The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

This past weekend, President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. It was a history-making turn of events that could have far-reaching implications for the District. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser joins the show to discuss why she also supports Harris, and what it would mean to have a woman of color in the White House. Plus, former president Donald Trump continues to threaten to overhaul the federal workforce by replacing civil servants with political appointees. We ask the Mayor what this could mean for District residents.In the hours after President Biden’s announcement, a number of Democratic delegations nationwide pledged their support to Vice President Harris. That includes Virginia’s delegation, which unanimously voted to endorse Harris’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention next month in Chicago. The Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, Susan Swecker, weighs in on why delegates got behind Harris so quickly. Plus, could Virginia once again be a swing state?Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

Facing tough economic realities, Maryland state officials gave the thumbs up this week to Governor Wes Moore's proposal to slash $150 million from the budget. Moore joined Kojo and Tom to explain why the cuts are necessary. Plus, Moore made the case for cooler rhetoric after the failed assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump and explained why he's sticking with Biden as his party's presidential nominee.The Prince George's County Council finally approved permanent rent stabilization legislation, capping rent increases at 3% plus inflation. The agreement comes after compromises and even some animosity between the more moderate and progressive blocks on the council. District 6 Councilmember Wala Blegay weighed in. Plus, the latest on next month's special election to replace councilmember Mel Franklin, who resigned last month and is facing embezzlement charges.Last month, tech executive and NEWSMAX commentator Mike Clancy secured the Republican nomination in Virginia's 10th congressional district. He's now set to challenge Democratic nominee state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam in November's general election. Clancy got behind the mic to discuss the race and whether Virginia could swing red in the fall.Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

The Republican-proposed "Project 2025" plan calls for replacing over fifty thousand civil servants with political appointees. While presidential candidate Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from it, many believe he'll enact much of the plan if elected. Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin joined the show to discuss the impact Project 2025 could have on the local workforce. Plus, local lawmakers are debating whether President Biden should step aside. We asked Rep. Raskin to weigh in.Last month, Alexandria voters chose Alyia Gaskins as their Democratic mayoral candidate. If elected in the fall, she will be the first Black woman to serve as the city's mayor. Gaskins got behind the mic to talk about her top agenda items should she win in November.The D.C. Council passed emergency truancy legislation at its last meeting before the summer recess on Tuesday. The measure aims to lower truancy rates at District high schools by sending frequently absent teens to social service programs instead of court. Ward 2 D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto explained how the new program will work and what comes next. Plus, why have carjackings dropped by nearly 50%?Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

The D.C. Council conducted a hearing this week to learn more about the mayor’s legal council’s internal investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against former aide John Falcicchio.During the hearing, a tense debate erupted between Vanessa Natale from the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel and Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker over the office's ability to share information and documents from the investigation with D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb. Natale called into the show to clarify why there's certain information the office declined to share with the Attorney General.Then, Parker got behind the mic to explain his concerns and what he’d like to see next in the investigation. Plus, he talked about reparations for Black District residents and the D.C. Council’s investment in LGBTQ+ programs. Last week, Arlington residents used ranked-choice voting to select their Democratic nominee for the Arlington County Board. JD Spain Sr., former NAACP Arlington Branch president, is the big winner. He now faces Republican candidate Juan Carlos Fierro and perennial independent candidate Audrey Clement for the seat. Spain joined the show to talk about his victory, the most pressing issues in Arlington, and November’s general election.Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

This year's Virginia primary elections were competitive and, at times, contentious. Voters made history with a number of their choices, including nominating a Democratic candidate who is likely to be the first Black woman to be Alexandria's mayor. We looked back and ahead to the general election with WAMU's Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel.One of the most closely watched races was the Democratic primary in Virginia's 10th congressional district. The projected winner, state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, joined us. We discussed why he thinks district residents chose him and his plans for the general election in the fall.Rent control is once again on top of residents' minds in Prince George's County. The county council is debating legislation to permanently cap rent hikes to three percent, plus inflation. However, some councilmembers think the bill doesn't go far enough. Prince George's County Council Chair Jolene Ivey joined the show to weigh in. Plus, she gave her take on long-time councilmember Mel Franklin being charged with embezzlement.Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

