Capitol Punishment for Life

Lloyd Grove notes in today’s NY Daily News’ Lowdown that some in Washington are greeting playboy publisher Jason Binn, of the soon-to-launch Capitol File magazine, like an alien invader who must be stopped.

Washington Life’s editor, Nancy Bagley, and her husband, Washington Life CEO Soroush Shehabi “Have been watching with alarm as Binn has hired away their advertising director, persuaded some of their longtime supporters to buy pages in the magazine, and listed many of Washington Life’s longtime friends — sometimes without their explicit per mission — on Capitol File’s advisory board.”

After building an a-list editorial team at File by wooing Kate Gibbs from AOL’s City Guide and Anne Schroeder from the Post’s Reliable Source column, Binn vacuumed up much of Washington’s advertising dollars to fill his super-glossy 350-page publication, slated for launch September 8th.

Grove, who might have a dog in this fight because he brought Schroeder to the Post when he was Reliable Source, notes Binn has been skeptical of Washington Life execs bad-mouthing him inside the Beltway. After “unexpectedly” spotting Bagley and Shehabi at Capitol File’s DC party for actress Fran Drescher, Binn scoffed, “What do you think he was doing there? I would love to tell you what I think, but I’m not going to.”

Was Shehabi crashing the event and discouraging party guests from advertising in File?

Shahabi says no, that her husband had an invite and she simply attended out of curiosity and to wish Binn well.

It appears that two weeks out from File’s “alien invasion” the lightsabers are already swinging and Washington’s magazine war is underway.

> Incidentally, the Capitol File senior staff just finished putting the first issue to bed. Expect it soon….

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