Why Eleanor Holmes Norton’s former campaign manager encouraged her to retired

By WTOP Staff
January 28, 2026 | 7:08 PM

One of the people who encouraged D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton to retire from Congress is her close friend: political strategist Donna Brazile.

Norton, who served in Congress for 35 years, said Tuesday she will retire at the end of her term on Jan. 3, 2027.

The 88-year-old had been facing pressure to retire, including from Brazile, who previously led the Democratic National Committee as acting chair.

In September 2025, Brazile wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post calling on Norton to step aside and let a new leader take charge.

Brazile joined WTOP’s Nick Iannelli to discuss why she pushed for Norton to retire.

Read and listen to the interview below.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Washington archbishop removes priest as exorcist after comments on UFOs and demons

June 3, 2026 | 7:22 PM

The Catholic archbishop of Washington, D.C., Cardinal Robert McElroy, on Wednesday removed a well-known priest as an exorcist of the archdiocese after he made public comments suggesting that UFO sightings were the work of demons. McElroy said the archdiocese also was cutting ties with the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, a Washington-based nonprofit headed by the priest, Monsignor Stephen Rossetti.