After more than a month of early voting, the Virginia primary elections are finally here. The Washington Post’s Teo Armus broke down the biggest Northern Virginia races for us, including for Congress, Arlington County Board, and Alexandria City Mayor.Last month, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb introduced legislation aimed at revamping how D.C.’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services works. The Attorney General joined the show to discuss the bill, plus why D.C. is part of a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and how the Office of the Attorney is helping to enforce the STEER Act.Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

D.C. residents went to the polls this week, and the city's most contested race proved to be close with only a few hundred votes separating the top three candidates. On Thursday night, the Associated Press finally called the Ward 7 race for ANC Commissioner Wendell Felder. D.C Board of Elections Executive Director Monica Evans took us behind the scenes of how the votes were tallied and counted. Plus, she explained the concern for safety at the polls as angry callers besiege D.C. elections for following a new law that allows non-citizens to vote.Then, Washington Post reporter Michael Brice-Saddler explained why status quo prevailed in the D.C. primary elections with the all of the incumbents emerging victorious.Earlier this week, Montgomery County school officials announced they will have to lay off teachers and other school staff if they are to close a $30 million deficit. Councilmember and Chair of the Education Committee Will Jawando got behind the mic to give his thoughts. Plus, how is the county preparing for future incidents of extreme weather?Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

Last week, in tight financial circumstances, the Prince George’s County Council approved its $5.6 billion budget, with an emphasis on public safety. Councilmember and chair of the public safety committee Wanika Fisher joins the show to walk us through the budget and explain why she is advocating hiring more law enforcement. Also, what the council can do to get more kids attending school?The D.C. Council gave its initial approval on Wednesday to a $21 billion budget calling for tax hikes that will help avoid some big cuts proposed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Chairman Phil Mendelson breaks down the tax increases, who they might impact, and his response to Bowser’s “significant concerns” about the proposed hikes. Plus, Mendelson discusses why the city looks to be finally deciding to end its sports betting monopoly and allow private sportsbooks to operate in the District as soon as this summer.Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

D.C.'s primary day is coming up fast and there are a number of notable races. In Ward 8, two challengers are attempting to unseat incumbent Trayon White. Washington Informer reporter Sam P.K. Collins joined the show to break down the race, and gave us the latest on the Ward 7 and Ward 4 contests.After last week's primaries in Maryland, voters are turning their attention to November's general election. Neil Parrott - Republican nominee in Maryland's 6th Congressional District race - weighed in on his own primary win and what it will take to defeat the Democratic nominee April McClain Delaney later this year.The fight over data centers in Loudoun County is intensifying with Google's announcement last month it was investing a billion dollars into Northern Virginia infrastructure. Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Juli Briskman got behind the mic to give her thoughts on the data center deal. Plus, Loudoun County schools pulls back on a delayed school start plan.Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

It was a big win for Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. She beat out three-term congressman David Trone, despite being significantly outspent. Now, she moves on to the general election, where she will take on the popular former Maryland governor, Republican Larry Hogan, in a race that’s already garnering national attention. Alsobrooks joins the show to discuss how she defied the odds, what she heard from voters on the campaign trail, and how she’s preparing for November’s face-off against Hogan.There were other important primary races in Maryland as well. Maryland Matters reporter Will Ford gets behind the mic to break down the results in several Congressional District elections, plus more insight into what propelled Alsobrooks to a win.Congress is once again intervening in D.C. affairs. On Wednesday, the U.S. House voted to restrict the D.C. Council from passing any legislation changing sentencing laws in the District. While the bill still needs to pass the Senate and the president has expressed opposition, it has city officials deeply concerned. Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen discusses why he thinks the legislation is a bad idea. Plus, could bike lanes be back in the plans for Connecticut Avenue?Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donateSend us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.orgFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

