Mayor Bowser asked Congressional committee for help on resources, judicial appointments and legalizing marijuana sales
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser met privately Wednesday with select members of the U.S. House Oversight and Accountability to discuss the growing crime problem in the District.
Bowser, who was joined by her new Police Chief Pamela Smith, met with about 10 committee members of both parties at the closed-door meeting that the mayor described as a “good-faith” discussion.
The mayor said she asked the committee for more help on getting speedy approval for judges for D.C. courts, more cooperation with the federal government to combat crime and allowing the the District to tax and regulate marijuana sales.
“We did put on the table some issues that may come back to them that I think specifically they could help with as it relates to the privacy act, information sharing, any thoughts they had on more speedy approval of judges for our courts,” Bowser said after the briefing. “We continue the need to reiterate the need to remove the rider that prevents us from taxing and regulating marijuana.”
The so-called Harris Rider the mayor is referring to prevents District officials from legalizing recreational marijuana sales. Republican Maryland Rep. Andy Harris in 2015 inserted a rider to prohibit D.C. from ever legally selling it after residents approved of legislation to use and posses small amounts.
The mayor and police officials have complained that illegal marijuana sales have also helped drive up crime in the District and that having the city regulate cannabis would eliminate the crime risks.
U.S. Rep. James Comer, who heads the oversight committee, told reporters after the hearing that that he’s wiling to work with the District on a number of issues including addressing the marijuana issue.
Comer called the meeting “productive” and said that “I believe the mayor is sincere.”
“The message that I’ve tried to relay to the mayor, and I think she knows that is, the Republicans on the House oversight committee want to work with the mayor’s office,” he said. “We don’t want to micromanage Washington, D.C.”
If the District does not hold criminals accountable for crimes then they will continue to commit them, Comer added.
“The mayor agrees with that. The Republicans on the oversight committee agree with that and we just want to work with the mayor,” he said.
As for marijuana limitations, Comer said that it’s currently a huge issue in D.C. that they want to resolved before their Christmas break.
“We’ve got to change the whole marijuana legislation in Washington,” he said.
