DC Mayor Arrested During Budget Protest: ‘Don’t Tread on DC!’
- Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:22am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The budget deal lawmakers struck to avoid a government shutdown was greeted by some with relief, but it has one city already reeling: the capital itself.
City officials say Washington was used as a pawn in last week’s budget bargaining, with new restrictions part of the price of a deal.
Angry that Congress appears ready to take away autonomy granted to the city in the last several years, Mayor Vincent Gray and six Council members including the chairman were among 41 people arrested Monday outside the Capitol while protesting the changes that might be inevitable. Seven hours later, they were released from jail.
“We needed to make a statement,” Gray said after his release.
He said protesters’ shoelaces, ties and belts were removed while they were in jail. The district restrictions that were part of the budget deal reached Friday were “completely unacceptable,” Gray said.
The city will likely be unable to spend its own tax dollars on abortions for low-income women. It may also be banned from spending city money on needle exchange programs believed vital to curbing the spread of HIV in the district, where the disease is considered an epidemic. Also back: a school voucher program favored by Republicans.
The news is considered a setback for a city that is unique in that it has a city government but its budget and laws are overseen by Congress. It had enjoyed more freedom in the past four years when both the House and Senate were controlled by Democrats, the party traditionally more friendly to pleas of autonomy from the heavily Democratic city.
When Republicans took control of the House in January, the city readied for changes. Still, city leaders said they are outraged that Washington appears to have been used as a bargaining chip.
“If this isn’t taxation without representation, I don’t know what is,” the mayor said before being arrested.
He and Council members, dressed in business attire, sat down in the street outside a Senate office building. U.S. Capitol Police arrested them, cuffing their hands behind them with plastic loops, and loaded them into police wagons to cheers from the crowd.
They were cited for blocking the street with an unlawful assembly, a misdemeanor that can be resolved by paying a $50 fine.
Gray said after he was released that he was proud to be part of the demonstration and would continue to fight the restrictions, but wasn’t specific.
Gray became the second D.C. mayor to go to jail while advocating for home rule. Sharon Pratt Kelly was arrested during a statehood protest in August 1993. Gray also was a council member before becoming mayor, so he is familiar with the home-rule fight.
Ilir Zherka, the executive director of D.C. Vote, a nonpartisan group that lobbies for more independence for the district, said his group doesn’t intend to let the budget pass this week without a fight.
“We’re not going to accept that they decided to throw the District of Columbia under the bus,” Zherka said.
But while the news is considered a setback for the capital city and its 600,000 residents, the restrictions wouldn’t be new.
The city’s ability to spend money on abortions for low-income women has seesawed over the last two decades. When Democrats have controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency, in 1993 and 1994 and again in 2009 and 2010, the city has been able to spend its own money to pay for abortions for women on Medicaid. When Republicans have controlled at least one branch of government that ability has been taken away.
The fact that Congress will likely re-impose the ban on abortion funding wasn’t a shock to Tiffany Reed, the president of D.C. Abortion Fund, a non-profit organization that makes grants to poor women to pay for abortions, which can cost $300 to $500 or more. Reed said her group, which helped pay for more than 300 abortions a year, had expected the ban to be re-imposed, but she was angry Congress had stepped in again to local affairs just as the lifting of the ban was beginning to take effect.
“It gives me a lot of rage quite frankly,” she said. “I’m really disappointed in our pro-choice president that he allowed this to happen.”
As for a possible reintroduction of a ban on city money for needle exchanges, it would be a step back. Congress prohibited the city from using its own money for the programs for two decades beginning in the late 1980s. Other groups stepped in to provide the service with private dollars, but it is a widely held belief that the city’s inability to pay for needle exchange led to an increase in the number of residents contracting HIV. Approximately 3 percent of city residents are currently living with HIV or AIDS, a level considered by health officials to be epidemic.
When the ban was lifted in 2007, the city invested money in community programs that collected 300,000 used syringes in the last year. People who work at the city‘s three needle exchange programs say they aren’t sure how they will cope if the city is again unable to provide money.
“It would be nothing short of disastrous,” said Cyndee Clay, executive director of HIPS, an organization that works with sex workers and drug users and is currently exchanging about 8,000 needles a month. “I don‘t understand why they’re doing this to us.”
Eleanor Holmes Norton, the city’s representative in Congress, said she has not yet seen the actual language in the budget but has been told the abortion rider and school vouchers are in. Norton, a Democrat who is not allowed to vote on the House floor, said she doesn’t believe needle exchange is part of the deal, but she said she won’t be sure until she sees final language.
“We got bargained away,” Norton said of the budget deal. “I don’t know for what.”
—
Associated Press writer Ben Nuckols contributed to this report.
