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Trump: Federal government ‘should govern District of Columbia’ | Virginia

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-02-20 10:27:00

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump voiced his support for repealing the District of Columbia’s Home Rule Act, citing crime, homelessness and “graffiti.”

Trump relayed his stance Wednesday to reporters aboard Air Force One. The president was blunt in his assessment of the district, saying the federal government would run it more effectively.

“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said. “It’s so important, the D.C. situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless. And I think we should take over Washington, D.C.”

Trump echoed claims by Republican lawmakers, who recently introduced legislation in Congress to repeal the Home Rule Act, that the district is plagued by violence and grime.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., introduced the legislation, saying it comes in response to the “mayor and City Council’s failure to prevent violent crime, corruption, and voting by noncitizens.”

The duo tied the title of the legislation to Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser. The Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident Act can be shortened to the BOWSER Act.

Trump was also critical of the mayor despite claiming to have a good relationship with her.

“I get along great with the mayor, but they’re not doing the job − too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns,” the president said. “There’s magnificent lawns and there’s tents. It’s a sad thing, homeless people all over the place.”

Trump said when foreign leaders visit the district, they will be met with homelessness and tents all over the city.

“We can’t have that in Washington, D.C.,” he added. “When they come in to see me – like Macron is coming, the prime minister of the U.K. is coming, all these people coming over to see me. We’ll have ultimately President Xi, we’ll have everybody. … You can’t let that happen.”

The District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 was enacted by Congress and ratified by D.C. voters. The act gave the district residents limited autonomy over local affairs, allowing them to elect local leaders, including mayors and council members.

According to Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the authority to manage the nation’s capital.

In defense of the proposed legislation, Lee underscored crime and corruption as reasons for revoking the act, saying it is a scorn on the nation’s capital.

“The corruption, crime, and incompetence of the D.C. government has been an embarrassment to our nation’s capital for decades,” said the senator. “It is long past time that Congress restored the honor and integrity of George Washington to the beautiful city which bears his name.” 

The lawmakers cited “a long history of official corruption, federal bribery charges against a council member, armed carjackings, public beatings on public transit, assaults and robberies against congressional staff and members of Congress, soft on crime policies, allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections and regulations causing a high cost of living.”

Despite the president’s and lawmakers’ claims, the Metropolitan Police Department reports that crime is decreasing. The violent crime rate dropped 35% between 2023 and 2024, according to the department, while property crimes were down 11% between 2023 and 2024. Overall, the district had a 15% reduction in crime between 2023 and 2024.

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News from the South - Virginia News Feed

Highs in the upper 80s Saturday, backdoor cold front will cool us down a bit on Easter Sunday

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Highs in the upper 80s Saturday, backdoor cold front will cool us down a bit on Easter Sunday

www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-04-19 06:29:35

SUMMARY: This Saturday morning brings a beautiful weekend, especially for Easter celebrations, with highs in the upper 80s. Southwest breezes, gusting to 25 miles per hour, push temperatures well above average, starting in the upper 50s to middle 60s. Expect mostly sunny skies and warm conditions, ideal for beach outings, despite chilly water temperatures. Easter Sunday will start mild, but a backdoor cold front will cause temperatures to drop in the afternoon with increasing cloud cover and potential rain. Multiple rounds of rain are forecasted for the upcoming week, with temperatures returning to seasonal averages by the latter part of the week.

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Despite a front dropping through the area Sunday, it will be a nice weekend in Hampton Roads.

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Trust dispute flares in Virginia governor’s race | Virginia

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Virginia's race for governor will be historic first for women | Virginia

www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-18 11:38:00

(The Center Square) – Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earles-Sears accuses her Democratic opponent for governor, Abigail Spanberger of hiding a trust; Spanberger says it only holds her home—and ethics experts say she may not have needed to report it.

The Dispute centers on a home Spanberger and her husband placed in a trust in 2017, which her campaign says produced no income and was legally exempt from disclosure.

With both women vying to become Virginia’s first female governor, the accusation has quickly turned into a fight over ethics, transparency and what voters expect from their candidates.

“Members of Congress do not need to report assets from a non-income producing trust where they are an administrator that does not receive income or have any beneficial interest in the trust,” said Delaney Marsco, ethics director at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center.

“Personal residences that do not earn income are not required to be disclosed,” a campaign spokesperson said, “so Abigail did not disclose her family’s only home—as doing so would make their home address publicly available.”

They added that when the home was placed in a trust, “Abigail filed her disclosures in accordance with House ethics rules, which do not require her to disclose her role as a trustee of a living trust holding only her family’s home.”

Earle-Sears has publicly slammed Spanberger on social media, accusing her of “dodging tough questions” and “hiding a $900,000 trust fund.”

“She’s a typical politician,” Earle-Sears wrote in a post on X, questioning whether Virginians can trust Spanberger if she’s “willing to lie about this.”

The Earle-Sears campaign did not respond to a request for comment beyond public posts.

The accusation signals an early campaign strategy from Earle-Sears, who has so far leaned into sharp, combative messaging to define Spanberger as the race for the governor’s mansion heats up.

Under House ethics rules, members of Congress are not required to disclose personal residences or non-income-producing assets held in a trust as long as they receive no financial benefit. They must report liabilities such as mortgages and disclose trustee roles only if the position involves an organization or generates income.

Virginia requires statewide candidates to file a Statement of Economic Interests, but similar to federal rules, personal residences are typically exempt if they don’t produce income. The state form focuses on business ties, investments and income sources—leaving out non-commercial trusts like the one Spanberger’s team says holds her home. 

The post Trust dispute flares in Virginia governor’s race | Virginia appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

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Warm, sunny Friday

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Warm, sunny Friday

www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-04-18 06:11:37

SUMMARY: The weather forecast for the upcoming days shows temperatures above average, with highs reaching 79°F today and possibly 86°F tomorrow. Sunday will remain warm with temperatures in the upper 70s, but a backdoor front may cause a slight afternoon cool down. Easter Sunday will see dry conditions in the morning but potential severe storms in the Midwest. Monday will be mild, but showers and storms are expected Tuesday through Thursday. By Friday, conditions should improve, with temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s as the week ends. Skies will be mostly clear today, with light winds from the south.

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Highs in the 70s and 80s for Easter weekend.

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