Last night, it was reported U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked at gunpoint not far from the Capitol.
JUST IN: Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) carjacked at gunpoint in D.C. - reports
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 3, 2023
The Associated Press has more details:
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar was carjacked by three armed attackers but was unharmed, the Texas Democrat’s office said.
Cuellar’s chief of staff Jacob Hochberg released a statement Monday night saying: “As Congressman Cuellar was parking his car this evening, 3 armed assailants approached the Congressman and stole his vehicle. Luckily, he was not harmed and is working with local law enforcement.”
Hochberg said police recovered Cuellar’s vehicle.
The Washington Post reported that the robbery happened in Washington’s Navy Yard area, about a mile from the U.S. Capitol.
We are glad Cuellar is unharmed. But this wasn't the first attack on a Congressional rep:
Monday’s carjacking was the second assault on a member of Congress in the District of Columbia this year. In February, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was assaulted in her apartment building, suffering bruises while escaping serious injury. Her chief of staff said the attack did not appear to be politically motivated.
In light of this, let's remember that Phil Mendelson, chairman of the DC Council, had this to say in March:
When it comes to crime how people feel is important and some residents don't feel safe. But the number of violent crime incidents in 2022 was 45% lower than a decade ago, total violent crime last year was 7% less than the year before.
— Phil Mendelson (@ChmnMendelson) March 29, 2023
There's no "crime crisis" in Washington, DC
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Except The Washington Post disagrees, Phil:
During the covid-19 pandemic, D.C. officials could safely say the nation’s capital was not alone in struggling to reduce deadly gun violence, as homicides spiked here just as they did in cities across the country.
D.C. officials and criminologists say it is difficult to pinpoint why the city is an apparent outlier. Leaders in other big cities where homicides have dropped say they are struggling with the same problems as the nation’s capital, including smaller police forces, difficulty recruiting and retaining officers and frustrations over progressive policies or laws that they see as allowing more criminal defendants to go free. Many of the cities also have crime-fighting strategies similar to D.C.’s, with police focusing on seizing illegal firearms and targeting the places with concentrated violence.
WaPo published this August 19, a little over a month and a half ago.
All of the things they mention in the piece: smaller police forces, progressive 'criminal justice reform', and gun control laws are all things Democrats readily support and have implemented in cities across the country. In fact, Democrat J.B. Pritzker made cashless bail the law of the land in Illinois this year, and it's going about as well as you'd expect.
It, of course, being the gun. Because criminals always obey laws.Don’t worry. I’m sure it was purchased legally. Otherwise, the assailant wouldn’t have one.
— Tandy (@dantypo) October 3, 2023
But I thought guns were illegal in DC. https://t.co/jUsAqgLptv
— Glacial Emperor (@chillpenguin64) October 3, 2023
So is carjacking, but here we are.
Mostly peaceful carjacking.
— Real Phil Jones ™🦅🇺🇸 (@RealPJones) October 3, 2023
Can't blame people for being so cynical.
The sad reality is that the crime wave that's gripping the nation won't really be solved until some high profile politician or celebrity is a victim. https://t.co/BGbxxjJ2Gw
— based_seattle 🇺🇸 (@based_seattle) October 3, 2023
They've been victims twice, and yet nothing seems to have changed so far.
I don't want to make fun of this because Cuellar is one of the very few not completely terrible Democrats in the House (he's the only pro-life one at least). So I'll just say I hope he's doing well. https://t.co/fJVRxYnB4i
— Jacob 🍜 (@jsrrayburn) October 3, 2023
We don't either. The fact that a member of Congress, and their own party, can get carjacked at gun point doesn't give the Left pause and time to rethink their positions is what is so astonishing and upsetting.
No big deal. If You are in DC or San Fran, it's more a news story if you are not getting robbed or attacked. https://t.co/K9iDYuunC1
— Edward Caesar (@edwardcaesar) October 3, 2023
This is a sad truth.
Just horrible what’s happening in America’s great cities, including our nation’s capital. https://t.co/boFm8z623C
— Jeanette Hoffman (@JeanetteNJ) October 3, 2023
It is horrible.
I'm glad congressman Cuellar is ok, but I hope this will be a wake-up call to all in Congress that we need to get back to prosecuting crime fully. We need to bring back "three strikes and you're out."
— Anonymous Because You People Are Crazy (@AnonBecauseOf) October 3, 2023
We hope it is, too. And maybe three strikes is being too generous, especially when it comes to violent crime.
DC should sue the car manufacturer.
— InsolentPuppy (@_InsolentPuppy) October 3, 2023
Other cities, like Milwaukee, WI are going this route, because heaven forbid we hold the criminals accountable.
Glad to hear Congressman Henry Cuellar is safe. I hope he learns from this carjacking experience and uses it to push his party to reject Soros prosectors, reject the no bail lunacy, reject defund police stupidity and embrace law and order. America needs a SERIOUS crime crackdown!
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 3, 2023
We are glad Congressman Cuellar is unharmed. We hope that no other members of Congress are the victims of violent crime. We also hope this wakes up certain people to the realities of crime, and criminal behavior, and that true criminal justice reform happens sooner rather than later.
But we're not gonna hold our breath on that.
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