D.C. is a ‘ripe target’ for Republicans in the House

Hardline Republicans in the House could turn their fire on Washington DC, going after the city’s legalization of marijuana, its abortion clinics and its ability to self-govern.

The Democratic-led capital city has long been a target of the Republican Party due to its high crime rate and past financial corruption. And now his job may have been made easier by a deal the Conservatives struck with Kevin McCarthy in exchange for his support of his bid to become House speaker.

DC delegate Eleanor Norton Holmes told DailyMail.com that the House Republicans’ rule marks a “very dangerous time for the District of Columbia.”

“The district is a mature target,” he said in a phone interview Monday. “We are in great danger with the Republicans in charge.”

The Republican deal includes a promise of independent votes on each of the 12 appropriations bills that fund the government. The bills would be considered under an ‘open rule’, which allows for amendments by any legislator.

The District of Columbia is the only city in the United States under the jurisdiction of Congress, as established in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Under the McCarthy agreement, a legislator could, in theory, attach an amendment, known as a “rider,” to any budget bill that targets the District.

Such a move would hurt the passage of the bill because many Democrats would not support it.

But if the budget bills don’t pass, the federal government shuts down.

That could leave Democrats between a rock and a hard place having to weigh the government shutdown against Republicans trying to roll back abortion access or criminalize marijuana.

Even with Democrats in control of the Senate and President Joe Biden able to exercise the right of veto, the question remains what the party would do when it comes to avoiding a shutdown, particularly on an issue that only affects DC.

Previous riders in budget bills that passed included ones that bar DC from using local funds to subsidize abortions for low-income women and blocked marijuana sales, making marijuana legal in the city to possess but not sell. .

Biden signed budgets that included both measures.

Washington DC, like many cities, saw a spike in crime during the COVID pandemic. Metropolitan Police data shows the district saw a 29% increase in violent crime last year.

And auto thefts in the District skyrocketed from 142 in 2019 to 426 in 2021. Additionally, lawmakers have noted the rise in homeless people sleeping in the Capitol area.

Conservative Republicans have been threatening to target Washington DC due to high crime rates and homelessness along with issues related to retaining a police force.

Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia has been a leading critic of the District of Columbia’s management. He has threatened to go after DC Home Rule.

The District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 created the DC government as it is known today, giving it a mayor and city council. However, that is only limited control. Any bill passed by the council must still be approved by Congress.

Holmes Norton, who represents DC in Congress but is disenfranchised due to the lack of a state, said the threat to repeal the city’s home rule is “a long shot of what we can expect.”

She said the Republicans “will find anything they can overturn that the Democrats have supported and that the district is a ripe target.” So I’m going to have to be on my guard.

He vowed to work with Senate Democrats and Biden to do what he can to protect the city and expressed hope that taking away what little autonomy DC has would be too much for his party to tolerate.

Republican Rep. James Comer, the incoming chairman of the House Oversight committee, which oversees DC, vowed to address the rise in homelessness and violent crime in Washington.

“Simply put, DC is in crisis because of the reckless policies of the Democrats,” he told the DailyCaller earlier this year.

Neither Clyde’s office nor Comer’s office responded to DailyMail.com’s request for comment on what their future plans are for the District.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser also understands that her city will become a target of the Republican Party.

She admitted at a news conference on the city’s future on Monday that she and her team will have to be “very focused on protecting our democracy and autonomy.”

“Unfortunately, we will probably have to do that,” he said.

Last week, Holmes Norton reintroduced legislation that would grant DC statehood. The bill passed the House twice when Democrats were in charge, but each time failed in the Senate, where it would need at least 60 votes to continue through the legislative process.

Many Republicans oppose the measure because it would boost Democrats with the likelihood of the left winning elections to represent the area in the House and Senate. In the district, which is home to about 713,000 people, Democrats outnumber Republicans 77 percent to 5 percent.

“For years, the left has continually called for DC statehood, a politically motivated and utterly unconstitutional proposal that would radically revolutionize the balance of power in Congress to cement Democrats’ hold on American lives,” Clyde said. to the DailyCaller earlier this year.

But ironically, Holmes Nort notes, Republican actions against the District could help their cause.

“I’m going to use each instance to show why the district should have statehood,” he said.