Oversight Project Secures Victory in Decision Dismissing Lame Duck Biden Era Attempts to Impose a Woke and Soft on Crime Consent Decree on the City of Louisville
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 31, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The lame-duck Biden Administration attempted to force an onerous consent decree on the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department in December 2024 after voters rejected the soft on crime policies of the left. This move was designed to irreversibly lock in woke policing and tie the hands of the incoming Trump Administration. This move is straight out of the deep state playbook and was successfully employed in the last days of the Obama Administration to lock in soft on crime policing in Baltimore which predictably led to high crime and deterioration of a once great City.
The Oversight Project jumped into the void and filed an amicus brief with the Court outlining the constitutional issues with consent decrees generally, and the problems with Louisville’s proposed consent decree specifically. The Oversight Project was not going to allow the 2016 Deep State transition subversion to succeed this time around. We aggressively litigated to stop the deep state power grab and give the incoming Trump Administration time to implement common sense policies designed to keep Americans safe. During the hearing on the consent decree, District Judge Benjamin Beaton raised many of the issues identified by the Oversight Project’s brief in oral argument and, consistent with the Oversight Project’s position, issued an order demanding more information from the Department of Justice and the City of Louisville to justify entry of the consent decree. The Oversight Project traveled to Louisville for the hearing, presenting oral argument. President Mike Howell spoke extensively to the press in favor of common sense policing.
On May 9, 2025, the Oversight Project transmitted a letter to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon urging her to rip up the proposed consent decree. The Justice Department later agreed with the Oversight Project and moved to dismiss the case.
Today, Judge Beaton finally ended this deep state attempt to subvert the will of the voters and dismissed the case. Again, Judge Beaton agreed with many of the legal arguments the Oversight Project advanced against the consent decree.
The Oversight Project commends Assistant Attorney General Dhillon and Judge Beaton for doing the right thing for the citizens of Louisville who can now implement common sense reforms and focus on preventing crime sensibly and responsibly.
Oversight Project President Mike Howell stated:
“Corrupt Democrats wanted to shut down the police and impose Black Live Matters policies in crime-ridden Louisville. These policies were so absurd they included a provision to basically legalize homeless people sleeping on your porch. I don’t want people sleeping on my porch and I don’t want it for the people of Louisville either. We stepped in and got this thing tossed. It’s a great victory.”