DC Vote Calls on Congress to Respect Local Autonomy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 27th, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Patrice Snow
[email protected]

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Chairman Phil Mendelson and the DC City Council sent its Revised Criminal Code Act of 2021 (RCCA) to Congress to begin the 60-day review process where members of Congress from places like Tennessee and Georgia can attempt to override legislation passed lawfully by those elected to represent DC and her 700,000 tax paying residents. In light of yesterday’s movement, DC Vote’s communications director Patrice Snow released the following statement:

“If reports are to be believed, Congressman Andrew Clyde, who lives in Athens, Georgia, and Senator Bill Hagerty, who currently resides in Gallatin, Tennessee, are both planning on issuing disapproval resolutions to DC’s Revised Criminal Code Act of 2021 in their respective chambers. This is another attempt by Rep. Clyde, Sen. Hagerty and the fringe extreme to not only thwart the movement toward DC Statehood, but to repeal Home Rule in the District.”

Snow continued,“Last summer, Clyde publicly released a proposal for DC that included rescinding the DC Home Rule Act, banning abortion without exceptions, implementing permitless carry, and even eliminating the mayor’s office. So the motive to override RCCA is clear. Perhaps Congressman Clyde and Senator Hagerty should shelve their anti-democracy plans for Washington, DC and sweep in front of their own front porch. Those who have elected Clyde and Hagerty deserve advocates who represent their interests and not wannabe authoritarians who have biased plans to take over the District of Columbia.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 24th, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Patrice Snow
[email protected]

Washington, DC – Earlier today, Senator Tom Carper of Delaware joined his colleague Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, and DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson for a Capitol Hill press conference to introduce the Senate companion bill to Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton’s DC Statehood legislation. The Washington, DC Admission Act, or S. 51, would give DC full authority over local affairs without Congressional interference, thus ending the almost 200 year undemocratic practice while finally meeting the self-determination goals of the 700,000 residents of the District. In light of today’s positive step forward toward full freedom, DC Vote’s executive director Bo Shuff released the following statement:

“No taxation without representation was the founding philosophy of the United States of America – meaning no American can be forced by their government to pay taxes without having elected officials to represent their interests and needs. So why after almost 250 years of the idea of a United States of America being implemented are the 700,000 tax paying residents of DC still fighting the same fight of no voting representatives on Capitol Hill and no sovereign governor or state legislature? But that was what today and the introduction of the Senate version of the Washington, DC Admission Act, or S. 51, was about – bringing full democracy to DC through Statehood. We at DC Vote applaud Senator Carper for his fortitude and we certainly cannot forget to mention Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton for her steady leadership on this issue. The time will come sooner rather than later when the bill will pass both chambers of Congress and head to President Biden’s desk for his signature. Because the freedom to vote, the freedom to govern ourselves, and the freedom to determine our own destiny is too important and will not be negotiated away by those who don’t know, understand, or appreciate DC.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 13th, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Patrice Snow
[email protected]

Washington, DC – Yesterday, newly-minted House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer of Kentucky joined some of his colleagues like Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona and Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia who are unhealthily obsessed with DC governance to strike down a Washington, DC law that would expand democracy. The Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 would give DC residents the right to cast their ballots in local races beginning in 2024, regardless of their status as immigrants. This law would not allow participation in Federal elections. In light of the latest attack on not only Washington, DC’s self-determination but on voting rights, DC Vote’s communications director Patrice Snow released the following statement:

“We knew the hostility and anger toward Washington, DC and our 700,000 tax paying residents would increase this year with the new make-up of Congress but we didn’t expect it so soon. The irony that this group of House members co-sponsoring this anti-democratic, anti-freedom to vote joint resolution could barely get through their first week of governance without coming to physical blows on the House floor when simply choosing a Speaker is laughable and sad. Congress should concern itself less with how the people of Washington, DC governs ourselves and more with their home districts and the business of the people they supposedly represent. The people of DC have chosen who we want to write our laws and none of them live in Kentucky, Arizona or Georgia. Sixteen other jurisdictions have implemented this expansion of voting rights and none of them have been subject to unjust meddling by Congress. This practice of interference must stop. DC Statehood will end it once and for all.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 10th, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Patrice Snow
[email protected]

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Axios reported “[t]wo antagonists of hometown Washington — [Reps.] Andrew Clyde and Andy Harris — are part of the conservative House Freedom Caucus that humiliated McCarthy by dragging out his nomination for speaker” by making concessions that the “GOP would make it easier for far-right lawmakers to slip anti-D.C. provisions into federal budgets.” This means that Congressman Andrew Clyde, who supposedly represents Gainesville, Georgia and Dawsonville, Georgia in Congress and Congressman Andy Harris, who purports to speak for Maryland’s Eastern Shore on Capitol Hill, will be allowed to attach unlimited anti-District of Columbia amendments, or riders, to federal government spending bills. In light of this damaging development to the freedom fight in the District of Columbia, DC Vote’s communications director Patrice Snow released the following statement:

“Happy New Year! The same old characters, Andrew Clyde and Andy Harris, brought their same tired political games to 2023 by holding democracy hostage for Washington, DC’s 700,000 tax paying residents by handicapping Speaker McCarthy into an anti-democratic deal. It’s sad that members of Congress who aren’t even from DC or have never lived here are so unhealthily obsessed with rolling back Home Rule rights rather than moving toward full freedom, or DC Statehood. We at DC Vote will continue to monitor developments and call anyone out who proposes and approves biased plans when it comes to policies concerning our freedom to vote, our freedom to govern ourselves, and our freedom to determine our own destiny.”

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