Norton Issues Second Demand for Answers from Secret Service About the Treatment of Two Women and Their Children on National Mall
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a second letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray demanding answers regarding the detention of two African American mothers on the National Mall. Norton previously wrote to both officials demanding answers about the detention of these D.C. residents, but has not received a response to her questions.
"Members of Congress are entitled to timely responses to their inquiries," Norton said. "If, as DHS' statement indicates, the public reporting is wrong, a response to my inquiry will indicate how."
The women were parked and taking their infants out for an afternoon near the World War II Memorial when their car was hit by a Secret Service vehicle. After the crash, an officer pointed a rifle at one of the women and the women were handcuffed and separated from their young children.
Today's letter asks for a written response by Monday and is below. The original letter follows today's letter.
August 12, 2020
The Honorable Chad Wolf The Honorable James M. Murray
Acting Secretary Director
Department of Homeland Security United States Secret Service
301 7th Street SW 245 Murray Drive SW
Mail Stop 0150 Building T5
Washington, DC 20528 Washington, DC 20223
Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray:
I write to follow up on the letter I sent to you on August 4, 2020, in which I raised serious concerns, including possible constitutional violations, regarding the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division's arrest of two women, India Johnson and Yasmeen Winston, on the National Mall while they were with their young children. I asked for your response to six questions by August 11, 2020. I have not yet received a response to the questions.
Your staff sent your press release on the arrests to my staff, but this does not come close to responding to questions asked by a Member of Congress. Merely stating in a press release that the claims that have been "portrayed in the media and by others are misleading, and in some instances, false," does not clarify what actually happened and is not an adequate response to an inquiry from a Member of Congress.
Given the importance of this issue, I ask that you provide a written response to the six questions I asked in my August 4, 2020, letter by August 17, 2020.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Norton's original letter to DHS and USSS follows:
August 4, 2020
The Honorable Chad Wolf The Honorable James M. Murray
Acting Secretary Director
Department of Homeland Security United States Secret Service
301 7th Street SW 245 Murray Drive SW
Mail Stop 0150 Building T5
Washington, DC 20528 Washington, DC 20223
Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray:
I write with strong concern regarding the arrests of two District of Columbia residents by officers with the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division on the National Mall. I understand from public reporting that the parked car India Johnson and Yasmeen Winston were sitting in was crashed into by a Uniformed Division cruiser when they were misidentified. Apparently, a car loosely matching the one they were driving, but with different tags, had been stolen by two men. Ms. Johnson and Ms. Winston were stopped even though they and their young children were the only occupants of the vehicle. I understand that after the crash, the officers got out of their car and one pointed a rifle at the women, yelling at them to put their hands in the air. Even with their young children present, the officer pointed the rifle at the head of at least one of the women. Both women were then handcuffed and separated from their babies, neither were read their Miranda rights, and the officers refused to let one of them breastfeed her son, even though the baby continued to cry out. While the women were handcuffed, the officers also conducted a search of the car despite a lack of an imminent threat, a warrant, permission, or, apparently, probable cause, since at that point it was obvious the car was not the stolen one. Additionally, the officers were not wearing masks even in the middle of a global pandemic.
Please provide a written response to the following within five business days:
- Why did your officers think it appropriate to crash their cruiser into the car, even if they suspected it was stolen, when it appears that the women were not making any attempt to avoid a stop? Did they have their lights and sirens on or anything else to warn the occupants prior to the crash?
- Do your officers normally stop a car that your officers claimed matched a stolen car when the licenses do not match and the occupants of the vehicle do not match the description, or gender, of the suspects? How is probable cause or even reasonable suspicion alleged to have been met in that situation?
- Why did your officers not read the women their Miranda rights when it was obvious that they met the legal standard to be considered under arrest?
- Why were your officers not wearing masks in light of the global coronavirus pandemic?
- Why did your officers point their rifle at the head of one of the women, in front of children, when she had apparently made no effort to avoid arrest or in any other way posed a danger? Is it typical for your officers to draw a weapon on an individual who was pulled over just for having a car that might look similar to one that was stolen?
- Is there dashboard and body camera footage of the event, and if so, will you immediately release it to the public?
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton