Orion Donovan Smith

Covering the other Washington for @SpokesmanReview | @RegionalReports board member | @Report4America alum | Long-suffering Mariners and Canucks fan

[Orion Donovan Smith @orionds]

Five years after the VA launched a new computer system in Spokane, @desmondbutler and I found the $10 billion Oracle EHR is still beset with problems, as the Trump administration gears up to launch it at 13 more hospitals in 2026.

1/
https://t.co/LBU3nM1E7b

[Jeff Stein @jstein_star]

Incredible scoop from @EricM_Katz

https://t.co/ZiuwwYKgge

[Melissa Nann Burke @nannburke]

Bergman has endorsed clients of his top aides’ private political consulting biz.

His office also structured the aides’ taxpayer-funded pay so that they can avoid both financial disclosures about the side business and House rules that limit income from outside work

[Siobhán O'Grady @siobhan_ogrady]

Writing by me (laid off). Photos by @vanhoutenphoto (laid off). Editing by @PeterFinnProP (laid off). Audio editing by @BishopSand (laid off). Design editing by @JoeMoore1984 (laid off). Additional support from @reemakkad (laid off) and @PaulSchemm (laid off).

[Siobhán O'Grady @siobhan_ogrady]

Three months later, this is my last @washingtonpost story — delayed because nearly everyone involved in it was laid off. I am very grateful to newsroom friends who made sure it published anyway, and to brave Roman Mongold and his family for their time.
https://t.co/PMxJxiaMcg

[Alexei Koseff @akoseff]

We've been asked a lot how we got our story about the sexual assault allegations against Eric Swalwell. @demianbulwa wrote about the fundamental acts of journalism, not opposition research, that unearthed this scandal: https://t.co/5u9gU6xg86

[Katie Robertson @katie_robertson]

NEW: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will continue publishing! It has been acquired by the nonprofit Venetoulis Institute, which runs the Baltimore Banner. My story here: https://t.co/VsTFjeNqNs

[Orion Donovan Smith @orionds]

https://t.co/tQscSAwwQX

[Orion Donovan Smith @orionds]

As the shaky U.S.-Iran ceasefire began yesterday, Amb. Ryan Crocker said the war has left the Iranian regime in a stronger position.

@RepBaumgartner, who worked with Crocker in Iraq, defended President Trump's rhetoric and argued the war has left Iran far weaker.

[Céspedes Family BBQ @CespedesBBQ]

the Astros just got swept by the Rockies and have a team ERA of 6.05 (30th in MLB)

the Mariners just got swept by the Rangers and have a team OPS of .581 (30th in MLB)

starting Friday, it's the stoppable force vs. the movable object: Mariners/Astros 4-game series in Seattle

[Jane Norman @JaneNorman]

AMAZING AWARD NIGHT: On Thursday night our
@JenniferShutt received the esteemed Dirksen Award--like the Pulitzer for covering Congress--from the National Press Foundation @NatPress. I can't begin to say what this means for our small States Newsroom DC Bureau. Yay Jenn!

[Ben Mullin @BenMullin]

scooplet: at the meeting, Jeff Bezos also said he had spurned seven (!) offers to sell The Post

[JJ Cooper @jjcoop36]

MLB Network conducted the most significant/newsworthy interview in WBC history. They had a manager saying his team had advanced when they hadn't. And they took that video down as soon as they realized its significance and newsworthiness.

[Idrees Ali @idreesali114]

"Members of Hegseth’s staff told colleagues that they did not like the way that the secretary looked." @ScottNover https://t.co/H4pxfYGZtf

[Lisa Desjardins @LisaDNews]

THIS - Muslim Americans and GOP:

Given the chance, @speakerjohnson notably did not condemn remarks by Reps. Fine and Ogles about Muslim Americans - including Ogles' post (still up) saying "Muslims don't belong in American society",

To @Olivia_Beavers question, @SpeakerJohnson instead clearly indicated he sees a valid debate and concern behind those remarks about Sharia law and unspecified movements to impose Sharia law in America.

Olivia and I both tried to follow up but he did not take our questions.

[Orion Donovan Smith @orionds]

@JonathanTamari But what's the recovery timeline for resuming airport pull-up activity?

[Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney]

This is remarkable for many reasons, not least of which is that the administration has been sending deportation flights to Iran in recent months and attempting to repatriate people there as recently as late February.

[Joon Lee @joonlee]

"We can do something about it."

"Have you?"

"No"

The state of sports gambling right now.

[Rep. Dan Newhouse @RepNewhouse]

A change in leadership at the Department of Homeland Security was long overdue. I look forward to working with Senator Mullin, a great choice, in his new role as Secretary.

The immediate task at hand is funding the department and its vital counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and border security programs.

[Jeff Stein @jstein_star]

Washington Post Deputy Opinion Editor James Hohmann is out with a video criticizing Sanders' wealth tax proposal

Hohmann says: "This isn't a tax on what you earn. It's a 5 percent tax on everything you own."

(The tax would apply to ~938 billionaires, or .000000284% of the population, including Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, who last year announced new rules for the opinion section.)

https://t.co/3hRWeuTkf4

[Orion Donovan Smith @orionds]

"I'm encouraging you to support ANY news organization that's dedicated to original reporting. ... Local newspapers in particular need your support. ... Just subscribe to a real news organization with real journalists doing first-hand, fact-based reporting."

[Patrick Healy @patrickhealynyt]

Good fact-based reporting is under pressure in our industry. Today, @nytimes publisher AG Sulzberger made his first ad, "encouraging you today to support any news organization." It's a reminder of how important this reporting is, regardless of who produces it. Have a listen here.