Arya Shapiro from NPR talks to the President of the Colombia Provincial Council, Phil Mendson, about President Trump’s emergency announcement and the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, DC.
Ari Shapiro, host:
Here in Washington, DC, people were sharing photos and videos of federal agents who patrol in the streets. After increasing the application of federal law at the end of last week, President Trump announced the state of emergency yesterday. It led to a federal acquisition of the police department and the deployment of hundreds of National Guard forces in the area. He says it is to fight the crime, although the police data show that violent crime is at its lowest level in 30 years. The leaders of the provinces reluctantly cooperate, and one of these leaders is with us now. The Chairman of the Capital Phil Mendson, welcome to all the things that have been considered.
Mandason Phil: Thank you very much.
Shapiro: Tell us about the specific changes that I saw on the last day since this seizure.
Mendeluson: Well, I know that there is a greater interaction between federal law enforcement agencies and the Capital Police Administration. There was some increasing existence – I do not know that I would describe it as periodicals, but an additional presence for federal officials or federal law enforcement in the city’s areas but not our regions. And I know that there are national guards who appear for the duty.
Shapiro: I said this is unnecessary publishing without a real task, but it does not seem to be urging the challenge. Does anything you find useful in owning hundreds of additional couples from hands to help meet the city’s needs now?
Mendelson: Well, let me say two things. First, there is no value (pH) in our challenge. The boycott is similar to any other jurisdiction in that the federal government can exceed in different ways. They rule the city if they want it. With regard to interest, yes, additional resources are always welcome and useful, but these are the resources that help us solve cases. We also need to appoint judges. The federal government must do so. Of course, we need more resources, such as full financing – or rather we are fully compensated for the expenses of the police department related to the federal government and the diplomatic community.
Shapiro: Also …
Mendeluson: So there are ways to be useful.
Shapiro: It is also amazing that you said that the additional agents you saw were not in areas with the highest crime.
Mendelus: Yes, and I think this is worth referring to. I think this is more related to existence, as well as, as you know, perhaps protecting federal buildings – although I do not know that they need protection – or federal effects. I didn’t know that they were not sufficiently protected, but it seems directed towards it.
Shapiro: Well, in addition to fighting crime, President Trump says he wants to clean the homeless camps immediately and did not say much about the place where people will go, only that they will be far from the capital. Did you start seeing people who are transporting? Do you know where to go?
Mendeluson: I don’t know where they are going, and I think it’s the beginning. Many of the homeless camps – and only allow me to say that we are not unusual compared to other cities in the presence of the homeless population in our streets – in fact less than other cities. But many of these camps homeless on federal land now. Consequently, the federal government is in fact the only judicial jurisdiction (PH) or the agency that enables it to do something about it.
Shapiro: Oh, you say he could have done so even before the acquisition?
Mendelson: Right. For example, for example, the secretaries of the homeless in Rock Creek Park or in some gardens of the triangle – all of those federal land, and the federal government had already had the authority to do something. We would like them to treat these people in a humanitarian manner, and to propose the president’s speech otherwise. But we did not really see what will happen.
Shapiro: The Charter that allowed President Trump to do this says that Congress must agree to any extension after 30 days. Do you expect this to last longer than a month? Do you press Congress to try to get it after 30 days?
Mendeluson: Well, since this is only the second day, it is too early to determine whether there will be any pressure. I really don’t know. I think we will see during the next two weeks what are the results already. I know that an additional presence during the weekend led to perhaps a few arrests, and I think it was a quality of life quality. I don’t think this is a convincing situation to expand this. But again, the fact that crime – violent crime is its lowest level in 30 years and still decreases indicates that this is the crisis and this is not necessary and certainly is not necessary for more than 30 days.
Shapiro: As I said, the capital does not resemble any other American city, and this acquisition occurs under a unique ruling in Washington. But at the same time, President Trump warned other cities against note. Earlier this summer, the National Guard forces deployed in Los Angeles due to local objections. What is your advice to other city leaders wondering whether they could be after that?
Mendeluson: Well, I’m not sure how to advise them. The region is unique, so the president has some inputs that it does not enjoy in other cities. I wonder if some of this revolves around the use of the area as an example of attacking a liberal city and trying to score points.
Shapiro: Finally, let me ask you about a different conflict between the federal government and the government of the capital. The city’s budget is more than a billion dollars because when Congress funded the federal government in March, it did not go through Bon to allow the spending of its own money as it usually does. President Trump has indicated support for this reform in March. This did not happen. Where does this stand?
Mendeluson: Well, nothing happened. So the Senate – dates back to March – realizes at eleven o’clock the error and commanded separate legislation before it is comfortable to fix the problem. The draft law was immediately sent to the home, and continues to sit at the headphone office. It was never referred. It was not placed on the floor. It is a reduction in billions of dollars for our budget. These are not federal dollars. In fact, revenue is still collected. It is just that, according to Congress, or failure to work, it prevents us from being able to spend this money. Therefore, money will be left at the end of the year, but it has created a lot of difficulty.
Shapiro: Phil Mendelson is the head of the Capital Council. Thank you very much for talking to us today.
Mendelus: Thank you.
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