Executive Order: Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful (EO 14252)

Executive Order 14252 is yet another attempt to micromanage Washington, D.C.—something that members of Congress weren’t elected to do. It undercuts the District’s right to self-govern and demonstrates a lack of trust in the leaders whom D.C. residents have chosen to address complex local issues. D.C. residents are just like people who live in any other part of the country––they deserve the same fundamental right to self-determination. This EO also attempts to limit free speech and assembly in our nation’s capital at a time when the free exchange of ideas might best help us find common ground. Finally, this EO excludes anyone familiar with how the District works. It’s another example of administration stepping in where it shouldn’t—and doing it in a sloppy way that could hurt the very communities it's supposed to serve, particularly large communities of color, instead of listening to local governments who actually know what their communities need the most.