Comer cancels Bowser hearing due to pro-Palestinian camp clearance at GW

The House Oversight Committee canceled a hearing examining the District of Columbia’s response to pro-Palestinian protests at George Washington University after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced police had cleared out an encampment and made arrests.

Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith were set to testify on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as part of House Republicans’ “crackdown” on rising antisemitism on college campuses, but after news broke that the encampment had been cleared, Chairman James Comer (R-KY) reversed course.

Comer said he had a “good conversation” with the mayor and thanked her for “finally clearing the trespassers off the GW Campus.”

“It was unfortunate the situation at GW forced the Oversight Committee to act; however it was apparent that the DC police force was not going to do their job,” Comer said in a statement. “Therefore, after meeting with GW leadership and touring the encampment, we decided to hold a public hearing to get answers as to why the Mayor would not uphold the law.”

“I am pleased that the potential Oversight hearing led to swift action by Mayor Bowser and MPD Chief Smith,” the chairman continued. “We will continue to hold D.C. officials accountable to ensure our nation’s capital is safe for all.”

Bowser announced on Wednesday morning that 33 people had been arrested. Twenty-nine were charged with unlawful trespassing, while four people, one inside the encampment, were charged with assaulting a police officer.

“MPD is the best in the business at keeping people safe,” Bowser said.

There were no serious injuries to officers, who deployed pepper spray on some protesters, Smith said.

“All of the decisions I have made are based on public safety,” the police chief said.

MPD confirmed that some people who were involved with the encampment at Columbia University in New York also traveled to the district to involve themselves with the GWU encampment, which has centered on Israel’s war in Gaza.

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The district’s response to the GWU protests came after Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) began circulating a letter to members that told Bowser it was “well past time” to intervene at the encampment. It is unclear if the letter was ever sent to the mayor and how many members joined.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Gottheimer for comment.