The hot topic of the week has been President Donald Trump invoking the Home Rule Act to federalize Washington, D.C.'s law enforcement. This has led to a number of hot takes on crime in the city, with elite journalists like Ron Kampeas sharing that they've traveled to D.C. often and have never been carjacked, so crime must not be that bad. X account Washingtonian Problems tried to push back on the narrative by asking people to help show the "real" D.C. And people did reply, with first-person accounts of stabbings, muggings, and shootings.
Rep. Sean Casten says he walks home every night and has never felt unsafe, except for one day: you guessed it, January 6. This reminds us of CNN's Dana Bash covering the story of crime in the nation's capital by reminding us that "the most violent moment in recent D.C. history was January 6." One person was killed … an unarmed Trump supporter who was shot in the neck. There have been 14 homicides this month alone.
I walk home every night after votes. Other than Jan 6, I've never felt unsafe in DC. Then again, I don't hang out with Gaetz, Jordan, nor the convicted felon at 1600 Pennsylvania. But if that's your statistical sample I can see how you might erroneously extrapolate this way. https://t.co/OpfDa65f4s
— Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) August 12, 2025
Apparently these Dems walked home without incident during the BLM riots. pic.twitter.com/7I4YPHF7uB
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) August 12, 2025
A proposed Community Note reads, "Members of Congress like Sean Casten have access to taxpayer-funded Personal Protective Detail via the US Capitol Police."
Do you walk because your Kia was jacked?
— 🫃🏼💉🇺🇦🥥Hollaria Briden, Esq. (@HollyBriden) August 12, 2025
So you were freaked out over something that lasted 3 whole hours but claim DC streets are totally safe at night? 🙄
— SeldenGADawgs (@SeldenGADawgs) August 12, 2025
That’s like saying: “I walk home at night (in Orland Park) I’ve never felt unsafe in Chicago”
— Rosie Memos (@almostjingo) August 12, 2025
You realize there’s other parts to DC besides Capitol Hill right?
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) August 12, 2025
Go walk through Southeast DC at night and let us know how that goes
Well now we know that there is no crime in DC because it hasn’t happened to you, the man earth revolves around.
— Skeletor 🧼🧽🫧 (@TheMuppetPastor) August 12, 2025
😂 “I never felt unsafe other than Jan 6”— cry us a river and be a man. Good grief.
— Allen Mashburn (@Mashburn4NC) August 12, 2025
They'll never let go of the narrative that January 6 was worse than Pearl Harbor and 9/11 combined.
— amish1979 (@amish1979) August 12, 2025
"It didn't happen to me, a government elite" is the dumbest argument you could possibly make.
— End the Simpsons (@EndTheSimpsons) August 12, 2025
Just absolutely embarrassing.
Oh, Sean, that was so smooth to bring up January 6th.
— ANP (@ANP0563) August 12, 2025
MAGA psychos were hiding behind every tree and lamppost on his walk home that night, looking for a target.
Aren't you brave.
— TG 🇺🇸 (@TimmonsTg) August 12, 2025
Breaking News: Rich white dude feels safe walking to his rich white residence.
— Jeff I (@The_Gooseinator) August 12, 2025
That’s a really cute way of saying you have the luxury of living near the Capitol in the safe part of town.
— FuriaDiDonna (@furiadidonna) August 12, 2025
No one believes your post.
— Mr. Faversham 💥 (@MrFaversham) August 12, 2025
He doesn't hang out with the convicted felon at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, so he never feels unsafe in D.C., except for January 6.
Maybe he's safer walking. His colleague, Rep. Henry Cuellar, was carjacked in Washington, D.C. in 2023.
***