DC police help DOGE force its way into office of Institute of Peace

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WHY are the dc police doing this???
They may think they will get that 1 B back but it ain’t happening.
They will soon be out of jobs too.
I won’t forget this betrayal.

Because Bowser and her puppet Pamela A. Smith told them to do it. The traitor is Bowser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m fine with this.

That’s because you support authoritarianism and giving Trump unchecked power. Don’t call yourself a real American; what you are is a traitor to our country and our Constitution and are worthy of our deepest contempt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you seen that building? Wow its such as waste of tax payer money, no one knows what they do but it sounds like another rogue USAID operation that does whatever it wants funding anything they feel that can be in direct violation of the sitting president or congress's direction.

Elon posts all the time about his beliefs about non-profits that are funded by the government (as the Institute for Peace is) -- that they are de facto governmental institutions.

Why should we give a flying fig about Elon’s views on anything? As far as I can tell he’s a nepo baby who doesn’t actually know much about how anything works, and no one has elected him to do anything and is just some sort of rogue operative bossing around some know-nothing teenagers at the behest of a lawless President who thinks he has absolute power.

[Anonymous]

I hate Trump but I think they’re right on this one. Statute says the president can remove board members. Then the remaining board members can appoint new leadership. I’m sure there will be lawsuits and whatever but unless a judge ordered them to stop, I don’t see how anyone could deny the new people entry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m fine with this.

That’s because you support authoritarianism and giving Trump unchecked power. Don’t call yourself a real American; what you are is a traitor to our country and our Constitution and are worthy of our deepest contempt.

Are you okay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much cash were the cops paid? And why?

Not how it works. Bribery is thankfully rare.

My guess is the police just screwed up, possibly seeing "official" documents and not understanding the situation. Police leadership should be briefing police at roll call every day to call management for further clarification. And police should have their attorneys up to speed on everything that's going on.

Knowing MPD, they probably have not thought this through

As a former OAG attorney, yes, this. I wonder what MPD's general counsel has to say about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much cash were the cops paid? And why?

Not how it works. Bribery is thankfully rare.

My guess is the police just screwed up, possibly seeing "official" documents and not understanding the situation. Police leadership should be briefing police at roll call every day to call management for further clarification. And police should have their attorneys up to speed on everything that's going on.

Knowing MPD, they probably have not thought this through

As a former OAG attorney, yes, this. I wonder what MPD's general counsel has to say about this.

Also, how did the MOLC let this happen? Dropping the ball once again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you seen that building? Wow its such as waste of tax payer money, no one knows what they do but it sounds like another rogue USAID operation that does whatever it wants funding anything they feel that can be in direct violation of the sitting president or congress's direction.

I didn’t know Trump was on DCUM. Of course, this a bit too articulate for him, plus no all caps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you seen that building? Wow its such as waste of tax payer money, no one knows what they do but it sounds like another rogue USAID operation that does whatever it wants funding anything they feel that can be in direct violation of the sitting president or congress's direction.

Elon posts all the time about his beliefs about non-profits that are funded by the government (as the Institute for Peace is) -- that they are de facto governmental institutions.

Why should we give a flying fig about Elon’s views on anything? As far as I can tell he’s a nepo baby who doesn’t actually know much about how anything works, and no one has elected him to do anything and is just some sort of rogue operative bossing around some know-nothing teenagers at the behest of a lawless President who thinks he has absolute power.

Ummm, it's relevant because the administration sees non-profits that survive based on federal funding as under their jurisdiction? I'm not saying I agree or don't agree with it. But that's the argument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wtf MPD

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5331354/doge-staff-enter-the-u-s-institute-of-peace-d-c-police-help

The US Institute of Peace, was the scene of a dramatic standoff between a Department of Government Efficiency team and Institute members on Monday. DC police attended the scene after being contacted both by USIP staff and the DOGE team on site.

Former diplomat and President and CEO OF USIP George Moose told NPR "DC police showed up at my office and said it is time for you to go." USIP is a think tank funded by Congress.

NPR spoke to him on the steps of the Institute just across from the State Department during the day long standoff on Monday.

Some members of DOGE, as the Elon Musk efficiency team is known, tried several times to get inside to install a new president.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, posted on X Monday evening, along with a screenshot of a resolution from USIP's three remaining board members appointing Kenneth Jackson USIP's acting president on March 14.

Moose was fired last week along with most of the board members. According to USIP's website, the bipartisan board of directors is composed of 12 members plus four "ex-officio" members including the US Secretaries of State and Defense.

But Moose and the USIP is challenging the administration in court. He was held up in his office for some time on Monday before being escorted out by police. Moose called it a sad day.

(f) Removal from office

A member of the Board appointed under subsection (b)(4) may be removed by the President—

(1) in consultation with the Board, for conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office, persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties;

Seems legit.

https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/guidance/consultation-requirement-process

Oh? Do tell us what conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office, persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties was evidenced by USIP management.

Failed to follow an executive order: persistent neglect of duties. They explicitly thumbed their nose. FAFO.

https://www.usip.org/press/2025/02/operating-status-united-states-institute-peace

This from an administration that ignores court orders. Can't get any more lawless than that.

Are you suggesting that the executive branch is separate from the executive branch?

The Institute of Peace, like the rest of the executive branch, is funded by Congress, and presidents do not have the legal authority to refuse to spend money on programs ordered up by Congress. Do you think that if AOC was elected president, she would have the power to unilaterally close the Pentagon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wtf MPD

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5331354/doge-staff-enter-the-u-s-institute-of-peace-d-c-police-help

The US Institute of Peace, was the scene of a dramatic standoff between a Department of Government Efficiency team and Institute members on Monday. DC police attended the scene after being contacted both by USIP staff and the DOGE team on site.

