Norton blasts lawmakers trying to regulate D.C. traffic cameras

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) on Wednesday slammed retiring lawmakers from Texas and Michigan for introducing legislation to ban the District of Columbia from using traffic cameras.

Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas), who lost the GOP Senate primary this year and will not be returning to the House in 2015, introduced a bill, H.R. 5755, last week to withhold federal highway funds from local governments using automated traffic enforcement systems and specifically outlaw D.C. traffic cameras.

{mosads}Meanwhile, Rep. Kerry Bentivolio (R-Mich.), who lost his primary this year, is the measure’s only co-sponsor.

Norton accused Stockman and Bentivolio of meddling in D.C. affairs and ignoring the needs of their own districts.

“These two members, on their way out of Congress, have turned their focus away from their own constituents,” Norton said in a statement. “So, free from accountability to their own residents, they are making a last ditch attempt to secure a legacy on the backs of District of Columbia residents.”

Norton further argued that the two lawmakers trying to write local D.C. laws ran contrary to Republican ideals of limiting the federal government’s role in public affairs.

“These two members, who profess to support federalism and local control of local affairs, have left their principles behind,” Norton said. “Whatever one’s views on the merits of traffic cameras, D.C.’s use of them is a quintessential local matter for the local elected government to decide, and not for the big foot of the federal government.”