Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana did not mince words during his appearance on Fox News, where he criticized progressive detractors of President Donald Trump's decision to deploy federal law enforcement in Washington, D.
C.
The President had declared a public safety emergency in the nation's capital, prompting the National Guard's involvement. Kennedy, speaking on "Jesse Watters Primetime," expressed his dismay at the backlash from what he described as "the tofu mob with their NPR tote bags and their organic broccoli."
Kennedy remarked, "I see movie stars and pop singers who partied with Harvey Weinstein. I see the tofu mob with their NPR tote bags and their organic broccoli, and I see many of my Democratic friends, who in response to said President, foam at the mouth and have their 19th nervous breakdown." He further noted the irony of the situation, stating, "And instead of thanking the President or saying, 'Good idea,' they accuse him of undermining democracy."
According to the Daily Caller, Kennedy emphasized that while the 30-day federal intervention might not entirely resolve the city's public safety issues, it represents a crucial first step.
The senator attributed the ongoing crime problems to the city's leadership, which he described as "dysfunctional." He pointed out that the local government had previously reduced its police budget by 15% and seemed to view law enforcement officers as more problematic than criminals.
Kennedy praised the President's proactive approach, saying, "And then I see a president of the United States who says 'Well, maybe I can help? How about if I send in 800 experienced professional well-trained federal law enforcement officials to help our local cops fight crime?"
In response to Trump's concerns about crime in Washington, D.C., Democratic lawmakers and mainstream media outlets highlighted a reported 35% decrease in crime for 2024, based on Metropolitan Police Department statistics.
However, these figures exclude several serious offenses, as the department's "violent crime" category only includes homicide, sex abuse, armed assault, and robbery, omitting aggravated and felony assaults without weapons.
The gravity of the situation was underscored by a gang-related shooting on June 30 near a D.C. Metro station, which resulted in the death of 21-year-old congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.
United States Attorney Jeanine Pirro of the District of Columbia expressed frustration with the limitations on prosecuting violent offenders in the district. She cited a case where a 19-year-old received probation for shooting someone in the chest, a sentence she deemed unacceptable.
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