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Comments (72)
TheBeezKnow
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 10:32amThis is absolutely disgusting. How can so many women abort their babies? I don‘t understand how they don’t feel a bond with the life inside them. For most of us gals there is an instinct to protect that baby from the moment you know you’re pregnant. It’s truly sad that our country is morally declining at such an alarming rate. I can’t believe that this is even an issue… That we have creepy politicians who want to use our hard earned money to pay for low-lifes to abort their babies whenever they aren’t responsible. I propose we sterilize women who have abortions. They don’t want children anyway. I’ll chip in for that!
Report Post »NeverFollowBlindly
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 5:41pmMaybe women aren’t in the position to have a baby… my girlfriend got pregnant (and we were using birth control, so don’t play that card) and we decided it was best not to have the kid since we were both off to college the next year. I understand the feelings many people have that abortion is not the way to go ever, but at the same time, it doesn’t make sense to drastically mess up your life over something that can be corrected.
Report Post »That being said, I totally agree with the statement that tax dollars should not have to fund abortion, this is about funding planned parenthood. Abortions can be paid for with insurance, get some.
SIHKS1120
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 10:20amscumbag crackhead mayors of D.C.. new reality show coming soon!!!
Report Post »abolitionist35
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 10:20amYou know, there once was another institution that people used to get really angry about when people tried to abolish it. It was called slavery and it also devalued a member of the human race to “non-human” status. Until we stand up for the fact that babies in the womb are made in the image of God and have God given (not government given) rights, our country will continue to devalue them.
Report Post »http://abolishhumanabortion.blogspot.com/
“It is an indisputable scientific fact that each and every legal surgical abortion…stops a beating heart and stops already measurable brain waves.”
SanMoo
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 10:18amChildish behavior. “I will sit in the street and hold my breath until someone changes their mind and we win.”……..They look so stupid using 1960′s sit-in-tactis——it turns my stomach. These people are as dumb as fence posts…..or otherwise they would be using their intelligence to work on the legislation and bargaining, etc. You must have nothing to work with if the only thing you can think of is “sit in the streets”!!!! How stupid are these elected officials…….How stupid are the people who voted them in!?
Report Post »RED-DAWN
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 10:08amMaybe a few hours of Community Service to go along with the fine. Maybe they could hand out anti-abortion literature outside one of the closed clinics!
Report Post »PER100
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:39amits nice to know that some people still believe that my taxes are their right to abortion. only makes the Tea Party more valid. Michelle and SARA for 2012!
Report Post »An AmericanMom
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:34amDoesn’t he realize he is wanting his future voter to be killed before the can vote for him?
Report Post »An AmericanMom
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:32amDoes he not realize he is wanting his future voters to be killed?
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:19amIf they don’t like the way the rules are structured for the District of Columbia – there are lot’s of roads leading out and none of them have gates or guards to keep them in. There is nothing like breaking the law to prove a point. The DC mayors office is perhaps as corrupt or more so than Chicago.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:06amif the D.C mayor and others are so concerned with their ability to kill babies, let them do it by raising private funds. this nationwide fascination with the welfare state makes people like this lazy. go get your own money and leave mine alone.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:57amAnother Marion-Barry-esque criminal/loser – - Where do the idiot voters of D.C. find these scumbags?
Report Post »Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:05amEVERYWHERE in DC. To them they’re not scum, they’re HEROS
Report Post »Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:50am“taxation without representation” I guarantee you the VAST majority of people living in DC are paying NO taxes. Further, this number could be found, but I’ll also wager what DC gets in handouts outweighs what pittance might be taken from the few there that actually work by a factor of a hundred.
Report Post »crossdraw
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:48amI want to know when accountability is going to come into play with the end result, prison for these criminal swine. JAIL-TIME for the liberal SCUMBAGS.
Report Post »gregdog17
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:39amWhy do the lib’s chant those 3 syllable rifs… “Yes we can”, “not my body”, “DC votes”? None of which make any logical sense, just chanting!
Report Post »parlayer
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:36amHoo fricking ray!!
Report Post »FAXXON
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:26amThe libs and public unions get mad when they can’t take from those who have stuff and give it to those who want the stuff for free.
Report Post »Wrella
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:20amI saw an earlier pic of the mayor with a group of people and a banner, “Taxation Without Representation”. I recognized the banner as identical to a bumper sticker I was handed at the 8/28 Restoring Honor Rally. It’s from dcvote.org. A quick look at their ‘Our Coalition’ page presents a laundry list of leftist organizations.
http://www.dcvote.org/about/coalition.cfm
Not that this comes as any surprise to everyone here – just wanted to point it out.
Report Post »BruceB
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:12amI think we need to put the money back, also fund PP. After all they’ve killed more black babies than the Klan ever did.
Report Post »illuminoddy
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:17amthats not politically correct
just call them “DC people”
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:04pmAgreed, Bruce-we should probably even double funding for PP.
