Washingtonienne says DeWine aides will be subpoenaed

Jessica Cutler, the infamous ex-Hill aide who was fired from Sen. Mike DeWine’s (R-Ohio) office for blogging about her sexual escapades on Capitol Hill is causing another stir.

She revealed to ITK that her lawyer is planning to subpoena DeWine’s office “for all sorts of stuff.” Cutler is being sued by Robert Steinbuch, DeWine’s former counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Steinbuch and Cutler first met in May of 2004 at a bar in Union Station. They engaged in a sexual relationship and she referred to him as RS in her racy 2004 blog.

“They’re in discovery now,” Cutler said. “His lawyer has asked for all sorts of documents that really have no relevancy to that one blog post that’s in question. They just want to depose people — who knows who that’s going to include? I’m not too worried about that because I didn’t do anything wrong. Go ahead and ask my friends questions. Potentially DeWine staffers are going to have to answer questions. My lawyer is going to depose him, that’s going to be pretty funny.”

Steinbuch now works as a law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Cutler, meanwhile, is unemployed. So what is she doing? “Nothing. I’m being sued,” she said. “I don’t want to have any assets that anyone can take. I’m just hanging out at my boyfriend’s house. I’ve been working on another book. I’m not going sell it, I’m just going to sit on it for awhile.”

Cutler said she knew Steinbuch for only eight days. “It’s just this goofy thing that happened,” she said, adding that she can’t remember what he looks like. “If I had known that an eight-day relationship was a privileged relationship I wouldn’t have taken responsibility for the blog ever. Whatever damages he’s claiming, he wasn’t fired, I was.”

Cutler has a column coming out in Capitol File magazine’s fall issue.

DeWine’s office declined to comment on Cutler or her lawsuit. Steinbuch did not return phone calls by press time.

 Sen. Graham declares to GQ : I am not gay

In the September issue of GQ, a lengthy spread on Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) discusses his sexuality. He spends most evenings alone in his Capitol Hill townhouse. He also says he has never been close to marrying.

Still, he denies the gay rumors sparked by former state Democratic Chairman Dick Harpootlian, who, during Graham’s first Senate race, called him “light in the loafers.”

Graham denies that he’s gay, saying that he’d like to get married and have children. “I joke that maybe my wife will be born next year,” he says.

 Montana Democratic Party mocks Rehberg’s mustache 

Even a mustache is fair game on the campaign trail these days.

In a press release late last month, the Montana Democratic Party criticizes Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.) for inviting Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), whom it calls “the most infamous opponent of public lands in the U.S. Congress,” to a Montana field hearing. The statement refers to “Rehberg and his mustachioed friend from California,” which begs the question: What’s wrong with Rehberg’s mustache or Pombo’s for that matter?

Jessica Rhoades, the Montana Democratic Party spokeswoman who wrote the release, replied, “There’s a surprising resemblance between the two of them and it seems that just like the fact they both have these interesting mustaches, they have very interesting [stances] on public land issues.”

Rhoades said mustaches “look good on some people. On others, maybe not. It kind of seems that the mustache is to facial hair what the mullet is to men’s hairstyles.” 

Rehberg had his mustache well before he ever met Pombo — the 50-year-old congressman got his stache the day after he graduated from high school. And Pombo never showed up to the hearing, even though protesters did, because they thought he’d be there. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who arrived sans mustache, attended.

“This is a good indication the Montana Democratic Party will stoop to,” said Rehberg spokesman Todd Schriber. Schriber says Rehberg often makes fun of Pombo, saying he has only half a mustache.

Mustaches are not such oddities these days. According to the 2006 congressional face book, 38 other lawmakers have mustaches. Pombo’s spokesman declined to comment on his boss’s facial hair.

 Wedding bells for Rep. brad Sherman

Congressman and fiancee vacation in Norway

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), 52, is engaged.

Though the couple hasn’t yet set a date, Sherman has proposed to Lisa Nicola Kaplan, a mid-thirties Hill fellow he met a year and a half ago in Washington. Sherman has made no secret of the fact that he had previously used JDate and other online dating sites. The couple spent two weeks of the congressional recess vacationing in Norway.

 Mike Briggs, Sherman’s spokesman, offered no details on the proposal. “He’s always been interested in maintaining a certain level of privacy,” Briggs said. “And even though this is news, I don’t believe his views of privacy have changed.”
 
Kaplan, a native of New York City, came to Capitol Hill by way of a Brookings Institution fellowship sponsored by the State Department, where she will resume working this fall. She is a foreign affairs officer in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. She holds a masters degree in public policy from Harvard, a masters in international administration from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vt., and a bachelor’s degree from Williams. 

 Lungren’s frightful town hall meeting

Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) was almost involved in a dangerous encounter at a town hall meeting last month at a community center in Fair Oaks, Calif.

After Lungren’s introduction and comments, a male constituent asked about the congressman’s use of the word, “Islamofascist.”

He wanted Lungren, who had been using the term for nine months, to apologize.

Lungren’s word choice, Islamofascist, refers to the radical sect of al Qaeda; the congressman used the word on MSNBC’s “Hardball” when discussing the terror plot that officials thwarted in London.

“You can tell when people stand up they are going to be difficult,” said Lungren spokesman Brian Kaveney, who witnessed the incident.

What came next was disconcerting. While the congressman tried to state why he believes the term is appropriate, the man began raising his voice and slowly walking toward him.

A police officer escorted the swearing man out of the building. “Get your f———g hands off me,” the man was heard saying as he was led out.

Says Kaveney, “The congressman doesn’t mind debating the issues with anybody. He feels it is an appropriate term.”

 Announcements

Rothman ties the knot

Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) could be the new spokesman for JDate.com.

The congressman married Jennifer Beckenstein on Aug. 18 in Nyack, N.J. The couple met on JDate.com, an online dating website for Jewish singles.

Rothman, 53, has two teenagers from his first marriage. Beckenstein, 48, has three children and is the community affairs coordinator at the Center for Food Action in Englewood, N.J. 

The small wedding with 65 guests was at noon followed by a luncheon of salmon and beef. Rothman’s two children served as his best man and “best woman,” while her three daughters stood up for her.
“There weren’t any political people there,” said Rothman.

He went on to say a few nice things about his blushing bride: “She’s gorgeous and I love her. She’s a beautiful person. My true love. It was worth waiting for. We have so much fun together. She’s my best friend. We’re madly in love with each other. We’re very, very happy.”

The newlyweds are planning to take their honeymoon in January, but they went on a two-night mini-honeymoon to a resort and spa in Sussex, N.J.

Rothman and his bride are adjusting to a blended family life. Instead of having her 19-year-old daughter, Claire, intern for him, which Rothman felt might be inappropriate, she interned this summer for Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.).

The couple, their five teenagers and two dogs will live in Rothman’s home, which is being renovated to accommodate the new family.

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