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DC AG, Mayor Bowser push back on Trump's federal takeover
A bold legal move is underway as Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb attempts to halt the federal deployment of National Guard troops in the District of Columbia. Mayor Muriel Bowser also said that she is focusing on the exit of troops but the Department of Defense has just extended the troops' deployment until the end of November. FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald reports.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A bold legal move is underway as Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb attempts to halt the federal deployment of National Guard troops in the District of Columbia.
Federal deployment of troops in DC
What we know:
The District of Columbia's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit to block what he is calling an "illegal deployment" of National Guard troops, arguing that it amounts to an "involuntary military occupation."
The lawsuit argues that the President's deployment of nearly 2,300 National Guard troops in DC exceeds his authority. These troops have been placed under the command of the Department of Defense and deputized by the US Marshals Service, which Schwalb claims violates laws prohibiting military involvement in local law enforcement.
Schwalb emphasizes that the federal government is overstepping boundaries by asserting control over National Guard troops without calling them into active federal service.
Why you should care:
According to the lawsuit, the deployment harms the District in three key ways:
- "Depriving the District of local autonomy granted under the Home Rule Act,"
- "Threatening to undermine public safety by inflaming tensions and eroding trust between District residents and law enforcement,"
- "Hurting the District’s local economy by driving away tourists and patrons of local businesses, especially in the restaurant and hospitality service industries."
The lawsuit underscores a significant constitutional debate over the balance of power between federal authority and DC's right to self-governance.
The other side:
Since the federal takeover began, the U.S. Attorney General's office has been providing updates on the crackdown. Over 200 arrests were made during Labor Day weekend alone.
The most recent data from Attorney General Pam Bondi shows that as of September 4, there have been a total of 1,841 arrests and 188 illegal firearms seized.
The latest seizures include 81 additional arrests and 13 more illegal firearms recovered yesterday, with one firearm found at a school in downtown Washington, D.C.
Attorney General Bondi has stated that the mission is "making the nation's capital safe again for all Americans."
The Source: This article is based on a press release from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.