Like any federal enclave, the federal government has plenary power over the District of Columbia. But Congress has delegated most of that power to local officials; it would take new laws to undo that.
there's no rule that says Abbott can't keep calling new sessions on the same issue. but the text of the Home Rule Act seems to maybe imply that if he wants another 30 days he at least has to come up with a new emergency.
the TikTok ban is obviously illegal but it's not clear who exactly could sue the government over; it's a diffuse and semi-hypothetical harm to national security, not something tangible and individual. whereas here the DC Mayor is directly harmed by having her employees diverted to other jobs, and maybe other people too (e.g., people arrested who otherwise wouldn't have been..? police forced to do jobs they didn't sign up for..?)
ultimately i think you're probably right about how it will shake out. but i think it's less clear-cut than the other two cases
Personally, observing everything Trump and his lackeys are doing in various other places like LA, it is clear he is setting the stage for further action of using federal law enforcement and the military to consolidate power. Both my husband and I, in our 70s, have always been independents (well-read, well-informed committed voters who have always tried to assess as best we can who would govern well and appoint quality people) and are not wild-eyed conspiracy mongers. However, having lived and worked in New York all of our careers and having observed Trump up close and personal for years, we had pretty much predicted everything that has happened in the last 10 years (and we don't think we are particularly prescient, just very clear-eyed about who the man is and who he would have around him this time around). So, we believe he is setting up conditions to not leave office, to remain physically ensconced in the White House even if he loses the election. And who knows what will happen in 2026? This regime is doing everything possible to rig elections going forward at the state level, But with DOJ's explicit backing. These activities to federalize DC are simply part and parcel and a first step of taking control of cities through federal law enforcement and the military. He's pushing the envelope and testing the waters, and certainly the Supreme Court isn't giving much pushback, at least where it really makes a difference. Do you think I am nuts?
As Sarah Kendzior says, Trump is part of a “transnational crime syndicate masquerading as government.”
The Supreme Court is now the Extreme Court and are part of this Republican-Federalist Coup Against America.
Project 2025 is wide open for reading and lawlessness ensues.
I hope the military stands up and doesn’t follow Trump’s orders. However, he used the National Guard. Let’s see how long courts will keep a lid on it .
No, you’re not nuts, and are right to be concerned as to what The Dearest Donald and his lackeys have as their ultimate goal for the DC takeover. Obviously, The Dearest Donald’s claim that he wants to clean up or fix DC is a pretext.
So what exactly does he have in mind by taking control over DC?
I don’t know for sure. But I do know that if The Dearest Donald and his lackeys were thinking about attempting another coup to retain power (or wanted to insulate him from being removed via impeachment or the 25th Amendment), they’d want to be able to quickly establish physical control over Washington DC and especially over the capital complex and the Pentagon. We here in the US—complacent and naive about how coups unfold—do not grasp how physical control over the national capital is essential to a coup’s success.
So when you contemplate the significance of Trump’s planned DC takeover, don’t just think in terms of the “normal” ways governmental power has been exercised in the US. Instead, think in terms of the absolute importance of immediate, direct, physical control of territory—most importantly the territory of the national capital.
Anyone who thinks my musing is far-fetched must have slept through J6, which would have gone much differently if Trump’s insurrectionists had the capital police, the DC National Guard, and the DC police ON THEIR SIDE.
Here are 100 protest signs. The moment demands protest. To each it should be unmistakable—urgent and morally unassailable. I speak for justice, duty, and shared humanity. Act now for those we must protect. Rise. We have protests to do. Good trouble. Restack these signs to spread your wealth.
A piece at Slate discusses how the execution that no justice deigned to address, even with multiple orders providing an opportunity, was likely botched.
The bit about the location of where SCOTUS presides was interesting. Would it help if SCOTUS sometimes met outside D.C.?
So in essence, if the President wanted to "Federalize" DC "today," as he has claimed on Truth Social, he would need to find a way to legitimize the mustering and deployment of the US Military to DC. Absent that, he lacks the authority and manpower to effectively accomplish his goal re: Crime and Law/Order.
Which would be dangerously close to giving us our own brownshirts in Congress.
It will be interesting to see if SCOTUS allows King Trump to rule over DC as befits their ideal of a monarch. I suspect they'll stay any orders to the contrary for maximum time but will be reluctant to issue any ruling on the merits (shocking, I know).
Second, it will be interesting to see the effect on DC residents. I think the answer to Senate woes would be admitting the States of Columbia to the nation, as well as Puerto Rico. DC split into however many separate states as Democrats want, to give the Senate a large boost in membership, breaking both the Senate and the call for an Article V Constitutional Convention (made under the pretext that Wyoming's delegation would be equal to California's).
Federalize the DC police for 30 days, and then another 30 days, and then another…?
