The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

With students across the region returning to class, local school superintendents discussed student safety, cell phone policies, and concerns over immigration enforcement.

In Prince George's County, schools continue to deal with the fallout from the federal government freezing and then unfreezing millions of dollars in education funds. While funds are expected to be dispersed by next month, more federal cuts could be on the horizon. Interim Prince George's County Public Schools Superintendent Shawn Joseph joined the show to discuss the potential implications for Prince George's County schools. Plus, we discussed bus driver shortages, cell phone policies, test scores, and how schools are preparing for a possible increase in federal immigration enforcement.

Joseph said the county experienced a decline in school attendance last year, and officials believe it’s at least in part due to concerns about immigration enforcement. 

"43% percent of our students were out of school eighteen days or more, and it's significant within our immigrant population, and we think it's because of the fear of ICE and things happening," he said.

Joseph said they are monitoring school attendance and want to send the message to the county’s immigrant population that school remains a safe place.

Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia's largest school district, is also dealing with concerns over immigration enforcement. Superintendent Michelle Reid got behind the mic to talk about how Fairfax County schools are supporting students, families, and staff. Plus, FCPS is suing the U.S. Education Department in an effort to prevent the agency from freezing federal funding due to the district's gender policies. 

Superintendent Reid said the school system's current policy of allowing students to use bathrooms that match their gender identity is both legal and in the best interest of students.

"We felt and still feel strongly that our policy is in accordance both with Virginia and federal law. And it still is aligned with the Title IX principles currently on the books," she said. 

Reid said the millions the federal government is threatening to withhold go in part to fund free and reduced-price lunches. 

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The federal takeover of D.C. police is now in its third week, and we were joined on this week’s show by guests with different perspectives on the federal law enforcement surge in the District.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined the show to weigh in. He has called the federal police takeover “disrespectful” and unconstitutional. Additionally, the Governor discussed his recent public spat with President Trump, with the White House hinting at the possibility of sending National Guard troops to Baltimore and potentially clawing back federal funding for rebuilding the Key Bridge.

D.C. Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton joined the show to explain why he welcomes the federal law enforcement surge in the District, which he says has helped the MPD bring down crime and improve morale among local police. Plus, Pemberton discussed why he believes the D.C. Council should go further and repeal a 2022 police reform act, which limited certain uses of police force and increased police transparency. Congress voted to block certain aspects of the bill. 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said this week she appreciates the additional federal resources, and she shared numbers showing violent crime, and specifically carjackings, have decreased significantly in the city since the surge began.

However, several D.C. Councilmembers have come out strongly against the federal law enforcement surge. Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George got behind the mic to weigh in on the federal takeover of local police and what she’s heard from residents. 

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President Trump announced this week he was federalizing the D.C. police and sending in the National Guard to curb what he calls "out of control" crime in the District. The move comes as violent crime in D.C. is down 26% compared to this time last year, according to Metropolitan Police Department data. Hundreds of federal law enforcement officials and the National Guard have already been brought in, and have been seen patrolling D.C. streets.

Residents across the region have lots of questions and thoughts about what D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is calling an "unprecedented" move by the administration.

So, we talked about it.

Host Kojo Nnamdi, analyst Tom Sherwood, WAMU's Senior D.C. Politics reporter Alex Koma, and D.C. Auditor Kathy Patterson joined for a WAMU News call-in special. They answered your questions and heard your thoughts about what it all means for your community.

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It's likely that the Washington Commanders will be leaving their current home in Prince George's County for a new stadium in the District. What would happen to the Northwest Stadium site? How about the land currently home to Six Flags, which is closing close to the end of the year? Prince George's County Executive Aisha Braveboy weighed in, saying the county is already preparing for the team’s departure from the 200-acre-site. Redeveloping the land, Braveboy said, could be a boon. 

“We didn't really get to yield the kind of revenue that, let's say a National Harbor, yields for us. I mean, we make about 70 million off National Harbor and 14 million off the Commanders," she said.

Braveboy also noted the redevelopment of the soon-to-be-closed Six Flags, which sits on 500 acres, could also provide additional tax revenue for the county. 

Arlington County was the first local jurisdiction in the region to end single-family-only zoning, but the county is now embroiled in a lawsuit over the change. As other counties and cities make similar moves, Arlington County Board member Maureen Coffey joined the show to share lessons learned and the challenges that lie ahead. The D.C. area is feeling the effects of the federal cuts and job losses as unemployment claims rise and layoffs increase. We asked County Board member Coffey what it means for local budgets and how Arlington County is preparing for an uncertain financial future.

