{"id":1245874,"date":"2026-03-03T17:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T22:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/?p=1245874"},"modified":"2026-03-04T17:34:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T22:34:43","slug":"dc-council-federal-officer-transparency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","title":{"rendered":"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article was updated on March 4 to include Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee’s response to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The D.C. Council started off the month of March on one accord, as it relates to mandating federal officer transparency. The 13-member body also took on a similar tone regarding keeping information\u2014 like their strategy around the decoupling quandary\u2014 out of the public eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This edition of The Collins D.C. Council Report focuses on both issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further, this report delves into foreign policy matters, something that D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) doesn’t deem relevant to the council, despite the intersection of local, national and international politics in the nation\u2019s capital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Federal Officers Continue to Shoot and Kill, the D.C. Council Approves Two Transparency Bills <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As families fight for body-camera footage from federal officer-involved shootings, the D.C. Council advanced a couple of bills aimed at increasing transparency in situations when federal agents use force or kill someone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some local organizers, like Alex Dodds, the D.C. Council should\u2019ve responded much sooner. She said its laxness lies at the feet of D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), chair of the council\u2019s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCommunity members have asked her for months, since the start of this occupation and even before, to take action in response to federal actors in the District, who are operating in the District, and for months, there has been no answer from her,\u201d said Dodds, co-founder of Free DC<\/a>. \u201cI’m very glad that she is finally taking action today. It\u2019s concerning that it has only happened because other council members have grown so frustrated that they have taken action in her place.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 3, the council unanimously approved the Body-Worn Camera Transparency for Use of Force Emergency Amendment Act<\/a> and the Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act<\/a>, introduced by Pinto and D.C Councilmember Robert White (D-At large), respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time the council took action, D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1) had already explored human rights violations<\/a> during a Committee on Public Works roundtable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) had also introduced the Safe Community Places and Policing Amendment Act<\/a>, which, among other things, prohibits the District from transporting federal agency officers during civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant or court order. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
**FILE** D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George says there are major financial considerations, and the decision whether to recouple or decouple has huge budget implications for all. (Shedrick Pelt\/The Washington Informer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Pinto\u2019s bill requires the Metropolitan Police Department\u2019s (MPD) release of body-worn camera footage during instances when officers are at the scene of a deadly officer-involved shooting or serious use of force involving a federal agent. This legislation comes a couple of months after community members testified before Pinto<\/a> about federal intrusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also comes on the heels of a performance oversight hearing that didn\u2019t yield much information from Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll about federal officer activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, Pinto advanced her legislation with an amendment ensuring retroactive application to Aug. 1, 2025. Earlier, she told reporters that she went to great lengths to ensure her bill wouldn\u2019t receive any pushback. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is why I’ve been working on this for six weeks, working with all of the different stakeholders that we have to explain what we’re trying to accomplish and why we think this transparency is important,\u201d Pinto said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

White\u2019s bill included a provision similar to what\u2019s found in Pinto\u2019s legislation, along with elements requiring that MPD include, in its arrest reports and probable cause affidavits, instances of use of force and names of all law enforcement officers present at the scene of an arrest.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the hours leading to the Tuesday legislative meeting, White yielded to Pinto, one of his opponents in the D.C. delegate race<\/a>, by removing the body-camera portion of his legislation. He also advanced an amendment aimed at ensuring that the legislation wouldn\u2019t trample on the D.C. Office of the Attorney General\u2019s prosecution efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

White called his concession to Pinto part of the greater good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe work I’m doing here on police transparency is consistent with the work that I’ve done over the years,\u201d White said, \u201cand what I’ve also done over the years is trying to work with colleagues. That’s why there were nine of us that co-introduced my bill. But still, it is important to have a unified message.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The passage of these bills comes amid three incidents involving federal agents, all of which happened in Ward 7. The latest incident, on Feb. 13, led to the death of Julian Bailey at the hands of a yet-to-be-identified U.S. marshal.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Months before that incident, a Homeland Security Investigation special agent shot at Philip Brown during a traffic stop<\/a> near 44th Street and Benning Road NE. MPD didn\u2019t include the shooting, during which bullets nearly struck Brown, in its arrest report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That omission, which an MPD officer revealed during a court proceeding, led to a court dropping charges against Brown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weeks later, a federal agent shot at Justin Brian Nelson<\/a> during a vehicular pursuit. Brown and Nelson\u2019s family, with the support of grassroots activists, have since pressed the D.C. Council for a solution that provides the public with access to body camera footage and other data related to federal agents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

