Brew Ha Ha

Breaking: Lauren sends reports of a warm-beverage scuffle at the New York State legislature. Apparently State Senator Ada Smith, of Queens, has been stripped of her state car and a $9,000 stipend for a pattern of abusive behavior that features throwing coffee at her aides. Hairpiece pulling, too.

"Senator Smith, a nine-term incumbent, said last week that she was a tea drinker, not a coffee drinker, and she flatly denied throwing coffee at Ms. Jackson."

Equally dubious, but more florid, defenses come from Smith's lawyer, one Ravi Batra. He protested the violation of Ms. Smith's constitutional presumption of innocence. Then he called the accusations "'a felonious hoax'" and questioned why there were no coffee stains in Senator Smith's office. He said that at his invitation, investigators from the Albany district attorney's office will come to the office on Wednesday to search for physical evidence."

Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.