DC is my home. I was raised here. I’ve seen how much DC has grown and changed over the years. I’ve been proud to get to know many others raised in DC, and to welcome new residents who have settled in and made it their home too.
I’ve also seen our seemingly never-ending fight for full and equal representation. But yesterday, we took an important step forward as the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to grant DC statehood. Now it goes to the U.S. Senate.
This vote has helped elevate the fight for DC statehood to the national stage, raising awareness about our fight for representation and allowing others across the country to hear our calls for the right to participate in America’s democracy.
As DC’s chief legal officer, I know Congress has the constitutional authority to make the District a state–despite the false arguments of some in Congress who say otherwise.
The right to participate in our democracy should not be a partisan issue. Yet in these partisan times, it sadly has become just that. On April 13, 22 Republican attorneys general sent congressional leaders a letter arguing against DC statehood, referring to our neighbors as an “elite ruling class.” The very next day, I led a coalition of 24 attorneys general in refuting those misguided arguments. And I also spoke about the importance of statehood during an interview with WAMU earlier this week.
Statehood for the District isn’t about scoring political wins by villainizing the District or reducing our quest for representation to merely another partisan game. We’re talking about more than 700,000 real lives. Giving us an equal voice strengthens our democracy.
Those who live here know that we are just like others across the country: we pay federal taxes and own and operate small businesses. We are a thriving and diverse community composed of thinkers, builders, producers, schools, children, and families.
We are a city comprised of more than 700,000 residents–140,000 of which are children. Yet, we remain residents of the only national democratic capital in the world without equal representation and voting rights.
For us, freedom is not a mantra that we use to rally supporters. Instead, the lack of true freedom is something we grapple with every day–but that can change. Once again, our future sits in the hands of those in Congress.
Karl A. Racine
Attorney General
Derek Chauvin Verdict
Earlier this week, accountability was served. Derek Chauvin was convicted for the murder of George Floyd. No one is above the law. And although this verdict affirmed that all of the protests, demonstrations, and vigils of the past year had not been in vain, it will not heal the deep wounds of centuries of injustice and mistreatment.
In a statement I released on that day, I mentioned that perhaps this will serve as a reckoning for a new era of reform. Fair and just policing should be standard – and we know it is for many hardworking law enforcement officers who keep us safe. But we also know far too well that people of color are often treated differently. And it can lead to lifechanging and life-ending consequences. We have a great deal of work to do to end these injustices. We must continue to lift our voices and stand up peacefully against all forms of injustice to enact change. Black lives matter.
Register for the Covid-19 Vaccine
As of April 19, all District residents ages 16 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. To register for a vaccination appointment, visit vaccinate.dc.gov or call 1-855-363-0333. Once you register, you will receive an alert by email or phone when an appointment is ready for you.
You can sign up 24/7 through the website and during the day 7 days a week by phone.
WIN: Washington Sports Club Must Pay $100,000 Penalty for Flouting COVID-19 Emergency Orders
Earlier this week, OAG announced that the parent company of Washington Sports Club will pay a $100,000 fine to resolve allegations that it failed to adhere to the District’s COVID-19 health and safety orders, misinformed its patrons, and put the heath of District residents at risk. The District put emergency orders in place to help protect the health and safety of residents and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, Washington Sports Club created an environment that not only violated those rules and put District residents at risk, but also had the potential to spread COVID-19. OAG sued Washington Sports Club to hold the gym accountable, and to make sure workers and patrons are protected as much as possible in the middle of a pandemic. Read more here.
WIN: DC-Based Real Estate Developer Must Pay $400,000 Penalty for Lead-Paint Exposure
Last week, OAG announced that a DC-based real estate developer will be required to pay $400,000 in penalties and increase its health and safety protocols for violating District laws protecting residents from toxic lead and for deceiving homebuyers about potential lead paint hazards. Lead is toxic, especially to children, and violations of DC's lead laws that put the health and safety of residents at risk are intolerable. Every homebuyer is entitled to truthful information, and no parent should have to worry about unknown dangers in their home that could hurt their children. Read more here.
Bill Passes to Help Prevent Hate Crimes
Attorney General Derek Schmidt (R-KS) and I co-lead a bipartisan coalition of 35 state attorneys general in calling on Congress to pass the Jabara-Heyer No Hate Act. Yesterday, that bill passed through Congress as part of the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. The No Hate Act will provide state and local governments and law enforcement agencies with the tools and resources to understand, identify, and report hate crimes and help prevent them. This is important because most law enforcement agencies did not submit hate crimes data to the FBI in 2019 or reported zero incidents. The lack of data makes it harder to understand the hate problem. As the president of the National Association of Attorneys General, I’ve focused my year-long Presidential Initiative on countering the rise of hate and improving hate crime data. This legislation brings us one step closer toward stopping incidents of hate, extremism, and bias-motivated crimes. Read more here.
Protecting the Health and Safety of Our Children
This week, OAG filed suit against one of the largest manufacturers of baby food in the United States, Beech-Nut Nutrition Company, for deceiving parents about the health and safety of its products. Multiple studies in recent years found that Beech-Nut's food contained high levels of toxic heavy metals. Parents across the District and the country trusted Beech-Nut when it advertised its baby food products as organic and safe. But the reality is much different, as parents unknowingly fed their babies food containing high levels of toxic metals which can lead to lifelong health complications. Read more about the lawsuit here.