Contrary to what Posties might tell you, Washington is a two-newspaper town, and sometimes one paper can reach deep into the ranks of a rival to pluck away some top talent. After twenty years at the Associated Press and one at the Washington Post, investigative journalist John Solomon has been tapped to replace Wes Pruden as the Washington Times' executive editor.

Pruden, the Post's Howie Kurtz reports, ran what many regarded as one of the nation's leading conservative newspapers. Solomon, on the other hand, is not seen as a partisan or ideological journalist. The move was praised by others around the city, including liberal City Paper editor Erik Wemple, who called it "one of the first real, solid moves the Washington Times has made in a long time."

Solomon was AP's assistant Washington bureau chief before moving to the Post to lead their investigative coverage, and in both positions built a reputation as a digger who could produce the big stories. His hiring came at some cost, as Times Managing Editor Francis Coombs said he would quit after being passed over.

The Times has a circulation of around 100,000, while the Post brags of circulation nearly seven times that.