Washington, D.C. sued for more info on BLM mural

WASHINGTON (SBG) — The District of Columbia is facing a lawsuit from the conservative legal group, Judicial Watch, for not providing records about the now-famous Black Lives Matter mural painted on the street outside of the White House.

In an interview Wednesday, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said political messages do not belong on public streets unless everyone is allowed to paint their own messages.

"What we’re asking for are records about the cost about taxpayers painting the messages and communications about how all that took place and certainly the aftermath," Fitton said.

Judicial Watch has asked for permission to paint his company’s motto outside its office building but has not been granted that permission. He said Freedom of Information Requests have yielded just one out of more than 600 pages of records on the matter.

"It’s really outrageous in our nation’s capital do you have a D.C. mayor intervening to push political messages while suppressing others," he said.

The mural was accompanied by the renaming of the street, to "Black Lives Matter Plaza," and can even be seen from space. It was painted on 16th street NW, just footsteps from the White House, after peaceful protesters were tear-gassed and forcefully removed so President Donald Trump could pose for a photo with a bible outside of a nearby church.

The mural was reportedly paid for with money from Washington's mural fund. On June 5, Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “We want to call attention today to make our nation more fair and more just and that black lives and black humanity matter.”

The mayor’s office did not return a request for a response.

Bowser also said in June the mural is now part of the fabric of Washington D.C.

"We think it’s going to have a central place not in just dc history but in American history and we should be proud of it," she said.