Photo by aperryproductions.

On January 27, Mayor Vince Gray held a closed-door meeting with Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH). It was a valuable opportunity for Gray — who had recently marched up to the Hill to scold Republicans for taking away the vote of D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton — to speak with the leader of the new Republican majority about a variety of issues, including Boehner’s proposal to bring back private school vouchers, the variety of Republican legislation aimed at Washington’s autonomy and the Republican Study Group’s proposal to swipe millions of dollars from the District.

So what did Gray and Boehner talk about? Well, no one was really sure. But after the meeting, Gray did take some heat from Washington Post columnist Colbert King, who found out that the Mayor did not use the chance to bring up the Republican Study Group’s crushing cost-cutting proposal. Today, Gray defended the meeting with Boehner as but a brief get-to-know-you session.

“The purpose of my meeting was to get to know Mr. Boehner, the person and the leader, and for him to get to know me,” Gray wrote at the Washington Post’s All Opinions Are Local blog. (Full disclosure: both Martin Austermuhle and I occasionally contribute there.) “It was an opportunity for us to exchange views and for me to better understand his perception of the District.”

“I likewise look forward to having this discussion with every elected leader of the House with oversight responsibility for the District, to share my views on city matters,” Gray added, while admitting that he did speak about vouchers with Boehner.

That’s all well and good, of course. But one wonders how many more chances Gray will get to meet with the Speaker of the House and press him about the urgency of the city’s financial concerns — not to mention the opportunity to mention to him that we’re not peachy keen with being House Republicans’ little fiefdom. Gray’s full post can be read after the jump.