House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., told Newsmax on Monday he will call Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser to testify before Congress as part of a new push to address the capital city's escalating crime crisis.
Appearing on "Finnerty," Comer said the committee will hold hearings, bringing in Bowser, the city council chair, and the district attorney to answer for record-high violence and lawlessness in the nation's capital.
"We're going to try to get Washington, D.C.'s crime under control," Comer said. "There are no consequences for bad actions, and these criminals know it."
Comer pointed to a grim statistic — more than 300 homicides in 2023, the highest total in modern history — along with what he described as rampant carjackings, vandalism, and "kids running around breaking things" in broad daylight. He warned that no time of day is safe in the city and said even congressional interns are cautioned about where they live due to the danger.
The Kentucky Republican praised President Donald Trump's actions aimed at tightening law enforcement in the district, saying, "I think what President Trump did today is going to turn the corner."
Comer also spotlighted legislation filed by Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., known as the "Crimes Act," which would ensure offenders face prosecution for crimes committed in D.C. The House passed the measure last year, but it stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Comer vowed to bring it up again, saying new Senate leadership offers "a real chance" for passage.
While Comer said much of the blame lies with the city's "liberal council," he insisted Bowser will still have to explain her administration's approach to public safety.
"We've got to have change," he said. "Donald Trump stepped up and he's providing a badly needed change to make our capital city safer."
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