Photo by christaki

Good morning, Washington. Today marks the beginning of the NTSB’s public hearing on the deadly June 22 Red Line crash. The Post’s Lena Sun offers a preview, noting that the “safety board rarely holds public hearings, but it will take sworn testimony and question witnesses because of serious safety concerns about Metro and widespread interest in the accident.” You can watch the hearing online here.

Federal Takeover of Metro? Apropos of the hearing, two groups of senators are threatening WMATA with “direct federal intervention” if the transit system fails to make immediate safety improvements. The Post has more, including excerpts from a letter from Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and David Vitter (R-La.), which expresses serious concerns that Metro has shown “a troubling pattern of safety incidents.” What would a theoretical federal takeover of Metro look like? Possibilities “could include restrictions on funding, additional investigations or a federal takeover of Metro’s governing board, said Afshin Mohamadi, a spokesman for Menendez.”

Barry Response Expected Today: Ward 8 D.C. Council member Marion Barry is expected to respond to independent attorney Robert Bennett’s scathing ethics report today. While we wait, ponder WUSA9’s Bruce Johnson’s report that Barry and flame Donna Watts-Brighthaupt are apparently back together, having “arrived at the John Wilson building together last week.” Watts-Brighthaupt is the very girlfriend at the center of Barry’s most recent problems, having been the recipient of a highly questionably personal services contract from Barry’s office, and the source of the controversial kickbacks Bennett’s report indicates Barry received. As such, “Councilmembers say privately they are angry at Barry over the contracts to friends and his rekindled relationship with his ex.”

Briefly Noted: Another Metrobus driver fired for texting while driving … Rhee shares more details on teacher misconduct … Region’s jobless rate remains well below normal.

This Day in DCist: In 2009, the Senate was getting ready to vote on D.C. voting rights, and in 2007, we kept track of a local contestant on American Idol.