White credited those grassroots organizers as the key impetus in moving the needle forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanna start by thanking Free DC, Movimiento Migrante, the Families Not Feds Coalition, Migrant Solidarity, Mutual Aid, and the many community members who have advocated tirelessly for District residents and have worked with me to get this legislation to this point,\u201d White said Tuesday on the dais. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

White also hinted at the council’s full support, and what it signified at the moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom federal officers shooting at Philip Brown’s car to the murder of Julian Bailey by U.S. Marshals, our current laws aren’t cutting it,\u201d White said. \u201cRight now, we hold MPD officers to a standard of conduct and transparency, but don’t apply those same rules to feds that are now actively policing our city. This bill says loud and clear federal law enforcement can’t harm District residents without transparency and appropriate consequences.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowser, whose mayoral order<\/a> solidified the post-surge relationship between MPD and federal law enforcement, has a different take on the council\u2019s actions. In her March 3 letter to D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson<\/a>, she said that the council is tackling issues best left to Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCongress has oversight over federal law enforcement agencies and can require a mask prohibition (which they are debating now) as well as body-worn cameras and name identification,\u201d Bowser\u2019s letter said. \u201cI urge members of the council to seek congressional action on these matters.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least one council member\u2014 Ward 5\u2019s Zachary Parker (D)\u2014 doesn\u2019t want to leave things to chance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI’m voting for this measure today because it is the right thing to do, and because I don’t trust Congress to stand up to the president,\u201d Parker said on the dais, \u201cand because we must do everything in our power to protect fellow brown and other residents that we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Decoupling Situation That Has Yet to be Settled <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, the council closed off a portion of its usually transparent breakfast meeting to discuss its response to the conundrum that\u2019s the fallout from the congressional disapproval resolution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hours after that meeting, the council was no closer to a solution, according to Councilmember Lewis George of Ward 4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cD.C. government has to move together, united,\u201d Lewis George told The Informer. \u201cIn order to do that, we\u2019ve got to have communication and conversation and agree on the best path forward and the best strategy forward. That’s where the hang-up is.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weeks after Bowser administration members painted a grim picture of what\u2019s ahead for the next four years, Lewis George said that the lack of a resolution further complicates financial matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s some real big budget considerations,\u201d Lewis George said, \u201cand I think whether to recouple or decouple has huge budget implications for everyone. The biggest holdup is how we move forward in a way that\u2026when we go into the budget process, we do so with the amount of funds we actually have to budget those funds.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Congress\u2019 passage, and President Donald J. Trump\u2019s signing of the disapproval resolution, which reverses the council\u2019s decoupling of the D.C\u2019s tax code<\/a> from the GOP-endorsed \u201cBig Beautiful Bill,\u201d District Attorney General Brian Schwalb has written an opinion<\/a> casting doubt on its legality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schwalb\u2019s letter cited, among other reasons, the disapproval resolution\u2019s passage after the end of the 30-day congressional approval timeline. The legal opinion, deemed a victory for District legislative autonomy, would soon fizzle when Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee\u2019s February revenue estimate didn’t include the $180 million to be allocated through the decoupling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her letter to Lee<\/a>, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who\u2019s currently working to close a $1.1 billion shortfall in her Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal, asked that Lee clarify his stance on Schwalb\u2019s opinion by March 3. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour office has not changed the April 15 tax filing deadline, which strongly implies you agree with the attorney general\u2019s legal opinion that the DC Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (DC Law 26-89) is in effect,\u201d Bowser\u2019s letter said. \u201c[Y]our February revenue estimate inexplicably does not include any of that revenue. If you concur with the attorney general\u2019s opinion, then the resulting collections represent revenue that must be accounted for in the February revenue estimate.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowser said she\u2019s making her demand for clarity on behalf of her constituents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf your position is that DC Law 26-89 is not in effect, then you have an obligation to District taxpayers to revise their tax liabilities and adjust the tax filing deadline to accommodate updated tax forms and guidance,\u201d Bowser\u2019s letter said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday, a day later than what Bowser requested, Lee told her and Mendelson that he would honor the current tax season timeline while still declining to include decoupling-related funds in the revenue estimate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is considerable risk and uncertainty, from litigation or other actions, to the revenues associated with the District\u2019s decoupling legislation,\u201d Lee\u2019s letter to the mayor and council chair<\/a> said. \u201cConsistent with the OCFO\u2019s ongoing practice related to uncertain revenue collections, the OCFO will continue to defer including decoupling revenues from the revenue estimates.