Pubdate: Thu, 26 Feb 2015
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2015 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Ben Nuckols, The Associated Press

Pot Legalization

D.C. MAYOR, CONGRESS LIGHT INTO EACH OTHER

WASHINGTON (AP) - The mayor of the nation's capital was hoping to get 
along fine with Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Instead, they've threatened her with prison, and she has accused them 
of acting like bullies in a showdown over legal pot that could end up 
costing District of Columbia residents dearly.

Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser defied threats from Congress by 
implementing a voter-approved initiative Thursday, making the city 
the only place east of the Mississippi River where people can legally 
grow and share marijuana in private.

Congress has the final say over the city's budget and laws, and the 
Republicans in charge seem determined to make Bowser pay.

"We provide half a billion dollars (annually) to the District. One 
would think they would be much more compliant with the wishes of 
Congress,"said Rep. Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican, in an 
interview Thursday.

Actually, the District received more than $670 million of federal 
funding last year.

Even top advocates of city autonomy are preparing for tough times on 
Capitol Hill. "I do believe it's likely this is a short-lived 
victory," said Kimberly Perry, executive director of D.C. Vote. 
"Members of the House are going to come after D.C. with a vengeance 
on appropriations for 2016."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom