The Mirror

WaPo Snatches Back A Former Reporter From Politico

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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Is this war?

The Washington Post has hired back James Hohmann, a Politico reporter who worked at WaPo in 2008 as a summer intern and then as a reporter in the Loudoun County bureau.

The move comes as somewhat shocking as Hohmann always existed under the wing of Politico editor-in-chief John Harris. Though Harris is now dedicating his energies toward making sure Politico Europe succeeds, Hohmann could often be seen accompanying the head honcho to various events around town. So this has to be somewhat of a blow to Politico. He was always among the top tier Politico reporters and enjoyed a status some other reporters could never achieve.

As WaPo gloated in its announcement note on its PR blog, “many political readers know him as the indefatigable author of ‘Morning Score,’ a must-read daily campaign newsletter – skills he will employ in his new role at The Post.”

Ouch!

Speaking of his role at WaPo, they wooed him by offering a job as a national political correspondent who will “anchor a new project on power in Washington.” The statement says Hohmann’s will be the lead voice on a new vertical being created to “tell the Washington story everyone wants to know.”

Hohmann is not the first WaPo reporter to leave and return home. Lois Romano made the switch back in January. Rachel Van Dongen, who left WaPo in 2011 for Politico returned in February of this year.

Interestingly enough, two of the three reporters returning were promised newly created roles. Romano, who created “The Reliable Source” gossip column in 1991, joined WaPo‘s events platform upon her return, which was a drastically different role than the one she had previously as a regional news correspondent and a reporter who covered a slew of presidential races. Van Dongen, meanwhile, got to “lead a new initiative for the National desk.”

WaPo appears to be on a mission. Who’s next?