We also discussed the Arlington Housing Commission potentially asking the Virginia General Assembly to make it easier for houses of worship to build affordable housing on their land.

Coffey said the legislation could be a win-win. 

"I think it's reasonable to look at these properties. Faith communities own a lot of property," Coffey said. "Faith attendance is down, and a lot of these congregations are really struggling to even keep up the properties that they do have." 

However, Coffey noted the bill would mandate all Virginia jurisdictions to allow for this type of development. 

Plus, we discussed President Trump's renewed threats for the federal government to take over policing the District.

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After two days of hearings, the D.C. Council took a first vote on the much-anticipated multi-billion-dollar RFK Stadium deal. WAMU's Senior D.C. Politics reporter Alex Koma joined us live from the Wilson building to give us the latest. He also broke down this week's final vote on the budget, which included a controversial compromise on the future of the tipped minimum wage.

The Trump administration has opened multiple investigations into George Mason University over alleged discriminatory policies, including into actions by the school's faculty. We asked Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell to weigh in. 

Sen. Surovell also explained why the General Assembly is mulling a return to Richmond for a special session next month, and we got his thoughts on Virginia's 11th Congressional District race to replace Rep. Gerry Connolly, who passed away unexpectedly this spring.  

The Montgomery County Council recently approved a "missing middle" housing plan. It's drawn backlash from some residents, as well as from County Executive Marc Elrich. He shared his take on the zoning change that will allow developers to build more types of housing in certain areas of the county.

County Executive Elrich also discussed the county's efforts to manage the increasing instances of flash flooding. Maryland has had 51 flash food warnings to date this year, already the most since 2020. Elrich warned that current systems won’t be adequate for what’s coming, and the county is researching fixes, including stormwater retention areas. 

"This, for us, is going to be challenging because these are capital expenses that no one thought we were going to be making," he said. "So this, in my mind, alters the trajectory of future budgets."

Elrich said the county has already installed dozens of flood sensors to help warn when water is rising. 

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On Thursday, D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson announced a revised deal with the Washington Commanders for a new stadium at RFK, which he says gives the city a better deal. Is the deal good enough for the council to approve it when they vote August 1? We dove into the details with Ward 5 D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker.

The changes call for redirecting parking fees and sales tax revenue to the city. It also includes money for transportation improvements and to help nearby neighborhoods. It could amount to an additional $700 million in revenue for the District. But Parker said he’d like to see more benefits for the city in a final deal.  

"Members still have issues and priorities that we are pressing on," he said. "Making sure that there is adequate language and accountability for transportation investments and environmental protections."

The council is set for a first vote on the stadium deal next Friday, with a final vote planned for September. Plus, we previewed with Parker the D.C. Council budget vote next week.

Metro recently overhauled its bus system for the first time in 50 years.  The changes, including renaming all routes and eliminating hundreds of stops, have led to some rider confusion and frustration. Metro General Manager Randy Clarke explained why the changes were needed and how the revamp is meeting its goals, despite a few hiccups.

"From a community point of view, more people get better service, more reliable, more frequent service, and it was done through an equity lens specifically around low-income individuals and people trying to get them to places like jobs and the doctor and things of that nature," said Clarke.

Clarke said Metro is listening to rider feedback and will continue to make tweaks to the system. Additionally, he discussed how Metro plans to fund its future.

The D.C. Council advanced a budget this week with deep cuts to social services, no tax increases, and $500 million to help build a new football stadium at the RFK site. It also includes funding to implement ranked choice voting in the District next year. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson got behind the mic to break down the budget negotiations.. Plus, Mendelson discussed why his tipped minimum wage proposal failed, why ranked choice voting succeeded, and we asked about the Ward 8 special election, and whether he and his council colleagues will expel Councilmember-elect Trayon White again now that he’s won his seat back.

WAMU’s new reporter covering Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, Jenny Abamu, got behind the mic to weigh in on what federal cuts and layoffs mean for Maryland residents. She also discussed how Maryland Governor Wes Moore is addressing a looming budget crisis as he prepares for a re-election campaign and illegal house parties in Montgomery County.

