Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries would, like other Democrats, tell you that President Trump didn’t need to federalize the Washington D.C. Police Department, or bring in the National Guard.
Speaking Tuesday at the Springfield Urban League inside one of their Head Start program classrooms, Jeffries said that’s not where the crime is being committed.
“The violent crime rate in Washington D.C. is at a 30-year low. This is all made-up stuff,” said Jeffries (D-NY). “Of course, every city can continue to do more to drive down crime. But the real crime scene that’s hurting everyday Americans in the United States of America, and the District of Columbia, is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the House floor, and the Senate floor. That’s the crime scene.”
Jeffries claims the “One Big Beautiful Bill” did negative things to programs like Head Start and SNAP, which are seeing effective cuts.
“What we are seeing in Washington right now, emanating from the Trump Administration and Republicans who, at this moment control the House and the Senate, has been an all-out assault on children, on families and veterans, including enacting this ‘One Big Ugly Law’ that will rip away health care for millions of people across the country, (and) steals food from the mouths of hungry children, by enacting the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history.”
Jeffries says Democrats will continue to fight for Americans. But, he was asked by a reporter if Americans should believe that, as Democrats have been accused of doing nothing to try and stop cuts, or the Republicans.
“In every single generic ballot that has come out since January 20, House Democrats have been up repeatedly,” said Jeffries. “And, of course, the trend line as it relates to our favorability is moving in the right direction. Of course there’s more work to be done.”
Jeffries was in Springfield for Governor’s Day activities at the Illinois State Fair. He spoke at the annual keynote brunch. Republican Day at the fair is Thursday.
