Despite trying to pull rank on them, U.S. Park Police slapped Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) with a ticket for parking illegally near the Lincoln Memorial recently.

It’s been a banner week for D.C. autonomy—one Republican wants to ban all abortions in D.C. after 20 weeks, and now another wants to exempt all military personnel from the city’s gun laws.

A proposal by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) to allow residents of other states with conceal carry permits to similarly carry concealed weapons in the District failed today in a surprising 24-3-1 vote, with a large number of Republicans siding with Democrats in opposition.

The last time we checked in with Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), he was proposing a 535-person exemption to the District’s prohibition on concealed guns so that legislators could protect themselves from criminals and crazed constituents. Needless to say, that didn’t fly. But Gohmert is at it again, this time trying to impose a concealed carry law upon the city.

Tired of bugging honorary D.C. Representative Louie Gohmert about how Washington is treated as the federal punching bag? Then this Facebook app — which, after reminding D.C. residents about their lack of voting rights, connects them to the office of a random one — might be for you.

Earlier this week, we wrote that Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) was planning to introduce legislation allowing the 535 members of Congress to carry guns in the Capitol, on the House floor and throughout the District. In an interview with CBS News today, Gohmert delved into the issue further, specifying that his proposal had less to do with fears over another Tucson-type shooting and more to do with his own worries of being accosted in the District by common criminals.

If there’s ever any certain repercussion after a national tragedy, its that politicians will draft a whole bunch of terrible legislation. According to Politico, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), who we all know and love, is writing a bill which would allow members of Congress to carry guns in and around the Capitol, on the House floor and throughout the District.

When in the closing days of 2006 we looked back on the year in D.C. voting rights, we optimistically hoped that 2007 would finally be the year that saw some movement on enfranchising the District’s residents. Movement, yes; resolution, not so much. So as we wind down 2007, we’re again left hoping that maybe the coming year will be the one. The primary mover in the D.C. voting rights movement in 2007 was legislation…

Sure, it’s December and we’re all preoccupied with holiday cheer and making plans for that one New Year’s party that will finally be worth the all the hype. But even though they’ve suffered some setbacks this year, D.C. voting rights activists are pushing the cause through the holiday season. On Thursday, December 6, the D.C. Council will hold a hearing to consider legislation that would place large electronic billboards outside the John A. Wilson Building…

As Sommer mentioned earlier this week, I was fortunate enough to have been invited to speak on a panel on D.C. voting rights at the YearlyKos Convention, a huge gathering of progressive activists and bloggers in Chicago. This morning I will be sitting alongside D.C. Shadow Rep. Mike Panetta, Danny Rose from DC Vote and Kesh Luddewhetty of DC for Democracy, all of whom will detail the current fight for voting rights, where it stands…