WASHINGTON (AP) — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed Congress on Thursday, standing by her policies as the PresidentDonald Trump’sLaw enforcement is in its second month of increased presence and legislators are taking action.to further limit the city’s authority.
She received an invitation to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to address inquiries regarding crime in the nation’s capital. Last month, Trump issued an emergency directive that federalized the city’s police force and initiated a significant increase in law enforcement presence. Theemergency directive expired at the beginning of this monthhowever, federal agencies and the National Guard remain engaged in activities within the city.
Bowser outlined the city’s successes in lowering crime rates, recognizing that federal involvement had contributed to these improvements.
Any act of crime is excessive,” Bowser stated. “However, we are moving in the correct direction.
Bowser is guiding the city during a period when the district’s autonomy is facing challenges that have not been encountered before since the implementation of theHome Rule Act of 1973, which provides the district with a degree of self-governance. The federal government maintains substantial influence over local matters, such as the endorsement of the budget and legislation enacted by the D.C. Council.
The committee chair criticized Bowser and other officials regarding crime.
The chair of the committee, Rep. James Comer, criticized Bowser and other local officials regarding crime in D.C., starting the hearing with a list of recent incidents, several of which involved current or former congressional staff members, including the fatal shooting of Congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.
“These elevated crime rates are primarily fueled by historically high levels of youth crime, which were facilitated by extremely liberal, lenient-on-crime policies implemented by the D.C. Council and backed by the D.C. Attorney General,” he stated.
Comer also discussed other modifications in D.C. law that had removed mandatory minimum sentences for the majority of offenses, along with adjustments that limited local police from chasing down offenders.
Officers are unable to perform their roles as efficiently, resulting in historically low levels of morale, retention, and hiring within the Metro Police Department,” he stated. “These measures convey a clear message to criminals, particularly young individuals, that they can carry out offenses in the district without facing consequences.
Trump has highlighted the increase in law enforcement as a major achievement in reducing the city’s crime rate — a claim that Bowser has backed. However, data indicated that crime was already decreasing prior to the federal involvement.
The city’s crime has been a key focus for Republicans, including Trump, who declared a state of emergency in August due to what he called “disgraceful” and uncontrollable crime. Trump has warned he will issue another emergency declaration if Bowser proceeds with her vow not to assist with immigration enforcement.
Bills would restructure D.C.’s criminal justice system
During the hearing, the nature of the questions posed by committee members varied based on their political party. Democrats supported the direction taken by the district’s leaders.
Bowser’s appearance before the committee occurred the day following the House’s approval of a significant restructuring of the district’s criminal justice system.
The bills in question—such as reducing the age at which minors can be tried as adults for certain offenses from 16 to 14, and removing D.C.’s involvement in judge selection, leaving it entirely to the president—were approved by the committee last week. The House Rules Committee also passed the same set of bills on Monday, with several Democrats backing the measures, leading to their approval by the House.
The legislation is unlikely to pass the Senate’s filibuster, but it represents one of the most extensive crime-related proposals to move forward in Congress recently.
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who was also present at the hearing, stated that Washington was “a city under siege.”
“It’s annoying to see this committee discuss and approve 14 bills about the district without any public hearing, and without any feedback from local officials or the community,” he stated.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who initiated a legal actionchallenging the federal intervention, stated that his office only has authority over juvenile cases in D.C., where it actively prosecutes them. He noted that his office handles 84% of all violent juvenile cases, including 90% of homicides and attempted homicides and 87% of carjackings. “Young people should be held accountable when they violate the law,” he said.
The session covered talks on D.C.’s diversity, equality, and inclusion initiatives, reparations, and the definition of womanhood, highlighting that Congress has the authority to influence many areas of the capital’s daily operations, if it decides to do so.
Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace from South Carolina questioned Bowser about various social policies and language she disagreed with in the district’s legal code. She claimed these issues justified federal involvement in the city and mentioned she is introducing a bill to tackle them.
A hearing that lasted more than five hours featured periods of intense tension, mainly among committee members, although there were instances where they found common ground. When questioned by GOP Representative Byron Donalds from Florida, Mendelson admitted that the extra federal agencies, like the FBI and the DEA, had further reduced crime during the 30-day period.
The extra law enforcement resources have been beneficial. We collaborate with those various agencies regularly. There was more of it, which was a positive thing,” he stated. “The National Guard is separate. ICE is also separate.
The hearing was shameful in how it portrayed the district,” Bowser said to reporters following the session. “We are aware that the district is home to 700,000 people, with wonderful neighborhoods and thriving businesses, where individuals choose to reside, launch ventures, send their children to school, and visit. Did the district experience a rise in crime in 2023? Yes. Have we managed to reduce crime over the past two years? Yes. Therefore, describing the district as a dystopian nightmare is completely inaccurate.
