Law & Order in the District

It's a busy day on the law and order front. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty is announcing plans this morning to reintroduce his crime bill from last fall, and the public oversight hearing over subpoena powers for law enforcement officials is scheduled for noon today in room 412 at the John A. Wilson Building.

You may remember that in November the mayor issued an executive order granting subpoena power to MPD Chief Cathy L. Lanier, a move that drew fire from residents and the D.C. Council. The council rejected the idea outright in a vote early in January.

On Jan. 16, when the city was bracing for the largest presidential inauguration ever, the mayor rescinded that order and granted the power to Attorney General Peter J. Nickles. The dust is far from settled, and today promises to be an interesting one.

Both Nickles and Lanier are on the witness list for the hearing, which is being conducted by the Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary, chaired, of course, by Democrat At-Large Councimember Phil Mendelson.