Oversight Chair Comer warns DC council to approve Commanders stadium before August recess
'The federal government transferred administrative control of this valuable property with the clear expectation that the D.C. Council would act decisively to maximize its potential,' House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote in a letter to D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson on Thursday.
'The Committee understands the need for deliberation and the availability of financial analyses and expects all required votes to be completed before the Council's August recess.'
Congress approved legislation last year to help facilitate the redevelopment of the area known as the RFK Stadium site and the Washington Commanders' return to D.C. after playing in Maryland for nearly three decades. The D.C. Council recently delayed finalization of its RFK Stadium deal amid public pressure over costs and housing priorities.
Mendelson said in a statement to The Hill that the Council is 'moving as quickly as possible' to finalize a deal.
'I've had and am continuing to have meetings with representatives from the Commanders and those meetings have been very productive and pleasant and constructive and we're working well together,' he said. 'The Council is trying to move towards a positive vote on the stadium.'
The Commanders franchise vowed a $2.7 billion private investment in exchange for the redeveloped site. In a tentative agreement, the District said it would invest $1.1 billion over eight years to build a new stadium, housing and green space on the federal owned site along the Anacostia River.
Comer urged the Council to promptly act 'without unnecessary and politically motivated delays.'
WTOP News reported this week that the D.C. Council missed a crucial deadline to vote on the site, possibly jeopardizing the $3.7 billion project. Legislation formalizing the deal is scheduled for public hearings later this month.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
10 minutes ago
- New York Post
Curtis Sliwa pledges — again — to hang up iconic red beret if he wins NYC mayoral race
He'll hang up his hat — if he wins. Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa pledged Monday to retire his iconic red beret if he's elected mayor. 'I was born without a beret, I'll die without a beret, I can take the beret off,' Sliwa said as he led an hourlong manhunt for a dog-hating maniac in Queens, that didn't end up sniffing out the suspect. Advertisement The Republican mayoral nominee has shed his ruby noggin topper more often in recent days as he aims to appeal to well-to-do New Yorkers wary of socialist frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. 'If the people are good enough to elect me mayor, I'll retire the red beret. I won't wear the red beret. But for right now, I guess I'm going to have to switch on-and-off depending on what group I'm with,' he said. 3 Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa vowed to retire his beret if elected mayor. Michael Nagle Advertisement 3 He made the pledge as he led a manhunt for a monster who lit a pit bull on fire. Michael Nagle Sliwa has promised to ditch the beret before, during 2021's mayoral election, when he was also the GOP candidate. But Big Apple voters at the time evidently weren't jazzed enough by the prospect of a beret-free Sliwa — the bearer of quite the impressive tan line underneath his cap — and overwhelmingly voted Mayor Eric Adams into office. Sliwa wore a different hat, so to speak, for an hour Monday as he led an unsuccessful hunt across South Ozone Park for a monster accused of setting a helpless pit bull on fire last week. Advertisement He plastered fliers with photos depicting the suspect under car windshields and knocked on doors. 3 Sliwa's beret is so inseparable from his head that he has displayed a prominent tan line on the few occasions he has removed it. Stephen Yang The outspoken animal lover — who once showed off the 15 rescue cats inside his 320-square-foot Upper West Side studio apartment — vowed that animal abuse will be a priority if he's elected. 'I'm trying to get everybody to get involved to put this fiend in jail where he belongs,' he said.
Politico
19 minutes ago
- Politico
Bove's nomination not yet derailed by new whistleblower complaint
Staff for Senate Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley met Monday with lawyers for a third whistleblower testifying against Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's nominee to sit on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals whose confirmation vote could be scheduled for as soon as Tuesday. Grassley said in a brief interview his team found out about the new allegations in recent days from social media, but his staff was unable to secure the meeting until Monday. 'I don't have the results of that sit-down, but I do know this: All we've been getting all weekend is the runaround, so I really have questions about the adequacy with the way the Democrats are handling this,' Grassley said. 'I just don't think it shows the proper respect for whistleblowers.' Bove's nomination has been dogged by accusations he suggested defying court orders that could pull back on the administration's aggressive immigration and deportation agenda. Senate Judiciary Democrats asked to hold a hearing with one former DOJ employee, Erez Reuveni, the first whistleblower to implicate Bove with potential misconduct. Grassley declined the request. A second whistleblower against Bove is currently being represented by the nonprofit group, Whistleblower Aid. Democrats argue these complaints warrant Bove's disqualification for a lifetime judgeship, and have dedicated significant time and messaging resources to slamming his consideration. It's not likely, though, that this new development could be enough to sway more Republicans to oppose him. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine are expected to vote 'no.' Sen. Thom Tillis, whose opposition to Trump's previous U.S. attorney pick for the District of Columbia tanked the nomination and is not running for reelection, had been viewed as a possible Republican who could be flipped on judicial contenders. But the North Carolina lawmaker said Monday his support of Bove remained unchanged. 'The problem that I'm running into is whether or not people are willing to come out and identify themselves, or at least identify themselves to members,' said Tillis of the whistleblowers. Tillis also pointed out Bove would be confirmed with or without his support: unless a fourth Republican were to come out and oppose the nominee, there 'no' votes would only require Vice President JD Vance to break the tie and deliver the White House a victory. A Grassley spokesperson, Clare Slattery, also slammed the new whistleblower's late allegations. 'His staff has so far spoken to more than a dozen people who have reached out to share information about the Bove nomination, and has not declined a meeting with anyone who said they had information to share,' Slattery said in a statement regarding sides for the committee chair. 'These eleventh-hour allegations, which were shared in advance with Democrats and the media but not with the Chairman or his staff, reek of a bad faith attempt to sink a nominee who's already received committee approval,' she continued. Grassley staff also has yet to review or gain access to the documents that support the third whistleblower's complaint. Once Trump's criminal defense lawyer, Bove is now a top official at the Department of Justice. If confirmed, he would hold a lifetime seat on the court with jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and the Virgin Islands.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pro-Israel US lawmakers pressured Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza
The message came from both senior Republican lawmakers in Congress and officials in the White House, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Israeli officials faced growing pressure from key allies in Washington over the past few days to allow more humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip, two sources told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. Members of the US Congress and Senate, described by Israeli sources as 'close allies,' recently urged senior officials in Jerusalem to facilitate the entry of aid. 'Help us help you,' they reportedly said. 'We don't believe the claims of widespread famine in Gaza, but you must take concrete steps to allow aid in.' The message came from both senior Republican lawmakers in Congress and officials in the White House, according to two sources familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump weighed in on the issue, saying, 'It's terrible to see the children, especially in recent weeks. People are stealing food, stealing money, stealing money meant for food. It's a mess, the whole place is a mess. Gaza.' An Israeli official told the Post that it remains unclear how long Israel will continue current humanitarian measures, including maintaining open aid corridors, permitting localized ceasefires, and assisting in air drops. The official indicated these actions would likely remain in place until international criticism subsides. 'Israel failed to counter the false starvation narrative and was forced to take these measures to relieve international pressure,' the official said. Responding to international criticism On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to growing international criticism, saying that Israel must allow limited humanitarian supplies into Gaza in order to meet two national objectives: dismantling Hamas and securing the release of hostages. 'We've done this so far,' Netanyahu said. 'But the UN is spreading lies and falsehoods about Israel. They say we don't allow humanitarian supplies in, yet we do. There are secure corridors. They've always existed, but now it's official. No more excuses.' Solve the daily Crossword
