House Republicans Call Victims Of Violent Crime As Witnesses To Highlight Washington DC's 'Soft On Crime' Stance

As part of a continued effort to spotlight the rampant violence in Washington D.C., House Republicans brought victims of violent crimes to testify in a Judiciary Committee hearing.

As per a report from The Hill, this move is the latest attempt by GOP members of the subcommittee on crime and the federal government to showcase the inadequacies of D.C.'s public safety measures and hold the city’s Democratic leadership accountable for the escalating assaults.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), argued that a lenient approach by prosecutors and police defunding are contributing to the rise in crime.

“When you disparage the good men and women who put on the uniform, risk their life every day in our streets you also get a shortage of police officers and more crime,” Jordan stated.

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The committee heard testimonies from three individuals who had experienced violent attacks in D.C. The accounts included a local pub owner assaulted by a DoorDash worker, a robbery victim, and a firefighter assaulted while actively helping someone.

Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) used D.C.’s high murder rate to underline his point and engaged in a discussion with Greg Pemberton, Chairman of the D.C. Police Union, about strategies to increase law enforcement recruitment.

Pemberton argued for changes to the D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act passed in December 2020, which he sees as hindering police department staffing.

Democratic subcommittee members displayed differing views on the hearing’s significance. While Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) acknowledged the public safety crisis in D.C., Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) criticized Republicans for holding the hearing without an elected Speaker.

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