Washington, D.C., has seen a surge in crime rates in recent years, and despite this alarming trend, current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg seems disturbingly out of touch. During a recent interview on MSNBC, Buttigieg downplayed the city’s escalating crime issues, claiming that there is “a lot of energy” being put into making it seem worse than it actually is.
But the facts and reality speak for themselves. Just last month, there was a quadruple shooting just six miles away from the Capitol building. And in the days leading up to Buttigieg’s comments, a woman narrowly escaped being hit by a stray bullet while simply driving her car. This is not the safe and secure environment that Buttigieg would have us believe.
It’s also worth noting that Buttigieg himself enjoys the protection of a security detail, meaning he can walk his dog safely to the Capitol. This is a luxury that the average Washington, D.C., resident does not have.
When confronted about his out-of-touch statement, a Department of Transportation spokesperson hastily clarified that Buttigieg was actually referring to the security measures put in place after the deadly January 6th domestic terrorist attack. But this explanation falls short, as the crime rates have steadily increased since long before that event.
Furthermore, the city’s leaders have also attempted to downplay the crime issue. Democrat D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson told the House Oversight Committee that while there are concerns surrounding crime, residents should not worry. This dismissive attitude is a slap in the face to the victims and families who have been directly affected by the rising crime rates.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg brilliantly proves that Washington D.C. is a safe city by mentioning that he walks his dogs.
“I can safely walk my dog to the Capitol today in a way that you couldn’t do when we all got here.”
Just hours after his comment, two people… pic.twitter.com/oLBsdKYeYp
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 10, 2024
Data from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department paints a stark picture. Homicides have increased by a staggering 35%, and robberies have skyrocketed by 67%. Violent crime as a whole has increased by 40%, and these statistics only continue to climb.
Despite these sobering numbers, Buttigieg and other city leaders continue to ignore the mounting crime issue and peddle the false narrative that everything is fine. Action needs to be taken to address the growing problem of crime in our nation’s capital.
Instead, we have government officials who seem more concerned with their own safety and political image than the safety and well-being of the people they were elected to serve.
