Sen. Ricketts: ‘There’s Too Much Crime in D.C.,’ ‘Over 200 Homicides’

(CNSNews.com) — When asked whether the nation’s capital is a safe city, or if there is too much crime here, Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said, “There’s too much crime in D.C.” Regarding the D.C. City Council, he explained they are “not recognizing this city belongs to the entire nation.”

On Mar. 8 at the U.S. Capitol, CNS News asked Sen. Ricketts, “Is the nation’s capital a safe city, or is there too much crime here?”

Sen. Ricketts responded, “Well, there’s too much crime in D.C., crime is up 22% just year over year. And carjackings are up five years in a row, for two years now they’ve had over 200 homicides.”

“The D.C. City Council is just not recognizing that this city belongs to the entire nation, people from all over the country come here,” he said.  “We have student groups that come here. We have people wanting to interact with their elected officials. They need to take their steps to make this a safer city.”

The Metropolitan Police Department of D.C. reports in its “2023 Year-to-Date Crime Comparison” that as of March 8, 2023, homicides, sex abuse crimes, motor vehicle theft, theft from auto, theft (other), and arson are all higher than they were in 2022.

Furthermore, the MPDC data back up the claims of Sen. Ricketts as there were 226 homicides committed in 2021 and 203 in 2022.

The D.C. City Council recently announced an amendment to the city’s criminal code that would have eliminated most mandatory sentences and reduced penalties for violent offenses. The Republicans in the House of Representatives led a bipartisan charge to block the amendment.

The Senate is looking at the bill but D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has asked for the plan to be withdrawn and a new bill submitted to the City Council and then to Congress.

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