Trent Franks, the Arizona Republican who proposed a 20-week abortion ban in Washington, DC and then barred DC's pro-choice female delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton from speaking out against the measure has a new problem on his hands: a flood of DC residents who are bringing their municipal complaints directly to the Congressman, who they're calling "Mayor." From potholes to rodent problems to public transportation complaints, DC residents have followed Franks' lead and begun funneling their problems to him rather than the city's own government. Well played, smartasses. Well fucking played.
The protest was a cooperative effort between Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington DC and a group called DC Vote, which aims to secure representation for DC in Congress. Today, about 50 DC residents eagerly waited outside of Rep. Franks' door, ready to let "Mayor Franks" know how he could make his newly claimed city better. According to the Huffington Post's Laura Bassett, some carried plastic rats, some toted pictures of the potholes they wanted Mayor Franks to fill, and some brought disputed parking tickets.
But not everyone got the chance for face time with Mayor Franks, the Arizonan who just sorta declared himself King of DC's D&C's. One put out resident explained his complaint,
My issue today is metro — full funding for metro. As a constituent here, I use metro all the time, my children use it, and it's really disgraceful the condition they've allowed metro to get to. I have to say I'm very disappointed today. I really wanted to meet my representative, Mr. Franks. He's supposed to be representing us and I did take some time to come in here today, so I hope he takes these concerns into account.
When confronted on the absurdity of a man from Arizona trying to legislate the rights of women in DC, Franks explained that it wasn't about Arizona, or DC, or women. It's about "the pain of the fetus."
The fetuses of Washington had nothing to add, but rumor has it they suspect that their mailman hasn't been showing up every day, and they'd like Franks to do something about that.
[HuffPo]