Holders Local real estate firms are increasingly keen to cash in on a lucrative government program. One local developer has leveraged it to build a small empire of low-income apartment buildings where constru...

Also, shoutout to former @wcp.bsky.social and DCist reporter Morgan Baskin, who was all over this story back in 2023:

Read the full lawsuit here:

Washington City Paper Series Nails DC Slumlord and Prompts AG Fines - Reporters Suzie Amanuel and Alex Koma's reporting on the troubling practices of landlord Sam Razjooyan has led to increased scrutiny over the controversial property owner.

And thanks to @spotlightdc.bsky.social for its essential support of this reporting: spotlightdc.org/impact-story...

How Can D.C. Make Life Harder for Landlords Like Sam Razjooyan? The City Has the Tools, But It’s Not Using Them. D.C. has the tools to make life harder on landlords—like Sam Razjooyan—who are accused of deceptive practices. But it’s not using them.

And @alexkoma.bsky.social dug into the tools available to the D.C. government that could stop Razjooyan and others doing similar dirt, but wasn't using them:

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7572...

Lender That Helped Fund Slumlord Sam Razjooyan Was Warned About Alleged Fraud. They Loaned Him Millions. A whistleblower has accused Red Oak Capital of shoddy vetting and reckless lending. Razjooyan received more than $40 million from the private lender. Where did all that money go?

Amanuel also dug into how private lenders fuel Razjooyan's unlawful actions that displace low-income tenants and keep them in living in abject squalor.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7614...

How a D.C. ‘Slumlord’ Scammed Tenants and Lenders to Build a Portfolio of Neglected Properties, According to Lawsuits and Tenant Accounts Ali “Sam” Razjooyan and his associates are accused of doctoring loan documents and tricking tenants out of their rights. While they get rich, tenants are displaced.

@wcp.bsky.social investigative reporter Suzie Amanuel has been reporting on Razjooyan and his associates since 2024, including his doctoring of loan documents and tricking tenants out of their rights as he has built a portfolio of neglected slums:

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7541...

Instagram Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.

@dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social is announcing a RICO case against slumlord Sam Razjooyan filed this week: www.instagram.com/dcattorneyge...

Court filings also reference an argument White had that resulted in him getting kicked out of the casino.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7789...

NEWS: Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White's trial for bribery, which was scheduled to begin March 24, will be delayed. A judge agreed that a "significant amount of new information" turned over last month by prosecutors to White's defense attorney justified holding off on trial. No new date yet.

D.C. Cop Charged With Scamming Pennsylvania Man on Facebook Marketplace Metropolitan Police Department Officer Christopher Bijan Shahsavar ghosted a man who paid him $2,500 for a gaming console.

@dcpolicedept.bsky.social Officer Christopher Shahsavar agreed to sell a PlayStation 5 to a guy in Pennsylvania. He received the money via Venmo then ghosted the dude. He was charged with 4 felonies and was ordered to repay the victim. Now MPD is trying to fire him.

@wcp.bsky.social is hiring two reporters! Come work with us:

washingtoncitypaper.com/job-opportun...

Ms. Guided: Relationship Ins and Outs for 2026 A guide to what’s in, what’s out, and why your friend’s loser boyfriend is her responsibility.

Couples’ content, coffee dates, and diamond maximalism are out. Meddling, marathon first dates, and elopements are in.

Here’s Ms. Guided’s take on what’s in, what’s out, and what your friend’s loser boyfriend says about her:

Come work with us!

Housing Authority Internal Auditor Put on Leave Amid Her Probe of Contracting Misconduct and Financial Mismanagement Petuna Cooper alleges in a lawsuit that the agency’s leadership is retaliating against her while an internal memo alleges she has mistreated employees.

Accusations are flying back and forth at the DC Housing Authority: contractual shenanigans, financial mismanagement, threats, and name calling.

The internal auditor was put on admin leave, and then promptly filed a whistleblower lawsuit.

Read about it:

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7771...

2025 in Photos Revisit 2025 through City Paper photographer Darrow Montgomery’s lens.

Trump’s inaugural parade. The dismantling of BLM Plaza. No Kings and Free DC protests. Pride. National Guard deployment. The People Issue.

Revisit 2025 through @darrow-m.bsky.social’s lens: