D.C. Mayor Criticizes Council for Failure to Act on Crime Bill

Plans to keep D.C. residents and visitors safe is turning political.

Mayor Muriel Bowser criticized the D.C. Council Monday for not acting more quickly on the comprehensive crime bill she proposed in August.

“I think the council just hasn't acted, and we're calling on them to act on the public safety legislation,” Bowser said.

The legislation includes tougher enforcement for repeat offenders, waivers to hire retired cops, new penalties for crimes committed on mass transit vehicles and grants for small-business security cameras.

“So far as I know, there hasn't been any robust discussion among the council following the September hearing, and we're in January,” Bowser said.

Those comments infuriated D.C. Council Judiciary Chairman Kenyan McDuffie, who said Bowser's administration has been slow to offer real data to back up her proposals.

“I'm not going to engage in finger-pointing,” he said. “I'm going to continue to work hard.”