Campaign Legal Center on Federal Control of DC and Statehood

Date
Issues
Voting and Elections

Washington, D.C. — It has been over a week since President Donald Trump invoked Section 740 of the Home Rule Act in Washington, D.C. to federalize local law enforcement in our nation’s capital. He also used his status as commander-in-chief to deploy members of the National Guard into the District of Columbia. National Guard troops from a growing number of states have also been deployed to the District at the direction of their governors.

While the President has gone well beyond the bounds of his authority under Section 740 or as commander-in-chief, both actions were only even possible because of the District’s lack of statehood.

On August 14th, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) sent a letter to every member of Congress that calls on our lawmakers to end the president’s control of the D.C. police force and to support D.C. statehood. President Trump’s actions are another example of executive overreach. Congress has the power to stop these interventions immediately, as well as make sure they can never happen again.

The democratically elected leadership in Washington, D.C. did not consent to the president’s latest actions and even took successful legal action to try and regain some control of local law enforcement. 

CLC’s Senior Vice President Bruce V. Spiva issued the following statement on these ongoing developments:

“President Trump’s unjustified seizure of control over D.C. law enforcement is the consequence of a long-term injustice in our country: the District’s lack of true control over its own governance. This episode highlights exactly why the over 700,000 residents of Washington D.C. — who pay more per capita in federal taxes than residents of any state, have fought and died in every war since the founding of the Republic, and have fulfilled every responsibility of American citizenship — deserve and need the same rights and protections afforded to their fellow Americans. 

“Congress can and must oppose any further encroachment over D.C. residents’ autonomy, including by voting immediately to end the president’s interventions in the District. Lawmakers must also take urgent steps to ensure that no president can ever again exercise this type of executive overreach. 

“Checks and balances exist in our government for a reason, and it is past time that Congress stood up against such action by passing legislation that finally grants the residents of D.C. full democracy. Congress should pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act and grant D.C. statehood once and for all.” 

If you are covering news on the president’s takeover of D.C. law enforcement and his deployment of federal troops to the area, here are additional resources from CLC that may be useful to your readers: 


CLC will keep working to ensure that residents of Washington, D.C. have the same rights and protections afforded to their fellow Americans nationwide. Follow the latest updates on our website.