Posts Tagged ‘crime bill’
Civil Gang Injunctions Again Foiled by D.C. Council
Two weeks ago, the D.C. Council engaged in a knock-down fight over anti-crime legislation---in particular, over so-called 'civil gang injunctions.' They were at it again today, rehashing the debate regarding the permanent version of the bill. But the outcome was much the same.
A compromise of sorts was in the works today: Councilmembers Jim Graham, Jack Evans, and Muriel Bowser, all supporters of the gang injunctions, proposed allowing the measures for six months in their own wards---1, 2, and 4, respectively.
That proposal didn't get very far with their colleagues.
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Fenty To Hold Press Conference @ Columbia Heights Metro Stop
Mayor Adrian Fenty's office has announced that a press conference will be held at the Columbia Heights metro stop this afternoon at 3:30.
The reason as stated in the press advisory is not a shocker. Fenty and Co. plan on using yesterday's shooting to press for the controversial gang injunctions. According to the advisory: "The Fenty Administration and members of the D.C. Council will address the recent gun violence in Columbia Heights, and push for emergency enactment of a gang injunction."
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Crime Bill Angst
There's been a lot of grandstanding over the pending crime bill. Mendo has been particularly targeted in silly ways--at a press conference and at recent hearing. Now comes Muriel Bowser on Kojo with her own bit of fear mongering. (She's BSing right now! on gangs). Bowser argues that the police need better tools in dealing with gangs. Her argument is completely uninformed, straight-up Palin-esque politics.
Yes. Gangs are scary. But D.C. has plenty of tools already on the books. The District does not need to go into civil court with these new crime-bill tools. The Feds have long used RICO to take gangs off street corners. They've been quite successful. RICO is scary, too. Gang leaders like Kevin Gray and Tommy Edelin have found that out. Death penalty cases are now part of D.C.
There are also already civil tools the city has used like nuisance property laws that can target crack houses and shut them down. The results have been mixed. Innocent families have been targeted based on flimsy evidence.
Mid-Day Hot Topics
A few days ago, LL linked on the news that all city workers failed to write in their home addresses and phone numbers on financial disclosure forms. Today, the issue was vetted on Kojo. Sherwood made the point that high-level officials' addresses should be public. We need to know whether or not they are District residents. We need to know if where they live and the type of home/condo/rental they have influences how they conduct their business. This secrecy stuff is petty. AG Peter Nickles needs to reverse himself on this one.
Today, of course, WTOP's Mark Segraves breaks big Nickles news. He finds out where Nickles is living in the District. He also has a running twitter account of his interview with the cranky AG. Nickles won't say whether he registered as a Democrat or not. He'd only say he is a supporter of Fenty and Obama.
And finally, DC Watch, a few days ago, slams all the political posturing over the D.C. crime bill. The rant is old but still very worthy of your time.
