Why a Utah Congressman is Trying to Micromanage DC

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) was first elected to represent Utah's 3rd congressional district back in 2008, and since then has been charged with legislating on behalf of residents in the southern end of Salt Lake City and the southeastern portion of the state. But lately, he's taken up interest in the affairs of the District of Columbia's local government, and locals aren't happy. But why?

Chaffetz recently moved to invalidate the District's "Death with Dignity" law, and has proposed changes to other D.C. laws as well. His actions have earned furious protests from D.C. residents who argue he is overstepping his bounds by focusing more on D.C. residents than the citizens he actually represents 2,000 miles away. And an angry crowd of Utah residents let him have it at a recent town hall meeting.

Chaffetz shrugged his shoulders at the protests, pointedly remarking on multiple occasions that the people who protested at his town hall meeting were paid off by somebody and that he fully intends to continue involving himself in local D.C. affairs. And it's not just the "Death with Dignity" act; he plans to block D.C.'s plans to act as a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants.

Chaffetz, who is Mormon, said he believed it to be his job to police the District if they are unwilling to act on assisted suicide and protecting undocumented immigrants, which he views as morally wrong.

"Our country should never facilitate, encourage or tacitly accept measures that prematurely end the lives of its people," Chaffetz said according to a Salt Lake Tribune report.

Congress technically has oversight over the District, as is laid out in the Constitution. But it's been decades since Congress -- which has allowed D.C. to run itself -- overruled a District law.

It's certainly an action that angers D.C. residents, already sore about the fact that they have no representation in Congress unlike every other citizen of the United States. It's extra salt in the wound for D.C. leadership to have a congressman representing a district on the other side of the country telling them how to run the city, and they are doing whatever it takes to make Chaffetz aware of their feelings on the matter.

"Go back to Utah, congressman," roared District of Columbia Councilmember (Ward 5) Kenyan McDuffie while standing on a D.C. street on Monday. "Go back to the state where they elected you to office. We did not elect you here in D.C."

Nevertheless, Chaffetz pledged to continue to wage his battle to put D.C. laws more in line with Utah values, and on Monday he made good his threats: the House Oversight Committee, which he heads, voted 22 to 14 to block the law.

Image via U.S. Congress