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, Councilmember Parker, who didn\u2019t speak much about the legislative body\u2019s closed-door deliberations, focused on the bigger picture: collaboration between all branches of government, and the ever-glaring perils of not having statehood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s still a need for the CFO, the attorney general, the mayor, and the council to get on the same page,\u201d he told reporters on Tuesday. \u201cRight now I’m not sure where various entities are. It’s a bit frustrating, but legislating can be messy. Government can be messy, and I think it’s important for District residents to remember we’re here because Congress is interfering yet again in local affairs.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the decoupling dilemma remains unresolved, some District residents are carrying on as usual. Per OCFO, at least 75,000 District residents have filed taxes as of February. On Monday, Mendelson weighed in on the situation, saying that the District could rake in well beyond $180 million in tax revenue via decoupling.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s actually $250 or $260 million,\u201d Mendelson said. \u201cFor one year, it’s maybe $180 million, but for the tax filings right now, there is a retroactivity that goes back to 2024 and 2023. We added all of it [and] it’s about $260 million.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Mendelson recounted, he learned about Lee\u2019s February revenue estimates, and the reasoning behind it, one day prior to its release. Two years after they clashed over the use of reserve funds<\/a>, Mendelson is once again standing in opposition to Lee’s actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the chief financial officer has gone too far in trying to protect the cash,\u201d Mendelson told reporters on Monday. \u201cNow, that doesn’t seem to be on point with this issue of coupling or decoupling, but it’s actually related. So the decoupling brings in about $700 million over the financial plan. It doesn’t show up in the revenue estimates. If it’s not in the revenue estimates, then the mayor can’t budget against it. It’s almost like hoarding cash.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keya Chatterjee, Free DC co-founder, expressed similar thoughts, telling The Informer that, amid federal intrusion and congressional interference, the D.C. government needs as much money as possible to do right by its residents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople are going to be hurt,\u201d Chatterjee said. \u201cThose who have the least are going to be hurt the most. This is part of a pattern of dividing people and then denigrating them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chatterjee said that the CFO shouldn\u2019t be a \u201cwilling participant\u201d in the GOP\u2019s plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne thing that sometimes we forget in D.C. is that the CFO is accountable, ultimately, to the people of D.C. The CFO is hired by the mayor and the CFO can be fired by the mayor and two-thirds of the council\u2026If that is what we have to do, then that is what we have to do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since President Donald J. Trump\u2019s return to the Oval Office, Chatterjee and her comrades have stood on the front lines as the Trump administration and a Republican-dominated Congress challenged District home rule. On Tuesday, she pointed out that Trump\u2019s actions aren\u2019t for naught. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll of this is part of a concerted effort to try to make dissent impossible in the capital of this country so that they can prevent a transfer of power,\u201d Chatterjee told The Informer. \u201cWhen you look at the last time this regime was supposed to leave office and how they reacted to being told they had to leave, that was when January 6th happened. They’re now trying to lay the groundwork to never have to leave office again and attacks on D.C. are essentially efforts that are complicit in that right now.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Chance to Tackle Foreign Affairs? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Throughout much of the latest iteration of U.S.-supported Israeli attacks against Palestinians, local activists have pressed council members to pass a resolution<\/a> in opposition to the humanitarian crisis unfolding on the Gaza Strip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S., under the leadership of Trump has since gone further, acting on Israel\u2019s behalf by bombing Iran and killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Amid the drastic escalation, at least one organizer is reigniting the call for the D.C. Council to make its voice heard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey should have an emergency resolution calling for an end to U.S. bombs around the globe. An all-encompassing resolution,\u201d Dante O\u2019Hara told The Informer. \u201cThe Middle East and that North African region is going to be lit up in flames. This is exposing the contradictions of \u2018U.S. assets\u2019 that exist around the world, which are obviously capital assets and big business, but also these U.S. military bases that are all throughout the Middle East and the world.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 1, during the homegoing service of the late Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler<\/a>, O\u2019Hara recounted his efforts and that of numerous comrades to convince council members to advance an emergency resolution denouncing Israel\u2019s bombing of Gaza. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Ward 4 Councilmember Lewis George  behind him waiting to give remarks, and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) in the pews next to where he was sitting, O\u2019Hara criticized the council\u2019s inaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day later, while speaking with The Informer, he said that inaction, in part, set the stage for the military campaign that took place<\/a> on Feb. 28, and other attacks beforehand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are people occupied in a lot of these countries that are continuing to be bombed,\u201d said O\u2019Hara, former organizing lead for the Claudia Jones School for Political Education<\/a>. \u201cWhat just took place in Iran and what has been taking place, like in the Caribbean and Venezuela and Cuba, and even Nigeria has troops on the ground that no one’s talking about, even with the state bombing that took place before the Venezuelan kidnapping.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

