Republicans Don’t Believe DC Should Be Able to Govern Itself. Democrats Shouldn’t Join Them.

Earlier today, the US House of Representatives passed two bills to deny basic self-governance to the nation’s capital.

The first bill — named the Orwellian “Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act” — would repeal a number of provisions from DC’s 2022 police reform bill (Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022) related to discipline for law-breaking police officers. The 2022 bill removed disciplinary processes and mechanisms from the scope of collective bargaining. This is the rare moment when Republicans are pretending to be supporters of collective bargaining: they only care about when it comes to enabling crooked or violent cops to get away with violating people’s rights, abusing their offices, or even killing people.

It further weakens police accountability by reinstating a 90-day statute of limitations for MPD to initiate disciplinary proceedings, removes the ability of MPD to increase penalties for officers, and removes the requirement that MPD publish a schedule of disciplinary hearings on its website.

The bill passed 235 to 178, as 30 Democrats joined Republicans in defending criminal cops and denying DC self-rule. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) voted present. Four Republicans voted no.

Here are the 30 Democrats who voted YES:

The second bill attempted to block DC from administering its own elections.

In 2022, DC expanded the franchise by enabling noncitizens to vote in local elections, joining nearly 20 municipalities across the country. The Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment passed the DC Council twice and only applies to DC elections.

Nonetheless, 210 Republicans and 56 Democrats voted to repeal it. 148 Democrats voted against. Betty McCollum (MN-04) voted present.

Here are the 56 Democrats: