Photo by andertho

You can almost hear it, can’t you? Mayor Adrian Fenty, doing his best impression of Superintendent Chalmers from The Simpsons, yelling from his office, “Skinner!” Once again there’s news — and it’s not good news — involving Fenty’s fraternity brother and longtime political associate Sinclair Skinner. The Examiner is reporting that four members of the D.C. Council, potentially egged on by an angry Vincent Gray, are probing construction management contracts worth tens of millions of dollars that were handed out by Fenty without the necessary legislative oversight. (The Post also has details.) The contracts, worth $82 million, were given to firms with links to Skinner, who has become an all-purpose scandal-in-a-box for the mayor, and other Fenty friends.

Let the Intra-Party Fighting Begin: It’s not even election time and already Democrats are starting to lay blame for the Creigh Deeds’ faltering campaign for Virginia’s highest office. According to the Post, senior Obama officials are pointing the finger squarely at Deeds, arguing that he wasn’t quick enough to embrace the popular president and that he focused his attentions on attacking opponent Robert McDonnell more than laying out his own vision for the commonwealth. The officials are trying to distance any potential loss from Obama, fearing that it could signal a loss of influence in local races.

Pastors Take Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage to Gray: The Examiner reports that 16 pastors, including Bishop Harry Jackson, met with D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray in order to express their opposition to same-sex marriage in the District. The pastors urged Gray to allow a referendum on the issue and promised to work with Congress to overturn any legislation that passes the council. Said Rev. Anthony Evans: “According to my faith, I am to use the full force of my being to oppose this legislation and those who run for higher office in support of it. We will do this, but we’ll do it in love.” Of course! They love gay District residents so much that they have to do whatever it takes to stop them — lovingly, duh — from entering into a legal contract based on, well, love. Obviously.

Dulles People Movers Will Never Die: We were so close to being rid of those horrible people movers at Dulles, but it looks like we might have to wait a little longer. The Post reports that the train meant to replace the aging people movers — those awkward oversized vans — to shuttle passengers from terminal to terminal has failed a reliability test for a second time. The trains were supposed to be put into use in December.

Briefly Noted: Metro’s brakes catch on fire … Schools want more money for healthy lunches … City begins investigation of Adams Morgan bar after patron death … Meet the man behind the District’s Wikipedia entry.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2008 we anxiously awaited the city’s newest Metro buses and followed a hotly contested race for an At-Large seat on the D.C. Council. In 2007, we found one more reason to not go swimming in the Anacostia River — raw sewage.