Trump's July Fourth event and weekend protests bankrupted D.C. security fund, mayor says
Source: Washington Post
President Trumps overhauled July Fourth celebration cost the D.C. government $1.7 million, an amount that combined with police expenses for demonstrations through the weekend has bankrupted a special fund used to protect the nations capital from terrorist threats and provide security at events such as rallies and state funerals.
In a letter to the president on Tuesday, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) warned that the fund has now been depleted and is estimated to be running a $6 million deficit by Sept. 30. The mayor also noted that the account was never reimbursed for $7.3 million in expenses from Trumps 2017 inauguration. Bowser requested that the White House commit to fully reimbursing the fund.We ask for your help with ensuring the residents of the District of Columbia are not asked to cover millions of dollars of federal expenses and are able to maintain our high standards of protection for federal events, she wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Chris Rodriguez, director of the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said in an interview that the estimated costs for July Fourth were six times as much as in years past and were likely to grow as the city continues to tally expenses. The presidents new Independence Day celebration, called A Salute to America, included a speech by Trump at the Lincoln Memorial, flyovers by military aircraft and a display of armored vehicles on the Mall. The changes stoked protests of the president at what is typically an apolitical event, with activists flying a derisive Baby Trump balloon near the World War II Memorial.
On Saturday, some of the presidents supporters gathered at a rally on Freedom Plaza organized by right-wing activists. That event also drew a large counter protest, and hundreds of police officers were deployed to prevent violence between the two sides. The Districts Emergency Planning and Security Fund is filled by federal money that reimburses the city for its unique public safety costs as the nations capital. Those include providing security at presidential inaugurations, visits by foreign dignitaries and the massive rallies that periodically come to the District.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/trumps-july-fourth-event-and-weekend-protests-bankrupted-dc-security-fund-mayor-says/2019/07/10/fb0d1de4-a316-11e9-b732-41a79c2551bf_story.html
dlk
(11,578 posts)He's had lots of practice.
Baitball Blogger
(46,758 posts)Freethinker65
(10,061 posts)pandr32
(11,617 posts)He should be required to pay upfront for all of his rallies because that is what his ridiculous July 4th event was--a private rally where he closed everyone but those who paid to attend out even after diverting public funds to help finance the parade and tank backdrop (and in front of our Lincoln Memorial no less), and now he is fund-raising off of the videos he made from the event.
He should be required to pay a hefty retainer that unused costs could be returned to him from if there are any.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)machoneman
(4,011 posts)in a deposit for this last fiasco or no protection at all.
What could he do? Can't order the DC police, mayor, et al to do squat. He'll keep getting away with this scheiss until somebody stops him.
BumRushDaShow
(129,551 posts)Javaman
(62,534 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,234 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,636 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,494 posts)"Sorry folks, no protest permits today. We're broke!"........
jmowreader
(50,566 posts)Foreclose on Trump's DC hotel and sell the pieces to the highest bidder. I'm not sure if they could collect $9 million in the auction - Trump is renowned for buying the cheapest crap known to man to stock and furnish his properties - but it'll be better than what they're getting now, which is nothing.