With the primary now only days away, polls show a very tight race for Maryland’s Senate seat. The election is capturing national attention as record spending continues to define the campaign for the Democratic nomination. Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters told us why the stakes are high, how it’s become so close, and what we might see happen on Tuesday. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers reportedly agreed on a deal for a new state budget. It’s been a long road to this point, but deal was reached that won’t include any tax increases. Delegate Mark Sickles was involved in these talks and joined us on the show to break down the deal for us. Early Wednesday morning, D.C. police cleared an encampment of protesters on George Washington University’s campus. This came just before a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing into the city’s refusal to clear the encampment earlier. With protests continuing, D.C. Councilmember Robert White got behind the mic to give his take. Plus, D.C. reaches agrees on a settlement with two women who accused former mayoral aide John Falcicchio of sexual harassment. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

Last month, the D.C. Council voted to spend $515 million to help Monumental Sports renovate Capital One Arena. Now, negotiations are underway with owner Ted Leonsis on an agreement aimed at addressing public safety and development around the arena. Leonsis joins Kojo and Tom to discuss the deal and his vision for the future of the arena and the surrounding neighborhood. It's gotten tense in the Maryland's 6th congressional district as frontrunners air attack ads against one another. MoCo360 politics reporter Ginny Bixby updates us on the race, why reproductive rights remain a top issue, and gives us a preview of the general election. The Prince George's County Council approved a resolution on Tuesday expanding the youth curfew countywide. This comes as the council debates permanent legislation that would allow commercial districts, like National Harbor, to request police to put a curfew in place preventing unaccompanied minors from staying out past 5 p.m.  It would also fine parents who allow their kids to violate curfew. The bill's sponsor, Prince George's County Councilmember Edward Burroughs, gets behind the mic to explain the legislation, why it's needed, and what comes next. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/thepoliticshour

The race is heating up for the open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. With the Democratic primary only three weeks away, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Congressman David Trone compete for endorsements, air time, and Maryland’s votes. Alsobrooks joins the show to talk about the campaign, money in politics, and how former Maryland governor Larry Hogan’s late entry changed the dynamics of the race. Plus, how will expanding the youth curfew in Prince George’s County impact juvenile crime rates? The contest to replace long-time councilmember and former mayor Vincent Gray on the D.C. Council is also intensifying. There are currently ten candidates vying to represent Ward 7 — with the Democratic primary now only six weeks away. Washington Post reporter Michael Brice-Saddler gets behind the mic to talk about why this election is a big deal, the major issues driving folks to the polls, and Gray’s legacy representing Ward 7. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

The Virginia General Assembly reconvened on Wednesday to consider Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 223 budget amendments and a record-setting number of vetoes. A deal was quickly struck between the governor and the legislature to work together on a new state budget, averting a crisis — at least for now. Virginia Delegate Marcus Simon, who represents Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County, joined us in the studio to discuss how it all came together. He said Youngkin now realizes the limits of his executive power and the need to negotiate with the Democratically-controlled General Assembly. “We are a co-equal branch of government. We are not a board of directors where you just tell us what the decision is going to be, we actually participate.” One of the biggest points of contention when the General Assembly meets again next month will be Metro funding. Lawmakers want the state to pony up $150 million dollars, while the governor wants most of the funding to come from money previously allocated to Northern Virginia jurisdictions. On Thursday, a teen was charged with threatening mass violence at a Montgomery County high school. County Executive Marc Elrich joined the show directly from a press conference where the FBI, Montgomery County Police, and the State’s Attorney’s Office detailed what led up to the arrest of eighteen-year-old Alex Ye. Officials tracked Ye for months and obtained a copy of a manifesto, where the eighteen-year-old wrote about carrying out mass violence at Wootton High School in Rockville. Law enforcement also noted Ye did not have access to firearms. On the show, Elrich praised Maryland’s strong gun safety laws. “It’s good to hear that somebody had a hard time getting guns because if he had been able to easily get these guns, who knows how this would have transpired in reality.” Elrich also talked about the potential reopening of White’s Ferry. The County Executive addressed why he’s not proposing to raise taxes, unlike last year, and the current state of Maryland’s expensive U.S. Senate race. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

