Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop has introduced a bill that would pull federal funding from any city or state that allowed the existence of an “autonomous zone.”
“I introduced a bill to stop your tax $$ from funding cities/states that cede ground to mobs & promote anarchy,” Bishop said Tuesday. Three other Republicans — Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, North Carolina Rep. Ted Budd and Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs — joined with Bishop. (RELATED: ‘These Were Peaceful Shootings’: Jesse Watters Mocks Seattle Mayor For Underplaying Danger Of CHAZ)
I introduced a bill to stop your tax $$ from funding cities/states that cede ground to mobs & promote anarchy (#CHAZ). Thx to @RepMattGaetz, @RepTedBudd & @RepAndyBiggsAZ for their support. See more https://t.co/JUmKISjfCn
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) June 23, 2020
Bishop explained the bill — titled “CHOPing Cash for CHAZ” — to the Daily Caller. “It’s pretty straightforward,” he said, adding, “Any city or state or municipality that permits an ‘autonomous zone’ to exist for longer than seven days will lose access to federal funds.”
Any city that doesn’t support #LawAndOrder should NOT receive federal money funded by your tax dollars. pic.twitter.com/i7xaDNQhPh
— Ted Budd (@RepTedBudd) June 25, 2020
Bishop said that Seattle’s failure to handle the development of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) had been the inspiration for the bill, noting that protesters in other cities had seen how easy it was to force out law enforcement and bend the local government to their whims.
“It’s a stark comparison, I know, but it’s like how local governments in the south allowed the KKK to flourish and terrorize people,” Bishop said, adding, “At a minimum they’re acquiescing to the protesters and allowing this to happen and at worst they appear to be encouraging it. Just like the arson and the rioting and the looting we saw recently.”
The loss of funding wouldn’t necessarily be permanent. Bishop’s bill would allow for the reinstatement of federal funding after the city or state disbanded the autonomous zone and presented a report to the Justice Department demonstrating how the creation of such zones would be prevented in the future.