Former diplomat and President and CEO OF USIP George Moose told NPR "DC police showed up at my office and said it is time for you to go." USIP is a think tank funded by Congress.

NPR spoke to him on the steps of the Institute just across from the State Department during the day long standoff on Monday.

Some members of DOGE, as the Elon Musk efficiency team is known, tried several times to get inside to install a new president.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, posted on X Monday evening, along with a screenshot of a resolution from USIP's three remaining board members appointing Kenneth Jackson USIP's acting president on March 14.

Moose was fired last week along with most of the board members. According to USIP's website, the bipartisan board of directors is composed of 12 members plus four "ex-officio" members including the US Secretaries of State and Defense.

But Moose and the USIP is challenging the administration in court. He was held up in his office for some time on Monday before being escorted out by police. Moose called it a sad day.

(f) Removal from office

A member of the Board appointed under subsection (b)(4) may be removed by the President—

(1) in consultation with the Board, for conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office, persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties;

Seems legit.

https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/guidance/consultation-requirement-process

Oh? Do tell us what conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office, persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties was evidenced by USIP management.

Failed to follow an executive order: persistent neglect of duties. They explicitly thumbed their nose. FAFO.

https://www.usip.org/press/2025/02/operating-status-united-states-institute-peace

This from an administration that ignores court orders. Can't get any more lawless than that.

Are you suggesting that the executive branch is separate from the executive branch?

The Institute of Peace, like the rest of the executive branch, is funded by Congress, and presidents do not have the legal authority to refuse to spend money on programs ordered up by Congress. Do you think that if AOC was elected president, she would have the power to unilaterally close the Pentagon?

Yes, but the statute says the President has the authority to remove board members. So if he did, I don’t understand how the building could bar entry to executives duly installed by the remaining board members. I guess if they refuse to spend the money then it’s another legal battle but I honestly don’t see how it could be possible to bar those new executives from the building any more than you could deny entry to the secretaries of state and defense who are on the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wtf MPD

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5331354/doge-staff-enter-the-u-s-institute-of-peace-d-c-police-help

The US Institute of Peace, was the scene of a dramatic standoff between a Department of Government Efficiency team and Institute members on Monday. DC police attended the scene after being contacted both by USIP staff and the DOGE team on site.

Former diplomat and President and CEO OF USIP George Moose told NPR "DC police showed up at my office and said it is time for you to go." USIP is a think tank funded by Congress.

NPR spoke to him on the steps of the Institute just across from the State Department during the day long standoff on Monday.

Some members of DOGE, as the Elon Musk efficiency team is known, tried several times to get inside to install a new president.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, posted on X Monday evening, along with a screenshot of a resolution from USIP's three remaining board members appointing Kenneth Jackson USIP's acting president on March 14.

Moose was fired last week along with most of the board members. According to USIP's website, the bipartisan board of directors is composed of 12 members plus four "ex-officio" members including the US Secretaries of State and Defense.

But Moose and the USIP is challenging the administration in court. He was held up in his office for some time on Monday before being escorted out by police. Moose called it a sad day.

(f) Removal from office

A member of the Board appointed under subsection (b)(4) may be removed by the President—

(1) in consultation with the Board, for conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office, persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties;

Seems legit.

https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/guidance/consultation-requirement-process

Oh? Do tell us what conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office, persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties was evidenced by USIP management.

Failed to follow an executive order: persistent neglect of duties. They explicitly thumbed their nose. FAFO.

https://www.usip.org/press/2025/02/operating-status-united-states-institute-peace

This from an administration that ignores court orders. Can't get any more lawless than that.

Are you suggesting that the executive branch is separate from the executive branch?

The Institute of Peace, like the rest of the executive branch, is funded by Congress, and presidents do not have the legal authority to refuse to spend money on programs ordered up by Congress. Do you think that if AOC was elected president, she would have the power to unilaterally close the Pentagon?

Yes, but the statute says the President has the authority to remove board members. So if he did, I don’t understand how the building could bar entry to executives duly installed by the remaining board members. I guess if they refuse to spend the money then it’s another legal battle but I honestly don’t see how it could be possible to bar those new executives from the building any more than you could deny entry to the secretaries of state and defense who are on the board.

The statute gives very specific and limited authority. That procedure was not met. MPD should not have gotten involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate Trump but I think they’re right on this one. Statute says the president can remove board members. Then the remaining board members can appoint new leadership. I’m sure there will be lawsuits and whatever but unless a judge ordered them to stop, I don’t see how anyone could deny the new people entry.

You need to read more than five words of the statute.

[Anonymous]

Following the agency's "noncompliance" with the executive order, the Trump administration fired 11 members of USIP's board on Friday, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Axios Monday.

However, the authorizing statute (https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/2017-03/usip_act.pdf) says:
A member of the Board may be removed by the
President—
(1) in consultation with the Board, for conviction of a felony, malfeasance in office,
persistent neglect of duties, or inability to discharge duties;
(2) upon the recommendation of eight voting members of the Board; or
(3) upon the recommendation of a majority of the members of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and a
majority of the members of the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate.

These conditions were clearly not met so the firing of the Board members was illegal.

[Anonymous]

It seems to me like there’s a ton of room in (1). But even if he violated it, they would have to sue him, right? Does the board have to pause its functions while that plays out? Wouldn’t they need an injunction or something to stop the board from appointing new executives?