RSC Members Blast Democrats for Destructive Soft-On-Crime Policies in the Nation's Capital

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) slammed liberal activist local officials in D.C. whose soft-on-crime policies have made the nation's capital a safe haven for criminals at a press conference on Tuesday.

RSC Article One Task Force Chair Harriet Hageman led more than a dozen conservative lawmakers in outlining Congress's oversight authority to restore safety and order to the nation's capital. The lawmakers pointed to alarming crime statistics showing violent incidents near federal buildings have surged in recent months, creating dangerous conditions for tourists, Members, and staff.

Members unanimously commended President Trump's leadership and his decisive action to bring federal law enforcement into Washington, D.C., to restore law and order.

Highlights from the RSC’s Make D.C. Safe and Great Again Press Conference can be found below:

Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL): “It is a new day in DC, and Congress intends to once again assert its authority to ensure that Washington, D.C. rightfully reflects and represents this great nation on the national and international stage.”

Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11): “Recently, the Governor of California said he was going to establish a task force on crime. Well, we got news for him—there is a task force on crime. It’s called laws, it’s called prosecutors, it’s called DAs, it’s called accountability.”

Rep. Brad Knott (NC-13): “Regardless of who you are, when you come to Washington, it’s a safe city now. Families, citizens, and tourists are all thankful. It’s time to stop turning a blind eye to crime wherever it is. Wherever it is, we must investigate, we must prosecute and we must protect law-abiding citizens.” 

Rep. Ron Estes (KS-04): “An intern in my office, Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, was murdered on the streets of Washington, D.C. It was a senseless crime, and to this day it has not been solved by the Washington, D.C. police. We want to make sure that we have a safe capital. That’s why I applaud President Trump and the work he is doing in terms of making sure that we do have a safe capital.”

Rep. Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL): “If D.C. were a state, it would have the highest homicide rate in the country—and already this year, 1,600 violent crimes have been reported.”

Rep. Laurel Lee (FL-15): “When you enforce the law, when you keep dangerous criminals off the streets, when you prioritize the safety of families, and when you allow law enforcement officers and prosecutors to do their jobs, you get RESULTS!”

Rep. William Timmons (SC-04): “President Trump has saved our nation’s capital. I’ve said for the last six and a half years that a nation’s capital in decline represents a nation in decline. We are not in decline. There’s a new day in this country, and there’s a new day for American leadership and the world, and our capital needs to show that.”