The country is facing the threat of a government shutdown just as the holidays are approaching. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) talked with Kojo and Tom about what it would mean for federal workers in Virginia and the region.

“I did get a bill passed in 2019 that guarantees everyone back pay in the event of any shutdown, now or  in the future,” Kaine said. “So, back pay is forthcoming. But that’s not the same as getting your paycheck on payday.”

He did note back pay does not apply to federal contractors… some of whom can be laid off in the event of a shutdown. Plus, Sen. Kaine explained why he pushed for a plan to protect civil servants.

A D.C. Council committee recommended expelling Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White this week, who is also facing federal bribery charges. The unanimous vote comes after an independent investigation found “substantial evidence” White violated ethics rules by accepting tens of thousands of dollars in order to influence the granting of contracts. The committee’s chair, Kenyan McDuffie, joined the show to give his thoughts.

Plus, Congress appears to have sidelined a provision giving D.C. greater control over the RFK Stadium site. We asked Councilmember McDuffie what’s next for the District’s continued pursuit of the land and convincing the Washington Commanders to return to the city.

And with inauguration now a month away  city leaders, including Councilmember McDuffie, are concerned about what a second Trump presidency will mean for the District.

Because D.C. is not a state, President Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress can interfere with the city’s autonomy in a number of ways, from blocking local legislation to ending District self-rule. Last year, Congress struck down a major overhaul of the city’s criminal code. 

Conuncilmember McDuffie said there have been 88 separate attacks on D-C autonomy just in the last two years..

“Any interference in District of Columbia affairs is, frankly, unnecessary,” he said. “And would just serve to disenfranchise the more seven hundred thousand residents who live here and actually call the District of Columbia home.”

It’s the last Politics Hour of the year. We were joined by a panel of reporters, including WAMU’s Margaret Barthel, Maryland Matters’ Will Ford, and Washington City Paper’s Alex Koma, to talk about the year’s top stories and what to expect in 2025.

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Metro announced a return to automated trains as soon as this coming weekend, a move that will save millions. Metro General Manager Randy Clarke sat down with Kojo and Tom to discuss why the time is now to return to automation 15 years after a deadly Red Line crash ended the practice.

Clarke explained even with automated trains, an operator remains at the controls, watching the track and managing the doors. He likened the system to cruise control on a car. 

"It’s helping to reduce some human error with a good information technology solution. Gets us back to a more safer, reliable system. At the same time, it becomes cost efficient so everyone’s trip is faster as well," Clarke said.

He said automation will save the system about seven million dollars, which they will use to extend weekend service.

They also discussed his proposed budget which was released this week and Metro's efforts to curb bus fare evasion. WMATA is using plainclothes and uniformed officers as well as video monitoring and special police to issue citations. 

 More than 70% of bus riders are skipping the fare, which Clarke said is  “unacceptable.” Metro has given out more than 500 citations during the first two weeks of stepped up enforcement, according to the system's general manager. They also talked about what a return-to-office mandate for federal workers could mean for Metro.

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Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is warning residents that a realignment of the federal workforce and cuts to federal agency could have dire consequences for the county. He joined the show to talk about what a second Trump presidency could mean for the county.

Plus, Elrich spoke about how he is preparing if Trump follows through on his promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. He said while the county can’t stop the federal government from acting, they won’t assist.

“We can’t be deputized and it’s not our job to cooperate with immigration, so if they want to do raids, they are going to do raids. But they can’t compel the county government to provide police support," Elrich said.

He also talked about what he hopes to accomplish in his final two years as county executive and what his political future might be.

Justin Wilson's time as mayor of Alexandria ends next month, after nearly two decades serving on the council, as vice mayor, and mayor. Kojo and Tom talked with him about bringing Amazon HQ2 to the region, the collapse of the arena deal, and what the future will look like for the city of Alexandria.

He also spoke about the city's efforts to increase housing supply, including by eliminating single-family-only zoning. Wilson said proposed legislation from Virginia lawmakers that would prohibit large investment firms from purchasing single-family homes is only "small ball." What the region really needs are more houses. 

"When you reallocate the same limited supply, that doesn’t lower prices for folks. It doesn’t make housing more accessible. You have to create additional supply," Wilson said.

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President-elect Donald Trump has made it clear he wants the FBI headquarters to stay in the District. There's a possibility he could reverse the decision made last year to move the FBI to Prince George's County. Prince George's County Council Chair Jolene Ivey joined us to discuss.

Plus, a Senate committee moved legislation forward that would give D.C. control of the R-F-K Stadium site at no cost for the use of the land. It’s a step towards building a new football stadium and luring the team back to D.C.from Prince George’s County. That’s concerning for Council Chair Ivey, who’d like to keep the team where it is. 

She said she's recently talked with the team about staying put, touting the potential for development and noted the team already owns the land where the current stadium sits.

"But of course, that was before Congress put their thumb on the scale, and right now, it looks possible they could be getting the land for free. And that’s really not fair," Ivey said.

