Even by Washington’s sordid standards, this has been a particularly grubby week. Things kicked off with the departure of vacation queen and Josh sauvi B enthusiast Lori Chaves-DeRemer from the Department of Labor; they continued with a tell-all from the ex-girlfriend of former ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan. Don’t get Cockburn started on Congress (Juliegrace Brufke’s “Case Study in Congressional Smut” is worth a peruse.)

There is no shortage of salacity, yet Cockburn can’t put his finger on why he’s so entranced by the stories from the Daily Mail and the New York Post regarding DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism Julia Varvaro and her much older ex-boyfriend, Robert Bianchi.

Bianchi withheld his identity and approached the Mail with text messages and tales about his brief relationship with 29-year-old Varvaro. The tabloid gushes about how Varvaro and “Robert B.” matched on Hinge in January and went on a $1,400 first date to Minetta Tavern, for which Bianchi paid. After a “few dates,” they spent MLK weekend together in Aruba. In other words: three weeks into knowing this young lady, Bianchi flew her out to the Caribbean! Moving fast, much?

Bianchi drones on about how Varvaro demanded hotel upgrades, Bottega bags and Cartier jewelry. He also shares his text exchanges with the Mail, in an attempt to demonstrate how imperious she was in her requests for money and goods. In doing so, however, “Robert B.” perhaps reveals too much. In March, Varvaro sends Bianchi a picture of a sandal. “So cute,” he responds four hours later. Then nothing until the following morning, where he challenges her to a virtual game of 8-Ball pool.

They eventually fall out over – what else –........

© The Spectator