(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is taking a wait-and-see approach before commenting on the effectiveness of the federal takeover of the Washington, D.C. police force. The District of Columbia filed suit today against the Trump administration over the action. Congress would have to authorize the takeover if it lasts beyond 30 days, although the president says he could bypass that by declaring a national emergency. Grassley was asked if he’d support the move.

“The answer is yes — if — in these 30 days I see what he is accomplishing is bringing peace to the city,” Grassley says, “because it would be kind of stupid if the president’s actions are protecting people in Washington, D.C. and then after 30 days, go right back to the danger that it is to the people through the criminal element.”

Grassley says there is another factor that may sway how he’d vote, if the issue goes before federal lawmakers. “And that is what changes the mayor of Washington D.C., the city council, and the police department are doing to change things so they have it under control,” Grassley says. “That’s what we really want to happen. We want the city of Washington, D.C., through the city government, to have a safe living environment.”

Grassley says some type of action was needed to bring a halt to the murders, carjackings and other violent crimes in the nation’s capital. “The crime rate is much higher than it was ten years ago,” Grassley says, “There’s been a little bit of reduction in the last couple of years, but still very, very high and people’s lives in danger.”

There’s no constitutional question, he says, that if Congress chose to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973, the federal government could run Washington, though Grassley was quick to add, “We don’t desire to do that.”