O\u2019Hara went on to mention that the recent offensive against Iran, much like the District government\u2019s cooperation with federal law enforcement, could end up affecting District residents more directly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don’t talk about nuclear war much anymore in this country and in this generation, but that is a real possibility that could take place,\u201d O\u2019Hara said. \u201cBombs murder so many people already, but a nuclear catastrophe can be possibly a hundred times worse. I don’t think anyone wants that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2002, the council approved an emergency resolution<\/a> to weigh in on President George W. Bush\u2019s use of wartime powers against Iraq. The resolution, written after a congressional vote that didn\u2019t include Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), called for diplomacy while highlighting the dangerous precedent set by Bush\u2019s unilateral move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathleen Patterson, then chair of the council\u2019s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, said the resolution counted among a handful passed at the local and state level in the months leading up to the March 19, 2003 invasion of Iraq. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe language wasn\u2019t opposed to taking action, but [it was about] setting up criteria we think the president should meet before taking action,\u201d said Patterson, speaking in her personal capacity. \u201cThe most important was congressional action, but also we shouldn\u2019t act without any kind of threat and there should be consensus among allies, [and] understanding the extent and cost.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patterson, who currently serves as D.C. auditor, acknowledged that, under current circumstances, the D.C. Council wouldn\u2019t be able to make a move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe context is quite different,\u201d Patterson said. \u201cCongress hasn\u2019t voiced anything [and] quite candidly, the District is under a kind of microscope that we weren\u2019t under then. It would be more difficult politically to take that kind of action.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mendelson, then one of 10 council members who voted in approval of the resolution, questioned the effectiveness of a resolution denouncing the Trump administration\u2019s recent actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe’re not responsible for foreign policy, and I don’t think that a resolution from the council is really going to make a difference in terms of decisions by the president or the federal government,\u201d Mendelson told The Informer on Monday. \u201cI think the appropriate body to comment with regard to acts of war would be the Congress, not the city council. I don’t think the District of Columbia has a greater role in foreign policy than, let’s say, the city council of Los Angeles or Chicago.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By March 3, the fourth day of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, nearly 800 casualties had been reported, a portion of which were schoolchildren killed during a strike on a girls\u2019 elementary school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, at least six U.S. service members have been killed by Iranian missile strikes. As District residents, and residents of other U.S. jurisdictions for that matter, suffer from quality-of-life issues, O\u2019Hara remains adamant that the D.C. Council should weigh in on this foreign affairs matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don’t want D.C. residents going to\u2026a rich man’s imperialist war overseas. That’s the immediate thing that’s pretty obvious to me that I think would resonate with D.C. residents,\u201d O\u2019Hara said. \u201cAdditionally, there’s U.S. taxpayer money. We talk about ICE and the \u2018Big Beautiful Bill\u2019 and the tax decoupling for D.C. government and funding for all these, some social safety net programs. All that’s gone. Folks are going to be paying all this money for war and destruction to \u2018protect ourselves\u2019 as opposed to really addressing the immediate issues of poverty and housing, education and health care in our own communities.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The D.C. Council unanimously approved two bills to increase transparency in federal agent use of force, while also discussing the U.S.-Israeli military campaign and other foreign policy matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2328,"featured_media":1245905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_primary_brand":0,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","nota_seo_page_title":"D.C. Council acts on federal officer transparency","nota_seo_page_description":"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.","newspack_featured_image_position":"small","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30817,1,87480],"tags":[85694,40410,52448,32914,50018,87953,11094,32656,34146,29458,62344],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"nota":[],"coauthors":[53576],"class_list":["post-1245874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-politics","category-collins-council-report","tag-alex-dodds","tag-brianne-nadeau","tag-brooke-pinto","tag-d-c-council","tag-janeese-lewis-george","tag-jeffrey-carroll","tag-muriel-bowser","tag-phil-mendelson","tag-robert-white","tag-sam-p-k-collins","tag-zachary-parker","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nD.C. Council acts on federal officer transparency - The Washington Informer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Washington Informer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WashingtonInformer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"www.facebook.com\/sampkcollinswriter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-03T22:55:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-04T22:34:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1528\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SamPKCollins\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WashInformer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"17 