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As Ebola tweets spread on the Hill, so do the jokes

Posted by Jenna Ebersole on Oct. 20, 2014

The #Ebola hashtag took over the top spot on Capitol Hill last week, with more than 1,200 tweets by current and former members and their staffs mentioning the deadly virus since last Monday.

But a few staffers this month interrupted somber Twitter feeds with light-hearted takes on Ebola. A few of their greatest hits:

Andrew J. Kugle, Staff Assistant for Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.)

When #Ebola turns into the zombie virus, I will be able to tell "I told you so" to soooo many people!
— Andrew Kugle (@Google_Kugle20) October 15, 2014

Chris Peleo-Lazar, Correspondence Manager for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

@LEBassett I'm pretty sure you can get Ebola on a TARDIS. We should stop that.
— Chris Peleo-Lazar (@ChrisPeleoLazar) October 16, 2014

J.P. Freire, Communications Director/Speechwriter, Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.)

If there is an Ebola czar are there also Ebola bolsheviks? ...Ebolasheviks?
— J.P. Freire (@JPFreire) October 17, 2014

Donny Ferguson, Press Secretary, Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas)

I mixed Pop Rocks and Coke #AndNowIHaveEbola
— Donny Ferguson (@DonnyFerguson) October 18, 2014

Amy E. Phillips Bursch, Senior Adviser, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)

@InternetEh @JohnPiper I like to eat an Ebola of ice cream.
— Amy Boo (@APBBlue) October 10, 2014

Some people and organizations who "caught our eye" last week:

Trending Staffers› learn more

Emily A. Winterson, Immigration Caseworker for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) (current staffer) – Bravo!
Brings Mass attention to immigration reform
Addie M. Whisenant, Director, African American Media, for the White House Office of Communications (former staffer) – Bravo!
Shares how to win friends and influence people
Fran Vella-Marrone, Brooklyn Staff Director for Rep. Mike Grimm (R-N.Y.) (current staffer) – So-So
Baits a political hook but gets no bites
Austin L. Flake, Senate Page (former staffer) – Uh oh!
Facing felonies for fluffy fatalities
Dan Scandling, Chief of Staff for Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) (current staffer) – Bravo!
Another season for The Closer

Hill Hires

Brian Alexander Skretny, Rep. Eliot Lance Engel (D-NY), Legislative Director
Kate Huffman, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Scheduler
Benjamin B. Cantrell (Ben), Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), Legislative Assistant

Hill Departures

Crystal L. Bridgeman, now Head, Workforce Development for Siemens Foundation, formerly Senior Education Policy Adviser to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Meaghan R. Smith, now Director of Communications, Health Care for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, formerly Communications Director to Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Joshua Riley (Josh), now Counsel for Boies, Schiller and Flexner LLP, formerly Counsel to Senate Judiciary Committee, Privacy, Technology and the Law Subcommittee Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)

Hill Moves and Promotions

Elizabeth A. Johnson (Liz), now Communications Director for Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
(formerly Press Secretary)
Emilio M. Mendez, now Legislative Correspondent for Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
(formerly Staff Assistant/Press Assistant to Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA))
Olivia Britt Trusty, now Professional Staff Member for House Energy and Commerce Committee, Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE)
(formerly Legislative Assistant to Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH))

Revolvers

Laura J. Cooper,
Lobbies for: Charles Group LLC
Most recent congressional employment: Rep. Richard Nugent (R-FL)
David W. Pulliam Jr.,
Lobbies for: Gilead Sciences Inc.
Most recent congressional employment: Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA), Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

Top hashtags of the week