Washington, D.C
Heightened security, road closures in DC for Jan. 6 vote counting, Carter funeral
Expect to see more police officers and road closures in Washington, D.C., over the next few days as the city prepares for the certification of the presidential election at the Capitol and the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter.
“I want to be very clear that we will not tolerate any violence, rioting, destruction of property or any behavior that threatens the safety and security of our city,” Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference D.C. authorities held Friday.
Fencing is up around the U.S. Capitol and will remain in place until the inauguration on Jan. 20.
While officials say there are no credible threats, security will be high next week given the deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans and the car explosion in Las Vegas.
Road closures around the Capitol building are in effect Friday night through Monday for the counting and certification of electoral votes taking place Monday.
Closures will then expand down Pennsylvania Avenue on Tuesday for the motorcade carrying Carter from Join Base Andrews to the U.S Navy Memorial. Then, a public procession will take Carter from the memorial to the Capitol Tuesday afternoon.
Drivers should expect widespread road closures on Thursday for Carter’s funeral, especially surrounding the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest.
Security will also be enhanced above the city.
“I advise everyone that the Secret Service will use drones as part of our comprehensive security plan. Do not be alarmed if you see these assets during the upcoming events or training in the days ahead,” said William McCool, the special agent in charge for the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office.
While authorities said there’s no known threat, they are concerned about the potential for a lone wolf attack. A suspect who planted two pipe bombs near the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. That person was never caught.
“We’re absolutely concerned that person is still on the loose and at large. Those were two viable devices left, not only outside of the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, but in a neighborhood where people work and live and we have had a consistent effort alongside our partners to try to identify that person. That is going to remain a threat until we can identify that person,” said David Sundberg, assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.
Road Closures
The following roads will close at about 8 p.m. on Friday:
- First Street between Constitution Avenue, NW, and Independence Avenue, SW
- Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd Street, NW, and First Street, NW
- Maryland Avenue between 3rd Street, SW, and First Street, SW
These roads are closed starting 7 a.m. Monday:
- First Street between Constitution Avenue, NE, and Independence Avenue, SE
- East Capitol Street between First Street and 2nd Street
- Constitution Avenue between Louisiana Avenue, NW, and 2nd Street, NE
- Independence Avenue between Washington Avenue, SW, and 2nd Street, SE
- D Street between First Street, NE, and 2nd Street, NE
- Maryland Avenue between First Street, NE, and Constitution Avenue, NE
- First Street between Louisiana Avenue, NW, and Constitution Avenue, NW
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic from 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday at 4:30 a.m.:
- 13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 12th Street from E Street to Independence Avenue, SW
- 11th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 9th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 8th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 7th Street from E Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- 6th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 5th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 4th Street from D Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- 3rd Street from E Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- Northbound 3rd Street Tunnel Exit 9 toward US Capitol
- 2nd Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 1st Street from E Street, NW to Maryland Avenue, SW
- New Jersey Avenue from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Louisiana Avenue from Columbus Circle, NE to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Delaware Avenue from Columbus Circle to Constitution Avenue, NE
- North Capitol Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 1st Street from Columbus Circle, NE to Independence Avenue, SE
- D Street from 9th Street NW to 2nd Street, NE
- Indiana Avenue from 7th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- C Street from 6th Street to New Jersey Avenue, NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street to 1st Street, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 14th Street NW to 2nd Street, NE
- Madison Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street, SW
- Maryland Avenue from Independence Avenue to 1st Street, SW
The following streets will close on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- Independence Avenue from Washington Avenue, SW to 2nd Street, SE
The following streets will close on Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m.:
- 8th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- F Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, NW
- E Street 10th Street to 6th Street, NW
The following street will be closed intermediately on Thursday from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- Calvert Street from 29th Street to Connecticut Avenue, NW
The following streets will be closed on Thursday from 12:01 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- Garfield Street from Massachusetts Avenue, NW to 34th Street, NW
- 34th Street from Woodley Road to Garfield Street, NW
- Woodley Road from Wisconsin Avenue to 34th Street, NW
- Wisconsin Avenue from Lowell Street to Massachusetts Avenue, NW
- Cathedral Avenue from Massachusetts Avenue to Wisconsin Avenue, NW
The following streets will be open for local traffic only on Thursday from 12:01 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- Garfield Street from 34th Street to 32nd Street, NW
- Woodland Drive from Garfield Street to 32nd Street, NW
- 33rd Place from Cathedral Avenue to Garfield Street, NW
- Cleveland Avenue from 34th Street to 32nd Street, NW
- Cathedral Avenue from 34th Street to 32nd Street, NW
- Klingle Road from 34th Street to 32nd Street, NW
- Woodley Road from 33th Street to 32nd Street, NW
- 34th Street from Macomb Street to Woodley Road, NW
- 35th Street from Lowell Street to Woodley Road, NW
- 36th Street from Lowell Street to Woodley Road, NW
- Wisconsin Avenue from Macomb Street, NW to Lowell Street, NW
- Woodley Road from 38th Street to Wisconsin Avenue, NW
- 36th Street from Garfield Street to Massachusetts Avenue, NW
- 35th Street from Garfield Street to Fulton Street, NW
- 34th Place from Garfield Street to Fulton Street, NW
- 34th Street from Garfield Street to Fulton Street, NW
Parking restrictions
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking from Saturday at 12:01 a.m. through Wednesday at 4:30 a.m.:
- 13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 12th Street from E Street to Madison Drive, NW
- 11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 9th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 8th Street from F Street to D Street, NW