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a63b41cad2879e57a5eadc83e030c5ad\"},\"headline\":\"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-03T22:55:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-04T22:34:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\"},\"wordCount\":3455,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Alex Dodds\",\"Brianne Nadeau\",\"Brooke Pinto\",\"D.C. Council\",\"Janeese Lewis George\",\"Jeffrey Carroll\",\"Muriel Bowser\",\"Phil Mendelson\",\"Robert White\",\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\",\"Zachary Parker\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Politics\",\"The Collins D.C. Council Report\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\",\"name\":\"D.C. Council acts on federal officer transparency - The Washington Informer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-03T22:55:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-04T22:34:43+00:00\",\"description\":\"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1\",\"width\":1528,\"height\":675,\"caption\":\"**FILE** The District of Columbia is working toward federal officer transparency, particularly after the Feb. 13 murder of Julian Bailey at the hands of a U.S. marshal. During the March 3 meeting, the Council advanced a couple of bills aimed at increasing transparency in situations when federal agents use force or kill someone. (Robert R. Roberts\/The Washington Informer)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/\",\"name\":\"The Washington Informer\",\"description\":\"Black News, Commentary and Culture | The Washington Informer\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Washington Informer\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/INFORMERLogo-3.png?fit=1432%2C529&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/INFORMERLogo-3.png?fit=1432%2C529&ssl=1\",\"width\":1432,\"height\":529,\"caption\":\"The Washington Informer\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WashingtonInformer\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/WashInformer\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/washinformer\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCy1nXP8_IuoJ-1N9e53762g\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a63b41cad2879e57a5eadc83e030c5ad\",\"name\":\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/cecbe89a2de2df89234162ecc01fb4a6\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-Sam-P.K.-Collins-Bio-Page-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-Sam-P.K.-Collins-Bio-Page-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\"},\"description\":\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. has nearly 20 years of journalism experience, a significant portion of which he gained at The Washington Informer. On any given day, he can be found piecing together a story, conducting youth writing workshops, or organizing for Pan-African self-determination. Sam, a millennial and former editor of WI Bridge, covers the D.C. Council, education, police-community engagement, developments in the African diaspora, and other topics of relevance to Black people. This journey has been inspired by his experiences growing up, attending college and serving as an educator in Washington, D.C., what he calls Banneker City. Also of significance to Sam\u2019s professional and personal development in the Black Press is his adherence to the \u201crace first\u201d philosophy espoused by the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and many others.\",\"sameAs\":[\"www.facebook.com\/sampkcollinswriter\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sam-p-k-collins-636b658\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/SamPKCollins\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/author\/samcollins\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"D.C. Council acts on federal officer transparency - The Washington Informer","description":"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter","og_description":"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","og_site_name":"The Washington Informer","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WashingtonInformer\/","article_author":"www.facebook.com\/sampkcollinswriter","article_published_time":"2026-03-03T22:55:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-04T22:34:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1528,"height":675,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@SamPKCollins","twitter_site":"@WashInformer","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","Est. reading time":"17 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/"},"author":{"name":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a63b41cad2879e57a5eadc83e030c5ad"},"headline":"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter","datePublished":"2026-03-03T22:55:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-04T22:34:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/"},"wordCount":3455,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1","keywords":["Alex Dodds","Brianne Nadeau","Brooke Pinto","D.C. Council","Janeese Lewis George","Jeffrey Carroll","Muriel Bowser","Phil Mendelson","Robert White","Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","Zachary Parker"],"articleSection":["Community","Politics","The Collins D.C. Council Report"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","name":"D.C. Council acts on federal officer transparency - The Washington Informer","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1","datePublished":"2026-03-03T22:55:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-04T22:34:43+00:00","description":"The D.C. Council addresses transparency in federal officer-involved shootings while dealing with budget implications and foreign policy concerns.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1","width":1528,"height":675,"caption":"**FILE** The District of Columbia is working toward federal officer transparency, particularly after the Feb. 13 murder of Julian Bailey at the hands of a U.S. marshal. During the March 3 meeting, the Council advanced a couple of bills aimed at increasing transparency in situations when federal agents use force or kill someone. (Robert R. Roberts\/The Washington Informer)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/","name":"The Washington Informer","description":"Black News, Commentary and Culture | The Washington Informer","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#organization","name":"The Washington Informer","url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/INFORMERLogo-3.png?fit=1432%2C529&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/INFORMERLogo-3.png?fit=1432%2C529&ssl=1","width":1432,"height":529,"caption":"The Washington Informer"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WashingtonInformer\/","https:\/\/x.com\/WashInformer","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/washinformer\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCy1nXP8_IuoJ-1N9e53762g"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a63b41cad2879e57a5eadc83e030c5ad","name":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/cecbe89a2de2df89234162ecc01fb4a6","url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-Sam-P.K.