City officials outline agenda in push for budget autonomy

“They’re managing deficits when they should be managing budgets,” said Mr. Morgan, who lost a council bid last year to Jim Graham, Ward 1 Democrat. “When you look [at the council] there are no fiscal conservatives. There is no balance.”

Robert Brannum, president of the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations and arrestee No. 24 on Monday night, told The Washington Times there is a “coordinated strategy involving more community leaders and citizens to stand up for D.C.”

“The people have to decide they have enough of Congress interfering in local District affairs. D.C. Democrats need to let the [Democratic National Committee] and congressional Democrats know they are not only in the crosshairs of the Republican Party but also at a crossroads of political integrity,” he said.

Laura Meyers, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood in the Washington area, said supporters will be looking forward to the 2012 elections and targeting candidates who want to defund her organization.

D.C. Council member Mary M. Cheh, Ward 3 Democrat, said her inbox was flooded with emails from people who want to - and were told at the podium that they could - send money to Planned Parenthood.

She then declared, “Let us all be arrested.”

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