While New Hampshire rejected the notion of D.C. statehood, despite the personal pleas of council members and the mayor, a jurisdiction closer to home is supporting the District’s statehood bid.
The Prince George's County Council adopted a resolution Tuesday that declares support for admitting the District as the country’s 51st state.
“It’s the right thing to do,” County Council Vice Chairman Eric Olson said. “We want to be supportive of our neighbors and colleagues and try to help their efforts.”
Mayor Vincent C. Gray and five D.C. Council members testified before the New Hampshire politicians in January as part of a state-by-state effort to put pressure on Congress to recognize full voting rights and budget autonomy for the District. The measure was sorely defeated.
No formal statehood lobbying effort was conducted in Prince George’s County, which shares a border with the District. Rather, Mr. Olson said the District’s plight was mentioned several times to him and other County Council members by D.C. politicians as they met at events around the area.
“We were aware of their efforts to go out to states and get support. That was certainly a big part of the impetus for this,” Mr. Olson said.
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Andrea Noble is a crime and public safety reporter for The Washington Times. She can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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