-Collins-Bio-Page-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-Sam-P.K.-Collins-Bio-Page-96x96.png","caption":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr."},"description":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. has nearly 20 years of journalism experience, a significant portion of which he gained at The Washington Informer. On any given day, he can be found piecing together a story, conducting youth writing workshops, or organizing for Pan-African self-determination. Sam, a millennial and former editor of WI Bridge, covers the D.C. Council, education, police-community engagement, developments in the African diaspora, and other topics of relevance to Black people. This journey has been inspired by his experiences growing up, attending college and serving as an educator in Washington, D.C., what he calls Banneker City. Also of significance to Sam\u2019s professional and personal development in the Black Press is his adherence to the \u201crace first\u201d philosophy espoused by the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and many others.","sameAs":["www.facebook.com\/sampkcollinswriter","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sam-p-k-collins-636b658\/","https:\/\/x.com\/SamPKCollins"],"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/author\/samcollins\/"}]}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter","url":"http:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=150%2C66&ssl=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1"},"articleSection":"Politics","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr."}],"creator":["Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr."],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Washington Informer","logo":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1-Logo-Red-on-White.png"},"keywords":["alex dodds","brianne nadeau","brooke pinto","d.c. council","janeese lewis george","jeffrey carroll","muriel bowser","phil mendelson","robert white","sam plo kwia collins jr.","zachary parker"],"dateCreated":"2026-03-03T22:55:00Z","datePublished":"2026-03-03T22:55:00Z","dateModified":"2026-03-04T22:34:43Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Collins D.C. Council Report: Federal Officer Transparency, the Decoupling Impasse, and a Foreign Policy Matter\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.washingtoninformer.com\\\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.washingtoninformer.com\\\/dc-council-federal-officer-transparency\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.washingtoninformer.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/image-1.png?fit=150%2C66&ssl=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.washingtoninformer.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1\"},\"articleSection\":\"Politics\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\"}],\"creator\":[\"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Washington Informer\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.washingtoninformer.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/1-Logo-Red-on-White.png\"},\"keywords\":[\"alex dodds\",\"brianne nadeau\",\"brooke pinto\",\"d.c. council\",\"janeese lewis george\",\"jeffrey carroll\",\"muriel bowser\",\"phil mendelson\",\"robert white\",\"sam plo kwia collins jr.\",\"zachary parker\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2026-03-03T22:55:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-03T22:55:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-04T22:34:43Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/washingtoninformer.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?fit=1528%2C675&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1225579,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-officer-reinstatement\/","url_meta":{"origin":1245874,"position":0},"title":"The Collins Council Report: A Bereaved Mom Seeks Answers","author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","date":"March 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Karen Hylton-Brown, the mother of Karon Hylton-Brown, spoke to the D.C. Council about the reinstatement of Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky, two officers convicted of her son's death, and questioned the council's response to the issue.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Shortly after the end of the March 4 D.C. Council meeting, Karen Hylton approaches the dais, commands the legislative body\u2019s attention and questions, for several minutes, why the council didn\u2019t respond, or try to prevent, Metropolitan Police Department\u2019s reinstatement of the officers convicted for their role in the death of her son, Karon Hylton-Brown. (Sam P.K. Collins\/The Washington Informer)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-18.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-18.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-18.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-18.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-18.jpg?fit=1200%2C904&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1179228,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/bowser-mendelson-facilitate-overhaul-of-dcha\/","url_meta":{"origin":1245874,"position":1},"title":"Bowser, Mendelson Facilitate Overhaul of DCHA","author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","date":"December 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The D.C. Council on Tuesday approved emergency legislation dismantling the DCHA Board of Commissioners and replacing it with the Stabilization and Reform Board.","rel":"","context":"In "Community"","block_context":{"text":"Community","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/category\/community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"**FILE** D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (Robert R. Roberts\/The Washington