I had an interesting exchange with a TPM Reader this week about President Trump’s takeover of the DC Metro Police Department and his conjoined decision to deploy National Guard troops to the nation’al’s capital. This Reader’s argument was that it was a mistake to make a big deal, a dramatic and consequential abuse of power of the DC decision because in fact Trump was acting within the statute that gives DC home rule. He said that what happened in LA this summer was different precisely because Trump had no legal right to do any of it. The reality – and this is true – is that DC is different. It’s not a state and it is in fact the domain of the federal government. Congress runs it. Congress decided to delegate that authority half a century ago to a local self-government. But the President can do these things. It’s right there in the Home Rule law. His justifications may be specious. But his actions in this case are likely unreviewable.
It was an interesting point and we went back and forth over it a few times. The opposition should save its mobilization and outrage, the Reader argued, for when Trump crosses a line as he did in LA. DC is different.
