High Country Times

WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) have raised concerns over the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia's failure to address unlawful protestors on George Washington University's campus.

In a letter addressed to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Metro Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith, Foxx and Comer expressed their alarm at the MPD's refusal to assist in removing radical, antisemitic, and unlawful protestors encamped on the university's campus and surrounding public land. The lawmakers highlighted the hindrance faced by George Washington University in protecting its Jewish student body from persecution and harassment due to MPD's reluctance to provide assistance, citing fears of public criticism.

The letter emphasized the misalignment between MPD's actions and its own mission statement, which prioritizes safeguarding the District of Columbia and protecting its residents with integrity and fairness. Foxx and Comer questioned the MPD's adherence to its mission statement, especially in light of George Washington University's condemnation of the protestors' actions as a violation of community trust and beyond the boundaries of free expression.

Foxx and Comer concluded the letter by posing specific questions to Mayor Bowser and Chief Smith, seeking clarification on the reasons behind MPD's refusal to assist GWU, the conditions required for MPD to intervene, and the compatibility of MPD's inaction with its stated mission.

The full letter, containing the lawmakers' inquiries and concerns, can be accessed for further details and context.

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