That foreboding black fence erected around the U.S. Capitol building has had an unintentional side effect: walling off the local government s ability to enact new laws.
Share
Source: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
The new barrier in front of the Capitol is proving to be more than just an eyesore. According to D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, the fence, which was installed after the deadly riots in the Capitol building on January 6, is preventing D.C. lawmakers from delivering their bills to Congress. Staff are reportedly not being allowed to pass the fencing. Congress has to give the final say on D.C. legislation.
“We have to be able to deliver our bills to Congress.” -CM Mendelson
DC Council Chair, Phil Mendelson says because of fence around Capitol, they can’t deliver bills to Congress to pass permanent legislation.
POLITICO
How 6 states and D.C. are taking coronavirus relief into their own hands
State and city leaders say critical programs that help prop up the economy and a host of essential services are in jeopardy.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan extracted $250 million from the state’s rainy day fund for coronavirus relief efforts in October. | Brian Witte/AP Photo
Link Copied
Cash-strapped states and cities have spent six months waiting and pleading for help from the feds and scraping together what little free cash they have to help struggling residents, businesses and safety net organizations until Washington delivered.
The relief never arrived. And state and city leaders say critical programs that help prop up the economy and a host of essential services are in jeopardy.
D.C. Council approves bill banning LGBTQ panic defense
By : Lou Chibbaro Jr. OF THE WASHINGTON BLADE, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL LGBT MEDIA ASSOCIATION December 21, 2020
Share this story:
ABOVE: D.C. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), photo via Allen’s Facebook page.
The D.C. Council voted unanimously Dec. 15 to give final approval of a bill that bans the use of the so-called gay and transgender panic defense in criminal trials.
A coalition of local LGBTQ advocacy groups that lobbied for the legislation said it is needed to prevent defense attorneys from inappropriately asking juries to find that a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity or gender expression is to blame for a defendant’s criminal act, including murder.
D C Council approves bill banning LGBTQ panic defense washingtonblade.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonblade.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.