Army veteran Eugene Vindman won his race earlier this month to represent Virginia's 7th Congressional District. Congressman-elect Vindman joined the show to talk about his victory, legislative priorities, and navigating a Republican-controlled House. And as someone who had run-ins with Trump, does he have concerns about possible retribution?

Plus, President-Elect Donald Trump announced that he tapped tech billionaire Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to head a Department of Government Efficiency.

The goal is to cut federal spending, which would leave many federal workers in our region wondering what will become of their  jobs under the incoming Trump administration.

Vindman aid he recognizes a need to trim the federal budget but that there are certain areas where he will not compromise.

"There are gonna be some realities that those appointed to conduct these activities are gonna run into. They're related to national security realties, economic realities, political realities. And so, where we can work together we will and where we can't I'm gonna fight for Virginia families," Vindman said.  

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While many District residents are concerned a Republican-led Congress could rescind the city's autonomy, not everyone sees doom and gloom. The chair of the Republican Party of D.C. Patrick Mara got behind the mic to explain why a Trump presidency will be good for the District of Columbia.

Mara said public safety and concerns over crime could lead the federal government to assert more control of the city. He said he's heard from both Republicans and Democrats who blame the D.C. Council for not taking enough action.

"The council has to do a much better job on public safety....the Council is not seen in a good light on either side of the Hill," Mara said, who made clear he's a "staunch advocate" of D.C. Home Rule.

He also weighed in on why more District residents voted Republican than in 2020 and 2016.

Someone vandalized a kosher restaurant in D.C. this week in what may have been a hate crime. We asked Ward 3 Councilmember Matt Frumin to weigh in. Plus, we discussed how city officials are preparing for a second Trump administration.

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The Politics Hour, November 8, 2024

Kojo and Tom Sherwood brought listeners results, analysis, and context from across the region. They were joined by reporters stationed at watch parties across the region to discuss the local races in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. 

Guests:

Jahd Khalil, VPM reporter

Kayla Hewitt, WAMU producer/reporter 

Ginny Bixby, MoCo 360 reporter

Alex Koma, Loose Lips reporter for Washington City Paper

Sam P.K. Collins, Washington Informer reporter

Josh Kurtz, founding editor for Maryland Matters

Voters are flocking to the polls to vote early across the region. In the meantime, city leaders are preparing ahead of Election Day and the inauguration, aiming to be ready in case of massive crowds, protests, or unrest. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser joined the show to discuss what measures the District is putting in place to keep residents safe. Plus, we asked Mayor Bowser to weigh in on ranked choice voting and the D.C. Council's emergency legislation restricting protesting in residential neighborhoods.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Virginia could resume purging suspected noncitizens from voter rolls. The decision overturns a previous ruling made by a federal judge days earlier to reinstate some 1,600 voters. WAMU's Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel explained what exactly is going on, how it could affect election results, and why this is good news for Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.

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The race for Maryland's 6th congressional district seat appears to be a tossup, making it the most competitive U.S. House race in the state. A fiery forum spotlighted the divide between candidates on immigration, the economy, and abortion rights. The race takes center stage this week, with Democrat April McClain Delaney and Republican Neil Parrott each got behind the mic and made their pitch to voters. 

On the show Friday, they put forward different priorities on things like gun control.

On Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi Friday, McClain Delaney said she’d support tougher restrictions.

“Common sense gun legislation, I think, includes bans on military assault weapons and universal background checks. And with so many spiraling depression, mental health, anxiety issues, red flag laws," said Delaney. Congress banned assault weapons in 1994, but the ban lapsed a decade later.

Republican Neil Parrot, however, says he would not vote for a ban.

“We have a second amendment. We need to make sure people have the right to bear arms. Of course, they need to be reasonable.. which we have, so I think we are okay there.”

When it comes to curbing gun violence, Parrott said he’d prefer to find quote “other solutions.”.

Virginia's 7th congressional district race is also tight, with Republican Derrick Anderson and Democrat Eugene Vindman vying to replace Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who's running for governor. Last week, Vindman joined the show, and now, it was Anderson's turn to discuss his campaign with Kojo and Tom. We will talked about his military service, congressional control, and reproductive rights.

He restated his position on abortion.

"I do not support a national ban. I support IVF and I do support over the counter contraceptives," Anderson said.

When asked, he would not say whether he would support a federal law protecting abortion. Anderson says the issue should be left to states to decide.

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Kojo and a panel of local reporters took your comments and answered your election-related questions on-air during our primetime call-in special. 

We discussed races across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, as well as how the outcome of the presidential race might affect our region.

There were questions about the close Maryland Senate race. And how Initiative 83 and ranked choice voting might impact future elections in the District. We also discussed how the presidential race could affect the tens of thousands of federal workers across the region.

Teo Armus from the Washington Post, Sam P.K. Collins from the Washington Informer, and Maryland Matters' Will Ford joined Kojo to answer your calls, emails, and messages.

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