- 7th Street from E Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- 6th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 5th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 4th Street from E Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- 3rd Street from E Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
- 2nd Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 1st Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- New Jersey Avenue from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Louisiana Avenue from Columbus Circle, NE to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Delaware Avenue from Columbus Circle to Constitution Avenue, NE
- North Capitol Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 1st Street from Columbus Circle, NE to Independence Avenue, SE
- F Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, NW
- E Street 10th Street, NW 6th Street, NW
- D Street from 9th Street NW to 1st Street, NE
- Indiana Avenue from 7th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- C Street from 6th Street to New Jersey Avenue, NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street to 1st Street, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 14th Street NW to 2nd Street, NE
- Madison Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street, SW
- Maryland Avenue from Independence Avenue to 1st Street, SW
- Independence Avenue from Washington Avenue, SW to 2nd Street, SE
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking on Thursday from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- Calvert Street from 28th Street to Shoreham Drive, NW
Washington, D.C
Federal court says troops can stay in D.C., and hints at prolonged deployment
Members of the National Guard patrol along Constitution Ave. on December 01, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Heather Diehl/Getty Images North America
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Heather Diehl/Getty Images North America
National Guard troops can remain in Washington, D.C. while a panel of judges examines whether the deployment ordered by President Trump is legal, according to a Federal Appeals Court for Washington, D.C. ruling.
More than 2,000 troops have been deployed in the city since August, both from the District and at least 11 Republican-led states. Hundreds more were added after a targeted attack on National Guard troops killed one and wounded another last month, both of whom were from West Virginia.
The decision Wednesday upends a lower court order that troops be removed from the city.
President Trump’s deployment in Washington is the most robust long-running operation so far, in what has become a pattern of military deployments to help with policing in Democratic-led cities around the country.
Several other smaller deployments are tied up in legal battles — including Trump’s deployment to Chicago which is at the Supreme Court awaiting an emergency decision.
In today’s ruling the judges wrote that Washington, D.C.’s unique federal status allows President Trump to largely control the deployment of troops in the city. They also said the Trump administration is likely to win the overall case, which would see the deployment remain until at least the end of February 2026.
But the judges also raised serious doubts about the lawfulness of deployments of other cities. In particular, the deployment of out-of-state Guard to another state without the consent of that state’s governor — as the administration has tried to do in both Oregon and Illinois.
The opinion called such a move “constitutionally troubling to our federal system of government.”
Troops have left Los Angeles
Today’s decision comes days after a different federal appeals court ruled that troops had to leave Los Angeles on Monday.
The Ninth Circuit ruled late Friday night to uphold a ruling by a federal judge in California to end Trump’s deployment. Trump seized control of the California National Guard in June amid protests in the city and sent more than 4,000 troops there, against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wishes.
That number had since dropped to around 100, but the administration had sought to extend the federalization of the state’s Guard several times, most recently until February, saying it was still necessary.
The decision from the Ninth Circuit effectively blocked the administration from using those remaining National Guard troops in Los Angeles — but it did not force control of the troops to return to the state, leaving them under federal control for now.
All troops have left their stations in the city, according to two sources familiar with the matter who are not authorized to talk publicly. A military official who was not authorized to discuss details of a deployment publicly told NPR that the troops have been moved to a military facility in the area and are conducting training exercises.
NPR’s Tom Bowman contributed to this report from Washington.
Washington, D.C
DC leaders considering transit options for new RFK Stadium
The Commanders are set to build a new stadium in D.C., and the debate over how fans will get to and from games is happening right now. On Wednesday, city leaders will join Metro and the Washington Commanders to talk stadium transit.
Washington, D.C
D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report
TNND — A new report from the House Oversight Committee alleges former D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to manipulate crime data. The committee released the report on Sunday, less than a week after Smith announced she was stepping down.
You’re lulling people into this false sense of security. They might go places they wouldn’t ordinarily go. They might do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” said Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association.
Included in the report were transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts and the former commander currently on suspended leave. One was asked, “Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?” Their response, “Yes, I mean extremethere’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration.”
Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement.
“They are going to have to regain the public trust. Again, this is a huge integrity issue,” Brantner Smith said.
Among the reports findings, Smith’s alleged pressured campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data. Smith punished or removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers. Smith fostered a toxic culture and President Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in D.C. is working.
While Smith has not yet publicly responded to the report, she’s previously denied allegations of manipulating crime data, saying the investigation did not play a factor into her decision to step down at the end of the year.
My decision was not factored into anything with respect to, other than the fact that it’s time. I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement. I’ve had some time to think with my family,” Smith said earlier this month.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also released a statement Monday, writing in part that “the interim report betrays its bias from the outset, admitting that it was rushed to release.”
According to crime stats from the Metropolitan Police Department, since the federal law enforcement surge started in August, total violent crime is down 26%. Homicides are down 12% and carjackings 37%.
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