WASHINGTON — A D.C. woman had a guest visiting and wanted to give them a “true” D.C. experience, so they hit a pub to watch Wednesday’s Michael Cohen hearing.
The visitor’s response: “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
At least five bars in D.C. opened by 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning so patrons could watch the President’s former Attorney and “Fixer” Michael Cohen testify before the Congressional House Oversight and Reform Committee.
Inside Duffy’s Irish Pub on H Street in Northeast, D.C., WUSA9 heard laughs, shouting at the multiple televisions, sometimes silence and then there was one surprised Rhode Islander.
“In New England, I like to think that we’re pretty politically active but I don’t ever see anything like this,” said Brianna Moore.
Moore said she’s the co-owner of a t-shirt company and was in town visiting her business partner.
More importantly, at 26 years old, Moore said she has never been to a bar to watch a congressional hearing. This is a tradition (a recently growing tradition) that is just as big as watching an important Capitals game.
“She’s my guest and I was like, ‘What perfect timing! You get to have the full DC experience,'” said the business partner, Amanda Moore.
Casey Callister is pub’s owner.
“I think it’s fun. That’s why we do like the special cocktails. Like we did the “Covfefe” cocktail for the Comey hearing and then we did the “Flipper” cocktail for this one and that’s what makes it feel kind of connected to the event,” said Callister.
For State of the Union Addresses, hearings and marches, Duffy's Irish pub and others all participate. Lines stretched around the sidewalk at Shaw’s Tavern during the Comey Hearing.
“It’s really awesome to see so many people that are really interested this morning to be sitting here watching this and to be interested in what’s going on in our nation,” said Moore.
The pub’s owner tells said he wouldn’t open at 10 a.m. if it wasn’t good for business.