1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

A sitting president just deployed troops against US citizens under verifiably false pretenses. While the action may be technically legal under truthful circumstances, the falsity of the claims brings even that into question. Regardless, it represents a troubling federal takeover that demands congressional oversight and action. The facts matter here. Trump claims he's responding to "bloodshed, bedlam and squalor," yet DC's own police statistics show violent crime is down 26% compared to last year, with homicides dropping 32% and overall violent crime falling 35% in 2024. More importantly, Congress has a crucial role to play and this is your moment to act. The law specifically gives Congress the power to check presidential overreach in DC, and I expect you to use it. When crime statistics directly contradict the president's justification for federal takeover, Congress should demand real evidence, particularly before allowing any extension beyond 30 days. What's happening in DC sets a dangerous precedent. If a president can federalize local police based on false claims about crime rates, what stops similar takeovers in other cities? The residents of DC—American citizens who deserve local control over their police—are being used as a testing ground for expanded federal power. This pattern of fabricating data to justify authoritarian actions is deeply alarming. Trump's recent firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner over jobs data reveals a president unwilling to engage with reality when it contradicts his preferred narrative. When a president systematically replaces career professionals with loyalists willing to distort facts, we're witnessing the destruction of evidence-based governance in favor of propaganda that serves only his power. Your course is clear: • Demand the president provide clear, factual justification for this takeover • Publicly commit to vote against any joint resolution extending federal control beyond 30 days without compelling evidence of actual emergency • Use your oversight powers to ensure this doesn't become a template for federal control of other local police departments Congress has the constitutional authority to stop this overreach. The question is whether you'll use it. I'll be watching closely to see if you stand up for local democracy and constitutional limits on federal power, or if you'll let this dangerous precedent stand unchallenged.