Attention investors: The D.C. Office of the Chief Financial Officer has set up a new web site, www.buyDCbonds.com, in order to offer approximately $270 million in income tax-backed bonds for sale on August 18 through 19. The impending bonds offer comes at the same time that CFO Natwar Gandhi announced today that the city has retained its high marks from all three ratings agencies: Standard & Poor’s once again gave D.C. a AAA rating, Moody’s…

D.C. Wire has a fantastic tidbit from a series of internal Office of Tax and Revenue emails between District CFO Natwar Gandhi and embezzler of $50 million Harriette Walters. The emails, written in April of 2007, about seven months before the scandal broke, came about after Gandhi sent out an announcement to his employees letting them know that had decided not to accept an offer to become Amtrak’s CFO. Walters replied to Gandhi’s staff-wide email…

Happy Christmas Eve, Washington. With the frenzy of last-minute shopping and travel out of the city largely complete, folks staying here for the holiday are being treated to a quieter, gentler D.C. than normal, and it turns out in more ways than one. Over the weekend the Post took a look at a recent decline in the murder rate, reporting that only nine homicides have been logged in the District in the 37 days since…

>> Congress finally, finally went home. [The Hill] >> CFO Natwar Gandhi is “deeply sorry” for the Office of Tax and Revenue scandal: “It’s tearing me apart.” [City Desk] >> An MPD officer has been arrested and charged in a federal child sex sting. [WJLA] >> Gallaudet University received more than $6 million from a Fredericksburg woman who left the bulk of her estate to the university. [AP via WTOP] >> Alexandria’s lackluster Landmark…

Good morning, Washington. Think good thoughts for Tian Tian, the National Zoo’s male giant panda and the biological father of Tai Shan/Butterstick. Tian Tian underwent eye surgery yesterday to remove inflamed tissue from one of his third eyelids. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but in the meantime he’ll have to live with the shame of being the one to expose this whole pandas having third eyelids monstrosity. DCist has always held a…

>> Congress has taken away D.C. CFO Natwar Gandhi’s pay raise in the wake of the Office of Tax and Revenue embezzlement scandal. Happy Holidays, Mr. Gandhi! [WaPo] >> What kind of person steals a wheelchair? [NBC4] >> Free holiday EP from Vandaveer. [You Ain’t No Picasso] >> Marvin is already expanding. [Prince of Petworth] >> Christopher Hitchens sings at the Reason Secular Christmas party. [via City Desk] Photo by AlbinoFlea…

In most any public or private sector job, losing $31 million on your watch is a surefire way to get yourself fired. CFO Natwar Gandhi’s reputation for saving the city’s finances has thus far protected him from what is to date the District’s biggest corruption scandal. But his fortunes might be changing. Buried towards the end of an article from the Examiner today on an investigation into the tax refund scheme that milked the city…

Good morning, Washington. Yesterday afternoon Roll Call had the story of a potential suspect finally being identified in all those strange Senate bathroom fires from the last few months. Capitol Police Officer Karen Emory recently has been suspended in connection with the fires, although it still hasn’t been confirmed whether she is definitely a suspect in the case. No charges have been filed, but color us a little disappointed if it turns out a…

Friday has arrived at last, Washington. Despite the federal holiday on Monday, it’s been a rather long week for many of us – though of course, we couldn’t hold a candle to the week that D.C. CFO Natwar Gandhi has had. The Post writes about yesterday’s lengthy D.C. Council hearing into the tax office scandal, which lasted until 9 p.m. and where it was apparently revealed late in the evening that authorities are investigating the…

Good Morning, D.C. Remember the news we told you about back in August, about an investigation into a potential prostitution ring at D.C. firehouses? Well D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin acknowledged yesterday under fire from the D.C. Council that “sex for overtime” allegations in his department are “potentially true.” The Council also expressed concern about the abnormally high rate of disciplinary action against African American firefighters in the department. African Americans were the subjects of…