Latest news with #Nationalguard
1News
6 days ago
- Politics
- 1News
National Guard troops arrive in DC as Trump's takeover begins
The new picture of law enforcement in the nation's capitol began taking shape Wednesday as some of the 800 National Guard members deployed by the Trump administration began arriving as police and federal officials took the first steps in an uneasy partnership to reduce crime in what US President Donald Trump called — without substantiation — a lawless city. The influx came the morning after the Republican president announced he would be activating the guard members and taking over the District's police department. He cited a crime emergency — but referred to the same crime that city officials stress is already falling noticeably. The president holds the legal right to make such moves, at least for a month. Mayor Muriel Bowser pledged to work alongside the federal officials Trump has tasked with overseeing the city's law enforcement, while insisting the police chief remained in charge of the department and its officers. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference on President Donald Trump's plan to place Washington police under federal control and deploy National guard troops to Washington. (Source: Associated Press) "How we got here or what we think about the circumstances — right now we have more police, and we want to make sure we use them,' she told reporters. ADVERTISEMENT The tone was a shift from the day before, when Bowser said Trump's plan to take over the Metropolitan Police Department and call in the National Guard was not a productive step and argued his perceived state of emergency simply doesn't match the declining crime numbers. Still, the law gives the federal government more sway over the capital city than in US states, and Bowser said her administration's ability to push back is limited. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media that the meeting was productive. The law allows Trump to take over the DC police for up to 30 days, though White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested it could last longer as they "re-evaluate and reassess" following the monthlong period. Extending federal control past that time would require Congressional approval, something likely tough to achieve in the face of Democratic resistance. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. (Source: Associated Press) About 850 federal law enforcement officers were deployed in Washington on Tuesday and arrested 23 people overnight, Leavitt said. The charges, she said, included gun and drug crimes, drunk driving, subway fare evasion and homicide. The US Park Police has also removed 70 homeless encampments. People who were living in them can leave, go to a homeless shelter or go into drug addiction treatment, Leavitt said. Those who refuse could face fines or jail time. The city and Trump have had a bumpy relationship ADVERTISEMENT While Trump invokes his plan by saying that "we're going to take our capital back," Bowser and the MPD maintain that violent crime overall in Washington has decreased to a 30-year low after a sharp rise in 2023. Carjackings, for example, dropped about 50% in 2024 and are down again this year. More than half of those arrested, however, are juveniles, and the extent of those punishments is a point of contention for the Trump administration. Protesters demonstrate against President Donald Trump's planned use of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops in Washington at a rally in Dupont Circle. (Source: Associated Press) Bowser, a Democrat, spent much of Trump's first term in office openly sparring with the Republican president. She fended off his initial plans for a military parade through the streets and stood in public opposition when he called in a multi-agency flood of federal law enforcement to confront anti-police brutality protesters in summer 2020. She later had the words "Black Lives Matter" painted in giant yellow letters on the street about a block from the White House. In Trump's second term, backed by Republican control of both houses of Congress, Bowser has walked a public tightrope for months, emphasizing common ground with the Trump administration on issues such as the successful effort to bring the NFL's Washington Commanders back to the District of Columbia. She watched with open concern for the city streets as Trump finally got his military parade this summer. Her decision to dismantle Black Lives Matter Plaza earlier this year served as a neat metaphor for just how much the power dynamics between the two executives had evolved. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the legal fight to get a New Zealand woman and her child out of US immigration detention, sliding house prices, and Taylor Swift's big reveal. (Source: 1News) Now that fraught relationship enters uncharted territory as Trump has followed through on months of what many DC officials had quietly hoped were empty threats. The new standoff has cast Bowser in a sympathetic light, even among her long-time critics. ADVERTISEMENT "It's a power play and we're an easy target," said Clinique Chapman, chief executive of the DC Justice Lab. A frequent critic of Bowser, whom she accuses of "over policing our youth" with the recent expansions of Washington's youth curfew, Chapman said Trump's latest move "is not about creating a safer DC. It's just about power". Tents are set up on a sidewalk near George Washington University. (Source: Associated Press) Where the power actually lies Bowser contends that all the power resides with Trump and that local officials can do little other than comply and make the best of it. As long as Washington remains a federal enclave with limited autonomy under the 1973 Home Rule Act, she said, it will remain vulnerable to such takeovers. Trump is the first president to use the law's Section 740 to take over Washington's police for up to 30 days during times of emergencies. For Trump, the effort to take over public safety in DC reflects an escalation of his aggressive approach to law enforcement. The District of Columbia's status as a congressionally established federal district gives him a unique opportunity to push his tough-on-crime agenda, though he has not proposed solutions to the root causes of homelessness or crime. Trump's declaration of a state of emergency fits the general pattern of his second term in office. He has declared states of emergency on issues ranging from border protection to economic tariffs, enabling him to essentially rule via executive order. In many cases, he has moved forward while the courts sorted them out. ADVERTISEMENT Bowser's claims about successfully driving down violent crime rates received backing earlier this year from an unlikely source. Ed Martin, Trump's original choice for US attorney for the District of Columbia, issued a press release in April hailing a 25% drop in violent crime rates from the previous year. A member of the District of Columbia National Guard arrives at the District of Columbia National Guard Headquarters. (Source: Associated Press) In May, Trump abandoned his efforts to get Martin confirmed for the post in the face of opposition in Congress. His replacement candidate, former judge and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, was recently confirmed. On Monday, Pirro — standing next to Trump — called his takeover "the step that we need right now to make criminals understand that they are not going to get away with it anymore".
