DC forced to use Homeland Security funds for Bush Inaugural (with poll)

Wow. An unprecedented requirement for District of Columbia to foot the bill for security during Bush's inauguration. This is an egregious misuse of Homeland Security funding that was earmarked for other uses.

From tomorrow's Washington Post:
U.S. tells D.C. to pay inaugural expenses

D.C. officials said yesterday that the Bush administration is refusing to reimburse the District for most of the costs associated with next week's inauguration, breaking with precedent and forcing the city to divert $11.9 million from homeland security projects.

more below the fold...

The D.C. mayor is mighty ticked off because usually inaugural security expenses are covered by direct appropriation.

A spokesman for Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, which oversees the District, agreed with the mayor's stance. He called the Bush administration's position "simply not acceptable."...
"It's an unfunded mandate of the most odious kind. How can the District be asked to take funds from important homeland security projects to pay for this instead?" said Davis spokesman David Marin.

Please tell me how much more crap Americans will take from this Administration...