This week on The Politics Hour, Metro General Randy Clarke took Kojo, Tom, and listeners on a ride through Metro’s upcoming budget decisions, why he’d like to see a regional tax, and the significance of Metro teaming up with COG. Clarke said he’s very happy overall that D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are all stepping up with additional funding for Metro. Because of that, Metro will be able to avoid some of the more drastic service cuts first proposed in December. He isn’t surprised by the continued debate in Virginia about how much money the state will provide instead of local jurisdictions. However, Clarke said this conversation is more about “how the bill is paid” than whether Metro will be adequately funded. Earlier in the week, Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announced a partnership aimed at addressing some of the region’s transportation issues. The region has multiple locally run transportation systems, including Alexandria’s DASH bus and the Ride On in Montgomery County, all with different fares and systems. One of the main goals of the partnership, he said, is to simplify this. “Only people in government care about jurisdictions. Everyone else lives their life, right,” Clarke said. “They might live in Montgomery County or take their kids to a soccer game in Alexandria or live in Fairfax and they work in Downtown D.C. We’ve got to figure out how people can move without worrying about different signs or fare payments and all the other stuff. Make it easy for people.” Jahd Khalil from Virginia Public Media also joined the show to explain how Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s reworked budget no longer has any tax cuts or a sales tax hike. Khalil said it definitely appears like Youngkin is attempting to work with the Democratically-controlled General Assembly, but recent actions may still make that difficult. The Virginia General Assembly will reconvene next week to consider the governor’s reworked budget. Khalil said the legislature could reject the proposal and, if that does happen, “it’s definitely a possibility” Youngkin could veto the entire budget. That would be nearly unprecedented. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

It’s budget season on The Politics Hour. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released her budget proposal on Wednesday calling for some tax increases and hefty cuts, including to the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund. The cuts were met with pushback from some councilmembers, including Christina Henderson who made an emotional plea to save the fund. She explains why she disagrees with some elements of the Mayor’s proposed budget. Plus, what’s Councilmember Henderson’s take on the District committing $515 million to renovate Capital One Arena? Last month, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich unveiled his budget proposal featuring no new taxes and increased spending on schools.  Montgomery County Council Vice Chair Kate Stewart gives her take. Plus, she’ll explain why houses of worship can now build affordable housing and how an agreement on a new state budget impacts Montgomery County. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

It's game over for the Alexandria arena with the Washington Wizards and Capitals now poised to stay in the District. On Wednesday, D.C. councilmembers, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis announced a deal to keep the sports teams at Capital One Arena in D.C. until 2050. It came weeks after a proposal to move the teams to a new arena in Alexandria fell apart in the Virginia General Assembly and only hours after the City of Alexandria said it ended negotiations with Monumental Sports to build an arena and entertainment complex in Potomac Yard. On this week’s Politics Hour, we brought together several of the major players involved in this region-defining reversal. Alexandria City Councilmember John Chapman said that the city’s decision to end the project was largely based on the disapproval they heard from residents. “A good number of people were not happy with the proposal,” he said. “The biggest concern for everyone was traffic and what transportation would look like.” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser explained how D.C. was able to convince the teams to stay. She said she kept meeting with Leonsis, despite the ongoing negotiations he was having with Virginia officials. Bowser says she knew it was not a done deal and that’s why there was a hope the decision would be ultimately reversed. “We decided not to give up and just let our teams go across the river to what we thought was at best a risky proposition for them,” Bowser said. “It was risky... to get approved. We thought it was risky to get delivered. And we thought it was a huge risk to the Monumental brand if the fans would follow or not.” D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson explained that the $500 million being offered to renovate Capital One Arena doesn’t come at the expense of social services. “We have two budgets. One is the operating budget and the other is the capital budget. The operating budget is where social service programs are, public safety programs, public education programs so forth. The capital budget is very different. Prince George's County Councilmember Krystal Oriadha also spoke with Kojo and Tom about budget troubles, crime, and school absenteeism. Oriadha connected increasing rates of crime and truancy, saying many of those committing crimes are young people. Because of that, the Prince George’s County Council is prioritizing keeping kids in classrooms. “We started a work group focused on truancy because what we realized is a lot of repeat offenders, when we had a meeting with the State’s Attorney if they pulled their transcript, were truant,” said Oriadha. “We realized we didn’t have an actual mechanism that triggered an early warning system with that young person early enough.” Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