Informer)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-109-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C852&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-109-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C852&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-109-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C852&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-109-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C852&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-109-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C852&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1198345,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-sentencing-commission-nomination-snap-litigation-school-renaming\/","url_meta":{"origin":1245874,"position":2},"title":"The Collins Council Report (Jan. 9, 2024)","author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","date":"January 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The D.C. Council postponed its resolution to nominate Joel Cast\u00f3n to the D.C. Sentencing Commission due to concerns about his criminal history, and postponed SNAP litigation and the controversial naming of a Ward 3 school, while unanimously approving the renaming of Tyler Elementary School to Shirley Chisholm Elementary School and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Community"","block_context":{"text":"Community","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/category\/community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"**FILE** The D.C. Council chamber at the John A. Wilson Building in D.C. (Courtesy of dccouncil.us)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-200.jpg?fit=1200%2C726&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-200.jpg?fit=1200%2C726&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-200.jpg?fit=1200%2C726&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-200.jpg?fit=1200%2C726&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-200.jpg?fit=1200%2C726&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":90576,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/d-c-council-approves-initiative-77-repeal\/","url_meta":{"origin":1245874,"position":3},"title":"D.C. Council Approves Initiative 77 Repeal","author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","date":"October 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Much to the chagrin of many District voters, restaurant workers and grassroots activists, the D.C. Council have voted to repeal Initiative 77, just shy of four months after voters approved the law requiring the gradual increase of the tipped worker minimum wage to $15.","rel":"","context":"In "Local Business"","block_context":{"text":"Local Business","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/category\/local-business\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A man stands near a \"vote no on Initiative #77\" sign on June 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. - Washington, DC's upcoming primary election includes a ballot measure called Initiative 77, a policy to gradually raise the minimum wage that tipped workers receive. (MANDEL NGAN\/AFP\/Getty Images)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/initiative-77.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/initiative-77.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/initiative-77.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1159825,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/d-c-officials-ramp-up-vaccine-push-with-latest-policy-decisions\/","url_meta":{"origin":1245874,"position":4},"title":"D.C. Officials Ramp Up Vaccine Push with Latest Policy Decisions","author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","date":"December 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"As omicron takes center stage as the dominant coronavirus variant among the thousands of recently reported COVID-19 cases, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the city council have taken measures to further compel District residents to get vaccinated and boosted.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Community"","block_context":{"text":"Community","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/category\/community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-111.jpg?fit=1200%2C840&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-111.jpg?fit=1200%2C840&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-111.jpg?fit=1200%2C840&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-111.jpg?fit=1200%2C840&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-111.jpg?fit=1200%2C840&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1197878,"url":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/dc-council-snap-benefits-battle\/","url_meta":{"origin":1245874,"position":5},"title":"Majority of D.C. Council Supports Plan to Sue Mayor Bowser for SNAP Funds","author":"Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr.","date":"January 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The D.C. Council has filed a resolution authorizing a lawsuit against Mayor Muriel Bowser for the non-disbursement of excess funds intended for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser takes notes during her Public Safety Summit at the District Emergency Operations Center in Washington, D.C., on May 10, 2023. (Shedrick Pelt\/The Washington Informer)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/A55F7413-C8B6-4AF3-A588-6321B004AE66.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/A55F7413-C8B6-4AF3-A588-6321B004AE66.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/A55F7413-C8B6-4AF3-A588-6321B004AE66.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/A55F7413-C8B6-4AF3-A588-6321B004AE66.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/A55F7413-C8B6-4AF3-A588-6321B004AE66.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1245874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2328"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1245874"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1245874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1245949,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1245874\/revisions\/1245949"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1245905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1245874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1245874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1245874"},{"taxonomy":"brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/brand?post=1245874"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=1245874"},{"taxonomy":"nota","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/nota?post=1245874"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1245874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}