In The Know

Democrat Roy Cho, running to unseat Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.), has received the endorsement of noted rapper Ghostface Killah, a member of the iconic rap group the Wu-Tang Clan.

She may have compared the political and lobbying battle over the Keystone oil pipeline to a Kardashian, but Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) doesn’t want to keep up with the famous reality TV family.

Speaking at a Washington tax policy conference last week, Heitkamp, a fan of the pipeline, said of the Keystone showdown, “It’s the Kim Kardashian of energy.”

She added, “I don’t know why we care.”

And it seems Heitkamp couldn’t care less about reports that the tabloid fixture gave birth to a baby girl last week with boyfriend Kanye West.

He portrayed a member of one of television’s most famous crime families, but Dan Grimaldi didn't get hassled when passing through the security line at the Capitol.

“I only play mobsters on television,” Grimaldi says with a chuckle, “I’m not a mobster in real life.”

Plus, the actor adds, “I didn’t bring my gang with me.”

The entertainer, who played twins Philly and Patsy Parisi on the long-running HBO drama “The Sopranos,” is in good spirits, but the cause that brought him to Capitol Hill on Tuesday is serious business.

Flanked by supporters and representatives from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Grimaldi and actress Charlotte Rae are pushing lawmakers to protect pancreatic cancer research funding from sequestration cuts. Grimaldi’s wife, Florence, died from the disease after a three-year battle.

An 80th birthday would presumably be a time to let loose, celebrate eight decades of life and throw a big bash, right?

But Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) says she won’t be doing any of that this week.

The four-term senator turns the big 8-0 on Saturday. Yet the soon-to-be octogenarian claims she won’t enter her 80s with some sort of birthday blowout.

It may soon be tougher to tell Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) apart from his identical twin brother.

The congressman is poised to become a married man as he’s engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Anna Flores. Flores works for a tech company in the Lone Star State.

Could one city soon be calling Alex Trebek its mayor? [WATCH VIDEO]

The longtime “Jeopardy!” host says the answer is: yes.

Trebek was one of several high-profile honorees — including filmmaker James Cameron, skydiver Felix Baumgartner, philanthropist Howard Buffett and oceanographer Sylvia Earle — at Thursday’s National Geographic Explorers Symposium and Gala at Washington’s National Building Museum.

When The Hill asked the trivia show pro, who was born in Canada, about a report that he was toying with the idea of running for mayor of Toronto, Trebek replied, “I have no idea. I don’t make plans too far in advance. But I’ve always been interested in politics, and it’s a possibility.”

He added, “But for the moment, I’m still the host of ‘Jeopardy!’ and I’m going to continue for a while.”

Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) is a fan of country music — and ring-back tones.

Those calling the former governor's cellphone are greeted with the lyrics "God is great, beer is good, people are crazy.”

That the populist former governor likes country star Billy Currington may not be a shock: The son of ranchers has a much-professed love for his pickup truck and often sports bolo ties and cowboy boots.

But he’s mulling a song change that may surprise some, in order to simplify conversations with reporters wondering when and if he’ll jump in the Senate race. He just needs to remember the song’s title first.

Don’t be surprised if you happen to spot Abraham Lincoln walking the halls of the Capitol on Tuesday.

A former staffer for Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) will be donning Honest Abe’s signature top hat and beard to teach school kids about the 16th president and how lawmakers manage moolah.

Michael Shank, who works as the director of foreign policy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, will play presidential host to 40 third graders in the House Budget Committee room Tuesday morning.

The former communications director and senior policy adviser to Honda says he’ll have the kiddos imagine they’re on the Budget Committee and help decide how the federal budget should be spent. Using pennies (which bear the profile of Lincoln, natch) the students from Oyster-Adams Bilingual School will divvy up the federal budget into areas they’d like to fund. The daughter of Honda’s chief of staff attends the Washington school. After the penny pinching is done, Shank plans on showing the group exactly how federal tax dollars are spent.

Michelle Obama and daughters had lunch with Irish rock star Bono on Tuesday.

The first lady, Sasha and Malia joined the U2 frontman for a meal at Finnegans’ pub in Dublin, according to reports in Irish newspapers.

Joining Bono was his wife, Ali, and their two sons.

A piece of popcorn almost spelled doom for Rep. Ted Poe. [WATCH VIDEO]

The Texas Republican was dining alone last Thursday when he began munching on the popcorn that’s typically served before meals at the Capitol Hill Club. That’s when Poe, 64, suddenly started choking at the swanky GOP haunt.

Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.) was seated for dinner right behind the congressman when he and another diner jumped into action. The pair performed the Heimlich maneuver and gave the ailing lawmaker back blows as they yelled for someone to call 911.

A GOP aide who doubles as a physician also rushed over to help, according to the National Review Online, which was first to report the incident.