D.C. Voting Advocates Promise to Be More Aggressive

Supporters of D.C. voting rights say it's time to get more aggressive with congressional lawmakers.

Advocates are promising to step up their demonstrations and change their message on Capitol Hill.

DC Vote's Ilir Zherka said that with Republicans now back in charge of the House of Representatives, it's time to switch from offense to defense. That is, shift the focus of lobbying efforts to protecting D.C.'s autonomy from GOP meddling.

Case in point, he said, is the Republican leadership's decision to strip D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of her house floor vote during Committee of the Whole meetings.

Zherka said his group is ready to fight Republican efforts to roll back home rule authority.

"We need to be much louder, much more intense, and the city in particular needs to be engaged in showing some real leadership in this fight," Zherka said.

DC Vote will protest the GOP's decision to strip Norton's house floor vote by having supporters lobby congressional members at their offices next week, Zherka said.