Organizations send letter to Congress urging rejection of Trump takeover, support for DC statehood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 21, 2025

PRESS CONTACT:
Ilir Zherka 
202-262-4687 
[email protected]  

Washington, DC. Today, DC Vote sent a letter signed by 77 organizations to Congress urging members to reject President Donald Trump’s attempted takeover of DC and cosponsor and pass the DC statehood bill instead. The letter may be found here.

The co-signing organizations include local and national groups that focus on democracy, voting rights, good governance, and other issue areas that are important to people throughout the nation. They are united in their support of equality for DC residents and the belief that full equality can only be achieved through DC statehood.

“There is no crime emergency in DC,” said Jack Jacobson, Board Chair of DC Vote. “Trump used street crime as a pretext to begin his long-promised takeover of DC. Congress must reject that effort.”

Trump ally and US Attorney Pirro announced that her office is no longer prosecuting people who are illegally carrying rifles and shotguns in DC. “Pirro’s actions will make DC streets more dangerous, not safer,” added Jacobson.

President Trump is attempting to extend his takeover of DC’s police department and make other changes to DC’s home rule. Members of his party in Congress are working to make those changes possible. Moreover, his allies in multiple states have sent National Guard soldiers to DC to aid Trump’s effort even though there is no need for them.

“These additional soldiers are advancing a political agenda, not reducing crime,” added Ilir Zherka, Interim Executive Director of DC Vote. “President’s actions and the support he is receiving from his allies makes clear once again that people in DC are second class citizens in their own country. The answer to Trump’s takeover isn’t just a rejection of his effort, it is to make Washington, DC the 51st state.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 11, 2025

PRESS CONTACT:
Ilir Zherka 
202-262-4687 
[email protected]  

Washington, DC. The below is a press release in response to President Donald Trump’s announcements today that his administration is nationalizing the DC Metropolitan Police, increasing FBI activities in the District, and using the D.C. National Guard to police the city. It may be quoted in whole or in part. 

“DC residents are justifiably outraged by President Trump’s attempts today to take over law enforcement in our city,” said Jack Jacobson, DC Vote Board Chair. 

Under Section 740 of the Home Rule Act, the President can nationalize the D.C. Metropolitan Police when he “determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for federal purposes.” He may do so for only 30 days. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a press release stating that the violent crime rate in D.C. is at a 30 year low. 

“Trump’s actions are unwarranted,” Jacobson added. “Violent crime is down by 26 percent in DC compared to last year and is at a 30-year low overall. While we all have more work to do, D.C.’s elected officials and its citizens are more than capable of dealing with public safety. Given that, DC Vote denounces President Trump’s takeover of the DC Metropolitan Police.” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 5, 2025

PRESS CONTACT:
Ilir Zherka 
202-262-4687 
[email protected]  

It is our pleasure to announce that former executive director, Ilir Zherka, has returned to DC Vote as our part-time interim Executive Director.

In this role, Ilir will focus on advancing our advocacy and communications strategies, while supporting the Board of Directors as we continue rebuilding DC Vote. That rebuilding will include selecting a permanent executive director in the future.

Ilir led DC Vote for 10 years (2002-2012), during which he worked closely with the Board to significantly increase our reach, our fundraising, and, most importantly, our impact. He is now the CEO of Civica, a consulting firm. You can learn more about Ilir by reading his bio on the DC Vote website.

Over the past 18 months, Ilir has been helping DC Vote in different capacities as a consultant and will work for us as a consultant in this new role.

We look forward to continuing our work with him and all of you to defend DC home rule and advance statehood!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 12th, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Patrice Snow
[email protected]

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a candidate for the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, is holding a hearing on “Victims of Violent Crime in the District of Columbia.”

CeCe Grant, executive director of DC Vote stated, “Jim Jordan and the House Republicans think they have the qualifications to run the District of Columbia when they don’t live here and don’t know our community. Over and over again, Congress has proven themselves incapable of passing a budget, raising the debt ceiling, keeping the government running, or even electing a Speaker. Maybe Congress should leave the governance of the District of Columbia to the 700,000 people who live here and focus on solving our national and international problems.”

“If Congress cares about gun violence in DC, they should pass national gun safety legislation — not interfere in DC’s local governance,” said Alex Dodds from Hands Off DC. “Congress’s ongoing refusal to pass common sense gun safety legislation is the single largest reason that DC and communities all over the country are experiencing our epidemic of gun violence.”

The House Committee on the Judiciary should be focused on real solutions, like strengthening our background check system to prevent dangerous individuals from getting their hands on guns in the first place, stopping rogue gun sellers and dealers from funneling firearms to traffickers and straw purchasers, and holding bad actors up and down the industry supply chain accountable. Instead—with stunts like this, gun extremists are choosing to prioritize politics over public safety.

DC Vote, the nation’s largest organization dedicated to self-determination and freedom for the disenfranchised residents of the District of Columbia, along with partner organizations like Hands Off DC will be packing the Rayburn House Office Building hearing room to clearly express our #IndependenceForDC message to Congress. We ask for nothing less than what the citizens of Arizona or Ohio have – the freedom to vote for our local representatives qualified to tackle local issues including gun violence and community safety.
Grant added, “Also, It’s mystifying to me how Rep. Jordan has time to hold hearings on crime in cities all over the country, when his home district of Mansfield has been nicknamed ‘Danger City’ for having one of the highest crime rates in the entire nation. I’m sure his district could benefit from more of his attention.”

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