Like Trump’s multiple 90-day TikTok extensions, or Abbott’s threat to hold multiple 30-day special sessions of the TX legislature.
there's no rule that says Abbott can't keep calling new sessions on the same issue. but the text of the Home Rule Act seems to maybe imply that if he wants another 30 days he at least has to come up with a new emergency.
the TikTok ban is obviously illegal but it's not clear who exactly could sue the government over; it's a diffuse and semi-hypothetical harm to national security, not something tangible and individual. whereas here the DC Mayor is directly harmed by having her employees diverted to other jobs, and maybe other people too (e.g., people arrested who otherwise wouldn't have been..? police forced to do jobs they didn't sign up for..?)
ultimately i think you're probably right about how it will shake out. but i think it's less clear-cut than the other two cases
Personally, observing everything Trump and his lackeys are doing in various other places like LA, it is clear he is setting the stage for further action of using federal law enforcement and the military to consolidate power. Both my husband and I, in our 70s, have always been independents (well-read, well-informed committed voters who have always tried to assess as best we can who would govern well and appoint quality people) and are not wild-eyed conspiracy mongers. However, having lived and worked in New York all of our careers and having observed Trump up close and personal for years, we had pretty much predicted everything that has happened in the last 10 years (and we don't think we are particularly prescient, just very clear-eyed about who the man is and who he would have around him this time around). So, we believe he is setting up conditions to not leave office, to remain physically ensconced in the White House even if he loses the election. And who knows what will happen in 2026? This regime is doing everything possible to rig elections going forward at the state level, But with DOJ's explicit backing. These activities to federalize DC are simply part and parcel and a first step of taking control of cities through federal law enforcement and the military. He's pushing the envelope and testing the waters, and certainly the Supreme Court isn't giving much pushback, at least where it really makes a difference. Do you think I am nuts?
As Sarah Kendzior says, Trump is part of a “transnational crime syndicate masquerading as government.”
The Supreme Court is now the Extreme Court and are part of this Republican-Federalist Coup Against America.
Project 2025 is wide open for reading and lawlessness ensues.
I hope the military stands up and doesn’t follow Trump’s orders. However, he used the National Guard. Let’s see how long courts will keep a lid on it .
No, you’re very much sane!
No, you’re not nuts, and are right to be concerned as to what The Dearest Donald and his lackeys have as their ultimate goal for the DC takeover. Obviously, The Dearest Donald’s claim that he wants to clean up or fix DC is a pretext.
So what exactly does he have in mind by taking control over DC?
I don’t know for sure. But I do know that if The Dearest Donald and his lackeys were thinking about attempting another coup to retain power (or wanted to insulate him from being removed via impeachment or the 25th Amendment), they’d want to be able to quickly establish physical control over Washington DC and especially over the capital complex and the Pentagon. We here in the US—complacent and naive about how coups unfold—do not grasp how physical control over the national capital is essential to a coup’s success.
So when you contemplate the significance of Trump’s planned DC takeover, don’t just think in terms of the “normal” ways governmental power has been exercised in the US. Instead, think in terms of the absolute importance of immediate, direct, physical control of territory—most importantly the territory of the national capital.
Anyone who thinks my musing is far-fetched must have slept through J6, which would have gone much differently if Trump’s insurrectionists had the capital police, the DC National Guard, and the DC police ON THEIR SIDE.
Here are 100 protest signs. The moment demands protest. To each it should be unmistakable—urgent and morally unassailable. I speak for justice, duty, and shared humanity. Act now for those we must protect. Rise. We have protests to do. Good trouble. Restack these signs to spread your wealth.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/100-free-protest-signs?r=3m1bs
Phck
A piece at Slate discusses how the execution that no justice deigned to address, even with multiple orders providing an opportunity, was likely botched.
The bit about the location of where SCOTUS presides was interesting. Would it help if SCOTUS sometimes met outside D.C.?
Thanks, this is what I needed to know.
So in essence, if the President wanted to "Federalize" DC "today," as he has claimed on Truth Social, he would need to find a way to legitimize the mustering and deployment of the US Military to DC. Absent that, he lacks the authority and manpower to effectively accomplish his goal re: Crime and Law/Order.
Which would be dangerously close to giving us our own brownshirts in Congress.
What about declaring martial law?
Who care about crime statistics? The obvious motivation for this is that Big Balls got beaten up by a teenage boy and girl.
Fascinating. And very helpful.
It will be interesting to see if SCOTUS allows King Trump to rule over DC as befits their ideal of a monarch. I suspect they'll stay any orders to the contrary for maximum time but will be reluctant to issue any ruling on the merits (shocking, I know).
Second, it will be interesting to see the effect on DC residents. I think the answer to Senate woes would be admitting the States of Columbia to the nation, as well as Puerto Rico. DC split into however many separate states as Democrats want, to give the Senate a large boost in membership, breaking both the Senate and the call for an Article V Constitutional Convention (made under the pretext that Wyoming's delegation would be equal to California's).