Judicial Watch sues Washington D.C. for records on BLM street mural

The Judicial Watch organization has filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia for not providing records on the Black Lives Matter motto that was painted on the street near the White House. 

Political messages do not belong on public streets unless everyone is allowed to paint their own messages, Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said in an interview with WJLA news on Wednesday. 

"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.

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

According to the lawsuit, "viewpoint discrimination violates the First Amendment no matter what type of forum is at issue."

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

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

Neither Judicial Watch nor the mayor's office immediately responded to Just the News for comment.