Author Robert Pohl Featured at May Preservation Café

Robert Pohl with the Playboy issue featuring Rita Jenrette

Robert Pohl, Capitol resident and author of Wicked Capitol Hill: An Unruly History of Behaving Badly, shared excerpts from his new book at the May 16th Preservation Café. Published by The History Press, Robert’s book joins others in the Wicked series, which have highlighted the salacious histories of dozens of cities.

Robert researches and writes about Capitol Hill history, including columns for the Hill Rag and The Hill is Home website. He is founding partner of Walking Shtick Tours of DC, author of The History of 219 11th St SE Washington DC, and co-author with John Wennersten of Abraham Lincoln and the End of Slavery in the District of Columbia.

Wicked Capitol Hill includes stories about Capitol Hill scandals in the House and Senate, at the Navy Yard and Marine Barracks, and at the city’s correctional facilities. The book also delves into the sensational past of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and explores even the scandals of death, with Hoover himself interred at Congressional Cemetery in close proximity to aide and heir (and maybe more?) Clyde Tolson.

The highlight of Robert’s talk was an overview of the spicy life of Rita Jenrette, former wife of Representative John Jenrette. Following the Congressman’s conviction in the FBI’s “Abscam” sting operation, Mrs. Jenrette provided an interview and pictorial for Playboy magazine in the 1980s (Robert located an original copy!). Robert also discussed the notoriety of former Hill resident and Senator Gary Hart, whose photo with model Donna Rice made national headlines during Hart’s presidential campaign.

Wicked Capitol Hill: An Unruly History of Behaving Badly is available locally and can also be ordered online from Amazon and from The History Press (www.historypress.net). Get your copy today, and pick up an extra for a gossip-hungry friend or neighbor!