D.C. Mayor Crashes Senators’ Press Conference

The headline “D.C. Mayor Crashes Senators’ Press Conference” refers to an incident that occurred during the 2013 U.S. federal government shutdown.

At the time, Vincent C. Gray, the mayor of Washington, D.C., unexpectedly walked into a press conference being held by Harry Reid and other Democratic senators on Capitol Hill.

The mayor interrupted the event because he wanted to draw attention to the financial problems the shutdown was causing for Washington, D.C. Even though the District collects its own local tax revenue, it still requires congressional approval to spend its budget. As a result, the shutdown threatened city services and employee pay.

During the interruption:

• Mayor Gray urged Congress to allow D.C. to spend its own locally raised money.
• Senator Harry Reid reportedly told him, “I’m on your side. Don’t screw it up,” suggesting that while he supported D.C.’s position, he did not appreciate the unexpected interruption.

The phrase “crashes a press conference” doesn’t mean an accident occurred. It means someone shows up uninvited and interrupts an event or meeting.

In short, the story is about Mayor Vincent Gray interrupting a Senate press conference to demand action that would let Washington, D.C., continue funding its government during the 2013 federal shutdown.