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hochul frees prisoners early to cut costs incurred by strike
ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul is releasing some prisoners early in an effort to cut costs incurred by a recent correction officers strike, according to an internal memo. The move garnered her swift support among left-flank Democrats and admonition from a Republican rival. 'Commissioner Martuscello has directed that a list of incarcerated individuals who are scheduled to be released in the next few months be reviewed for their transition into Residential Treatment,' said Thomas Mailey, a spokesperson for the state's corrections department. 'Incarcerated individuals are not eligible for the program if they have been convicted of sex crimes, violent felonies or more serious felonies like murder, terrorism and arson. Participating individuals must also have an approved residence, which is not a shelter or DSS placement.' A state official with knowledge of the matter said the inmates set to be released early will likely make up less than 2 percent of the incarcerated population. 'We're looking at hundreds, not thousands out of a population of 32,500,' added the person, who was granted anonymity to freely discuss a matter still under review. At issue is the wildcat strike, which started Feb. 17 when about 11,000 correction officers walked off the job in what became a 22-day political crisis for Hochul. The officers, who went on strike without union approval, were protesting mandatory overtime shifts and a state law limiting the use of solitary confinement, a tool the officers say is crucial to ensuring safety within the prisons. Hochul called in 6,500 members of the National Guard to replace the officers, whom she contended were acting illegally. Though the strike ended three weeks ago, the state is still short 2,000 officers and the National Guard is still in place to fill those vacancies. State Budget Director Blake Washington told reporters Monday the strike and the related installment of the National guard in prisons is costing the state over $100 million per month. "Governor Hochul's top priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers,' Hochul's spokesperson Matt Janiszewski said in a statement. 'The Governor is aware of Commissioner Martuscello's memo and supports his efforts to safely address staffing shortages and personnel concerns." Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who is eyeing a run for governor next year, called Hochul's decision 'a dangerous misstep.' 'We need leaders who will tackle tough problems head-on, not resort to quick fixes that compromise the safety of law-abiding citizens. New Yorkers deserve better than policies that prioritize criminals over victims,' he said. Lawmakers to Hochul's political left applauded the measure, while saying the policy should not be limited to those with a residence. 'We don't want those people to stay behind, simply because their families outside can't afford to pay the rent.' said Brooklyn Assemblymember Latrice Walker. Michaelle Solages, chair of the state's Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, also applauded the move. 'We need to come up with creative solutions to ensure that our correctional facilities are safe for every individual, including the employees and for the incarcerated,' Solages said. 'These people are at the end of their sentence, and this is just a common-sense way to relieve some of the pressure that's going on.'
Politico
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Hochul frees prisoners early to cut costs incurred by strike
ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul is releasing some prisoners early in an effort to cut costs incurred by a recent correction officers strike, according to an internal memo . The move garnered her swift support among left-flank Democrats and admonition from a Republican rival. 'Commissioner Martuscello has directed that a list of incarcerated individuals who are scheduled to be released in the next few months be reviewed for their transition into Residential Treatment,' said Thomas Mailey, a spokesperson for the state's corrections department. 'Incarcerated individuals are not eligible for the program if they have been convicted of sex crimes, violent felonies or more serious felonies like murder, terrorism and arson. Participating individuals must also have an approved residence, which is not a shelter or DSS placement.' A state official with knowledge of the matter said the inmates set to be released early will likely make up less than 2 percent of the incarcerated population. 'We're looking at hundreds, not thousands out of a population of 32,500,' added the person, who was granted anonymity to freely discuss a matter still under review. At issue is the wildcat strike, which started Feb. 17 when about 11,000 correction officers walked off the job in what became a 22-day political crisis for Hochul. The officers, who went on strike without union approval, were protesting mandatory overtime shifts and a state law limiting the use of solitary confinement, a tool the officers say is crucial to ensuring safety within the prisons. Hochul called in 6,500 members of the National Guard to replace the officers, whom she contended were acting illegally. Though the strike ended three weeks ago, the state is still short 2,000 officers and the National Guard is still in place to fill those vacancies. State Budget Director Blake Washington told reporters Monday the strike and the related installment of the National guard in prisons is costing the state over $100 million per month. 'Governor Hochul's top priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers,' Hochul's spokesperson Matt Janiszewski said in a statement. 'The Governor is aware of Commissioner Martuscello's memo and supports his efforts to safely address staffing shortages and personnel concerns.' Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who is eyeing a run for governor next year, called Hochul's decision 'a dangerous misstep.' 'We need leaders who will tackle tough problems head-on, not resort to quick fixes that compromise the safety of law-abiding citizens. New Yorkers deserve better than policies that prioritize criminals over victims,' he said. Lawmakers to Hochul's political left applauded the measure, while saying the policy should not be limited to those with a residence. 'We don't want those people to stay behind, simply because their families outside can't afford to pay the rent.' said Brooklyn Assemblymember Latrice Walker. Michaelle Solages, chair of the state's Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, also applauded the move. 'We need to come up with creative solutions to ensure that our correctional facilities are safe for every individual, including the employees and for the incarcerated,' Solages said. 'These people are at the end of their sentence, and this is just a common-sense way to relieve some of the pressure that's going on.'