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The Trump administration recently announced a plan to keep the FBI headquarters in the District, reversing a decision made by the Biden administration in 2023 to move it to a new building in Prince George’s County. Maryland lawmakers are now considering next steps to fight the abrupt turnaround. U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, who represents a large portion of Prince George’s County, joins the show to discuss. Plus, the U.S. Supreme Court this week cleared the way for the White House to move forward with slashing the federal workforce. We ask Rep. Ivey what is being done for locals who might be at risk of losing their jobs.

President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law late last week, which includes significant cuts to Medicaid coverage. In Virginia, one estimate suggests that 332,000 residents will lose their health insurance. Virginia Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who represents a large portion of Loudoun County, gets behind the mic to discuss what he heard from his constituents at a recent townhall. We’ll also ask about immigration; Virginia has seen one of the sharpest spikes in ICE arrests in the country.

D.C.’s Ward 8 residents are heading to the polls for a special election to fill the seat on the D.C. Council. Despite federal bribery charges and expulsion by his colleagues, former councilmember Trayon White is the frontrunner for his old seat. WAMU’s Senior D.C. Politics reporter Alex Koma joins Kojo and Tom to break down the race. He’ll also share the latest updates on the D.C. Council budget, expected to be released early next week, and the debate over the RFK Stadium.

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The Trump administration's continued shrinking of the federal government continues to have immense ramifications on the region, including jobs, public safety, and the economy. A recent report from Maryland's Comptroller's office shows how deeply tied Maryland's economy is to the federal government, drawing more than $150 billion from federal government jobs, grants, contracts, and payments annually. The state's comptroller Brooke Lierman joined the show, saying the pace of the cuts is concerning. However, Lierman said the state is working to diversify into the private sector instead of an overreliance on the federal government.

"All of these folks have chosen to go into public service, but would also do incredibly well and be very successful in other fields," Lierman said. "We have an incredible biotech industry in Maryland. We have cyber, we have quantum, and more."

D.C. councilmembers broadly agree that the city's violence interruption programs are in need of changes, following public criticism of the programs and multiple bribery scandals. However, councilmembers are not in agreement on what exactly do to about it.  This week, Ward 2 D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto proposed major reforms as part of the ongoing budget debate. It was met with significant pushback, leading her to pitch a whole new plan. Councilmember Pinto got the behind the mic to explain what happened and what comes next.

Finally, Montgomery County councilmembers are pushing a package of bills for more workforce housing, particularly allowing construction of residences along transit corridors. The package also includes tax breaks for some developers. District 6 Montgomery County Councilmember Natali Fani-González and co-sponsor of the somewhat controversial legislative package weighed in. Plus, why county officials are pressing Marriott to sign an agreement to not retaliate against union members and why the Trump administration's ramp up of federal immigration enforcement efforts throughout the D-C region is deeply personal for her.

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This week, Virginia Democrats went to the polls for primaries, choosing state Senator Ghazala Hashmi as their candidate for Lieutenant Governor this fall. Sen. Hashmi joined the show to discuss her primary win, what it means for Northern Virginia residents, and how she will approach November's general election, where she will face Republican radio talk show host John Reid.

Virginia voters selected Jay Jones as the Democratic nominee for Attorney General; he'll go up against incumbent Republican Jason Miyares in November. WAMU's Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel got behind the mic to break down the results. Plus, she set the stage for the widely-anticipated governor's race in the fall. 

Margaret also previewed the Democratic firehouse primary set for later this month to fill Virginia's 11th Congressional District seat after the death of longtime Congressman Gerry Connolly.

The D.C. Council is deep into budget hearings, with hundreds of residents coming out to express their views on proposed cuts, the deal to build a new football stadium, and a pitch to repeal the tipped minimum wage increase. Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen joined Kojo and Tom to discuss his priorities in a tight budget year. Plus, Allen weighs in on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's push for stricter youth curfew laws.

The bill calls for an 11 p.m. citywide summer curfew for 17-year-olds or younger. Currently, the curfew starts at midnight and applies to those 16 or younger. The proposal also would allow D.C. police to create special zones where the curfew could be set as early as 7 p.m. for 15 consecutive days. However, Councilmember Allen questioned the strategy.

"Are we pulling away MPD resources to go enforce a curfew that we need them in other places,?" he asked.

Allen also said a tougher curfew shouldn’t be passed as emergency legislation and without public hearings. The Council is expected to consider it early next month.

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