On Friday’s Politics Hour, resident analyst Tom Sherwood broke news that D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sent a letter earlier in the week to Monumental Sports saying that Wizards and Capitals are legally bound to the District until 2047. In a since publicly-released letter, the District’s Attorney General accused Monumental Sports and owner Ted Leonsis of breaking promises laid out in a lease extension for Capital One Arena when they announced a deal to move to Alexandria in December. The teams are legally obligated, according to Schwalb, to remain playing at Capital One Arena until 2047. “To be clear, the District very much prefers not to pursue any potential claims against MSE,” Schwalb wrote in the letter. “It remains committed to maintaining and growing its partnership with MSE and to keeping the Wizards and Capitals at the Arena until the end of the existing lease term in 2047, if not beyond.” When asked about the letter, Monumental Sports declined to provide any new comments to WAMU. Also on the Politics Hour, Virginia Delegate Paul Krizek (D-Fairfax County) criticized Governor Glenn Youngkin for how he’s handled Senate Democrats blocking the deal to build a new arena in Alexandria. He also talked about a bill that could bring slots-like gaming machines to convenience stores, laundromats, and restaurants across the state and is hope that legislation that would finally create a retail marijuana market isn’t up in smoke. Additionally, Maryland State Senator Will Smith (D-Montgomery County) joined Kojo and Tom to talk about crossover day in his state’s General Assembly. He said the biggest challenge for legislators is balancing the state’s budget. The House is proposing a $1.2 billion dollar package that would increase taxes, tolls, and fees. The Senate, instead, wants to pull from the state’s rainy day fund and not raise taxes. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Secure D.C. omnibus bill earlier this week. Now, the question is how it will be implemented. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves is set to have a big role in its rollout and joins the show. Plus, he’ll explain why he advocated for the DNA collection provision. And we ask about newly released data showing the U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting about the same number of suspects as late last year. It’s budget season in Maryland and the General Assembly is debating how to cover a growing deficit. Could a tax increase be in store? Maryland Governor Wes Moore talks with Kojo and Tom about the possibility and takes your questions. And the Virginia General Assembly wrapped up this past weekend with more than seven hundred bills heading to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk for action. He has until next month to sign, amend, or veto legislation. WAMU’s Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel gets behind the mic to weigh in on what Youngkin could do next. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

The deal bringing the Washington Wizards and Capitals to a new arena in Alexandria appears to be in trouble. On Thursday, Virginia lawmakers announced that they had stripped language authorizing the building of the arena from the state budget. It’s a move that Governor Glenn Youngkin has called a “colossal mistake.” Del. Mark Sickles, who represents parts of Alexandria and is Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, was involved in those negotiations. He joins the show to give us his take on how it all went down. The Purple Line is once again delayed and over budget. Prince George’s County Council Chair Jolene Ivey weighs in on this means for her county. Plus, we ask her why she thinks crime is down so far this year, where cannabis shops should be allowed to be open, and how new state legislation could give the county more authority over school funding. The D.C. Council passed a massive crime bill earlier this week. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie breaks down what did – and didn’t – end up in the final version of the legislation. Plus, we get his take on the possibility of the Capitals and Wizards staying downtown and the debate over restaurant service charges. Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour