Zach Israel
@zachisrael.bsky.social
300 followers 180 following 540 posts
Former ANC 4D commissioner | Advocacy professional | Nats fan | Dad to Elliot & Milo | Opinions are my own https://x.com/zachbisrael
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zachisrael.bsky.social
Thrilled to see the "Porchfest Permitting Amendment Act of 2025" (B26-424) introduced yesterday by @janeese4dc.bsky.social! @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social please schedule a T&E Committee hearing on this bill in the near future so we can get it passed and enacted ahead of the 2026 Petworth Porchfest!
Reposted by Zach Israel
zachisrael.bsky.social
Ah just $85,000 in public funds a week before she publicly announced her Delegate run! A total coincidence!

It would be interesting to know who she targeted these mailers to outside of Ward 2, among the 97,750 recipients…
Reposted by Zach Israel
maustermuhle.bsky.social
So almost the entire D.C. Council is now meeting being closed doors to negotiate how to proceed on the expanded youth curfew emergency bill. It seems pretty clear they are negotiating legislation behind closed doors, in violation of the spirit of the city’s Open Meetings Act.
Reposted by Zach Israel
maustermuhle.bsky.social
All of this, of course, is around what's a pretty big change to TOPA, and one that wasn't fully debated at all before it was dropped into the RENTAL Act at the last minute. So lawmakers are proposing more last-minute fixes to a last-minute problem of their own creation.
zachisrael.bsky.social
In the two instances in which Jack Evans ran for office Districtwide, he received a total of 10% of the vote (8,621 votes) in the September 15, 1998 Democratic mayoral primary election and 5% of the vote (4,877 votes) in the April 1, 2014 Democratic mayoral primary election:
Reposted by Zach Israel
alexdodds.bsky.social
well this is how I found out JACK EVANS is thinking about running for Council Chair 🫠 #SackJack #SackJack2
Reposted by Zach Israel
alexkoma.bsky.social
Probably no coincidence that Janeese Lewis George chose this morning to forcefully endorse Robert White for the delegate seat.

Also notable that Pinto is listing an endorsement from former Ward 3 CM Mary Cheh on her website. This race is gonna be spicy…
zachisrael.bsky.social
Friendly reminder that DC Democratic voters will be able to rank *up to 5 candidates* running in the June 16, 2026 Democratic primary for Delegate to the House, per the enacted & funded “Ranked Choice Voting and Open the Primary Elections to Independent Voters Act of 2024” (I-83)
zachisrael.bsky.social
Looks like the National Gallery of Art is closed beginning Sunday, October 5 (until whenever the government shutdown ends)…
Reposted by Zach Israel
bradheath.bsky.social
NEW: Reuters took a closer look at violent crime in D.C. after President Trump began a show of force here. Despite the big investment of federal resources, it's really hard at this point to see any dramatic changes.

www.reuters.com/world/us/did...
zachisrael.bsky.social
There would then be a special At-Large CM election in May/June 2027 - the incumbent At-Large CM would likely run in this election, giving that individual an advantage. Anita Bonds and R. White first got onto the Council via the DCDSC vote, in Dec. 2012 & Sept. 2016, respectively.
zachisrael.bsky.social
If R. White wins the June 16 Dem primary for Delegate, followed by a win in the Nov. 3, 2026 general, he’d need to resign from the DC Council by Jan. 3, 2027, triggering the process whereby the several dozen members of the @dcdemocrats.bsky.social get to vote for an interim At-Large CM…
maustermuhle.bsky.social
Anyhow, next year’s elections in D.C. will be like no others in recent memory. Possibly multiple councilmembers running for delegate, possible open council seats based on the outcome of the delegate race, a mayoral race that could either be wide open or just a formality, RCV…
Reposted by Zach Israel
tuckerjones.bsky.social
Mayor Bowser and President Trump agree: when a legislature says "You must spend this money in this way," the executive can simply disregard the legislature.

DC under Bowser-Trump rule does not want our children to learn.
zachisrael.bsky.social
Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker of the House by a vote of 216-210 exactly two years ago, through a motion to vacate filed by then-Rep. Matt Gaetz. 4 of the 8 yes votes from the GOP are still in the House: Andy Biggs, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, and Nancy Mace:
Reposted by Zach Israel
davidjbier.bsky.social
Holy hell. DHS just openly stated that its agents use “reasonable suspicion” to make ARRESTS. This is blatantly unconstitutional. The Supreme Court is clear that you need probable cause to arrest someone, as opposed to stop them to ask them a question or two. This is huge b/c…
zachisrael.bsky.social
Ward-level councilmembers should not be allowed to spend public money on newsletters outside their jurisdiction for clearly political purposes.
Reposted by Zach Israel
cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social
During a time when our norms and rights are under attack, it's up to local governments to reinforce the rights of our people and fight back with every tool we have.
 
Read my full op-ed with @cd13.lacity.gov @andrefor40th.bsky.social @localprogress.bsky.social: ⬇️

www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
zachisrael.bsky.social
I’ve heard of Ward 5 residents also receiving this mailer yesterday as well…
Reposted by Zach Israel
maustermuhle.bsky.social
NEWS: A proposed ballot initiative seeks to ban the sale of foie gras in D.C. It would also prohibit anyone from force-feeding a bird in the city (which is done to create foie gras), or to bring or import it into the city. Violations would range between $1,000-5,000 per offense.
zachisrael.bsky.social
DMPED (and thus, the Bowser Administration) comes out against the bottle bill:
zachisrael.bsky.social
The “RFK Campus Redevelopment Act of 2025” (B26-288) was transmitted to Mayor Bowser on Sept. 29. She now has until Oct. 14 to sign the bill, return it unsigned, or veto it. If she signs it, it’d then need to get through the 30-day congressional review period before becoming law.