Photo by Mike Maguire.

Photo by Mike Maguire.

As Congressional Republicans attempt to block and change D.C. laws, they’re finding at least one unintended consequence: a fired-up populace ready to fight back.

“Obama sold us out a couple of times, but the threat of the presidential veto protected us from an outright offensive on the District,” says Josh Burch, founder of Neighbors United for Statehood. “A lot of people are really worried that there could be open season on District laws and I think that pisses off a lot of people. People aren’t just mad—they want to get out and act.”

In the first weeks of the new legislative term, GOP legislators have already meddled in District policies on abortion, gun control, medical aid-in-dying, and more, despite Mayor Muriel Bowser’s call at the Women’s March for Congress to “leave us alone!”

Now, Hands Off D.C. is trying to harness that frustration into a movement. While the project is a brainchild of Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, “we don’t see Hands Off D.C. as a project that will be led by the council. This is something for the residents of D.C. to take up,” says Andy Le, Allen’s spokesperson.

Washingtonians seem more than willing to do their part. The first Hands Off D.C. meeting is scheduled for Monday February 13, and more than 500 people have already said they plan to attend. Organizers are now concerned that the venue they’ve chosen, Atlas Performing Arts, is already at capacity with a week to go.

“We’re really excited about the turnout,” says Le. His office is asking those planning on attending to RSVP so they can make sure they can plan accordingly.

“This meeting is all about action and very little about talking. This is more about connecting people to organizations that are doing real work,” says Le, who likens it to a “Match.com for talent, passions, and organizations.” There will also be materials for sign-making and letter-writing campaigns, and potentially a breakout room specifically for young adults.

One of the organizations that’ll be in attendance is Neighbors United for Statehood. Burch says that he’s been seeing increased interested in the cause. For a statehood action meeting happening tonight, for instance, “over half of those 40 people [who said they’re going], I have no clue who they are.”

This is a marked change from the recent past. “We have a situation here where we’re denied our most basic civil rights,” D.C. Shadow Senator Michael D. Brown told DCist before inauguration. “We have a rally and 150 people show up and I know 125 of them by name because they show up for everything. We just never get enough people to show up.”

D.C. does not have a senator at the Capitol, and D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton cannot vote on the House floor, despite our more than 680,000 residents (a higher population than two states) paying more in federal taxes than 22 states.

One consistent foe of D.C. home rule is Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), who chairs the House Oversight Committee. Allen directed D.C. residents to call Chaffetz with their constituent services requests and other complaints. Soon after, the Utahn’s office changed its phone options to prompt callers to press three “if you are not from Utah’s 3rd Congressional District but have comments for Congressman Chaffetz.”

On Friday, other councilmembers tweeted out phone numbers for members of the House Oversight Committee.

“I despise Chaffetz and what he tries to do, but Chaffetz does it because he is empowered by Republicans in Congress who vote for all of his bills,” says Burch. “As soon as these people start voting with Chaffetz, we need to hold them equally accountable for what they’re doing. We need to start making all these members of the House feel like their vote against D.C. is going to have a political repercussion.”

While most D.C. politicians agree that statehood is the only way to keep Congress off D.C.’s back in the long term, the prospects of becoming the 51st star on the flag are presently dim.

“We’re going to spend a lot of time defending D.C., and that’s not necessarily proactive statehood work, but we can use that time to build a network of support,” says Burch, who wants people to turn their local networks, like unions and associations, into “the bedrock and guide to a national organizing network.”

Getting people from outside D.C. to call their representatives on behalf of the District will be a big component of that.

“We don’t have the Senate, we don’t have the house, we’re unsure of Trump,” says Burch. “The only people we can rely on to defend the District of Columbia is the people in the District of Columbia.”

Hands Off D.C. Meeting is happening at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, February 13 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St. NE), though it’s possible the venue may change. RSVP here to attend.

Filed Under: 51st state, hands off d.c., meanwhile on capitol hill, resistance, statehood,