Report Post »hightide
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:05amOK, so DC want’s to kill babies, give drug addicts new needles with which to kill themselves, and they don’t want people to keep their kids out of schools where they are in danger because of gang activity and drug use. So what they want to to kill everybody? Doesn’t make much sense to me. Stupid socialists. It’s time to clean up the streets
Report Post »streetrodder
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:44amThere are so many forms of birth control out there, no reason for anybody to get pregnant. Well mabey 1, welfare for each kid, and that should stop.
Report Post »illuminoddy
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:40amin the past, giving birth was a great risk to the mothers life, and countless mothers have given up their lives to save the life within them
DC should be irradiated, or fumigated, or however you take care of diseased filth & infectious rubbish like those “people”
Report Post »Chicago Ray
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:38pmI use that argument all the time with leftist abortion advocates, saying “in days gone by a good mother would give her life for her newborn child, not the other way around like it is today”…
Report Post »illuminoddy
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:36amhonestly, the kids are innocent, the mothers are guilty. so frying them both isnt an option
we need to wait until she comes to term and the baby can be removed, before executing her
but killing them both is preferable to killing only the baby and letting the stupid mother live
Report Post »parlayer
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:40ambirth control by abortion, is a capitol offence, I concur.
Report Post »illuminoddy
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:33amand dirty needles dont spread HIV, stupid drug addicts do..
lets just let nature take its course on that one.
its like saying that we should pave all the roads with cotton and down because illegal drug addicts and abusers tend to jump off buildings
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:30amhow does DC spend its own money for abortion? t
Report Post »if Planned parenthood wanted to keep funding they would get out of the business of murder completely.. then NOBODY would object
joe conservative
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:29amIf the liberals ever got their way, they’d get the drugs for free along with the needles. Funny how they’re all upset, yet aren‘t even sure what’s in the bill. That’s the liberal mindset for you.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68uzsXdMLS4
Obama Bin Lying
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:36amGee…a DC mayor arrested….I am shocked, really I am
Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:43am“It gives me a lot of rage quite frankly,” she said. “I’m really disappointed in our pro-choice president that he allowed this to happen.”
Ha, I love it! Even when Barry Soetoro does what is right his own troops turn on him. Liberals are never satisfied, they’ve got the most liberal leader this country has ever seen and they still want more.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:59amThere are cheers from FL supporting their arrests; they need to quadruple the fines when it’s a politician or politically motivated. Think of all the new equipment and cars they could buy, compliments of the liberals and democrats. Why is HIV so high? The place is a cesspool and the dems have been in charge for years. Prostitution and drug dealing are probably the leading jobs in the market place.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:04am@BigJayinPA:
Good point, some people fear of a nuke by terrorists going off in DC; the fact all intelligent life ceases to be within the area may preclude the fact of any attacks. There simply would be no need to devote that much resources in any actions when the fed’s are already seeking to annhilate the land as it is.
Report Post »Sgt.Crust
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:17amYah, good for you, defending murder by abortion! You progressives are going to be in for a rude awakening soon enough, when we kick the rest of the progressive trolls out of power come 2012, unless you peanutheads on the left start your revolution first…then we got ya for sure! Keep up the communist crapo people, we’re waiting patiently!
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:29amThis is absolutely mind boggleing…
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:33amI’d say “make it a rule to not let anyone who had ever been arrested out of politics,” but then we’d hardly have anyone in politics. Maybe institute that rule at the local level and the silt won’t rise to the top. It was pure theatrics anyway, nothing but a show. These people are all fakes, who pretend to be interested in what you have to say, all the while thinking how they can get ahead.
Report Post »I have become very jaded towards politicians in the last two years.
William
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:10amThat is real sad that DC may not be able to kill crack babies of the poor. I am so sad. The drug addicts may get aids if they can’t find clean needles OMG. If DC is all about supporting peoples bad habbits how about buying Ice Cream cookies for fat people and beer for alcoholics we don‘t want them to go into DT’s. Waste Waste Waste money! This kind of stupid spending is what got the country in this mess along with the people who took on more debt then they could afford.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 9:38amNo Taxation Without Representation!
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 11:51am“If the liberals ever got their way, they’d get the drugs for free along with the needles”
Report Post »If they got their way they would force everyone to have abortions and shoot up drugs. Their goal is to drug up the nation and kill all the conservative babies that they can get their hands on.
DieHard
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 11:52am@sleazyhippo
Report Post »Don’t be dumb. This is a conservative issue, so the end justifies the means. Always.
Wolf
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:06pm@Sleeze- read the Constitution: DC has all the representation it needs.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:36pmI remember the good old days, when the only thing a D.C. mayor got arrested for was snorting cocaine in a hotel room with a ******……sad…
Report Post »waggie
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:18pmBeautiful
Report Post »SMALL GOVT
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:13pm@godsamerica
wow.
Report Post »