A Democratic lawmaker in Washington, D.C., who voted to cut police funding is facing a recall campaign following a recent murder surge in the nation’s capital.
A committee to recall D.C. Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau over her alleged role in “a historic spike in both violent and property crime” was launched on Tuesday. The committee says that crime rose after Nadeau voted to reduce police funding following Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, then failed to respond “to the crisis with the seriousness that it demanded.”
“Brianne Nadeau voted for a budget that defunded the police by $15 million despite Mayor [Muriel] Bowser’s objections and passed legislation that reduced penalties on violent criminals, including for repeat offenders who committed gun crimes, carjackings, and violent assaults,” a website for the recall campaign states.
The recall campaign cites statistics that indicate crime has recently surged in D.C.’s Ward 1, which Nadeau has represented since 2015. According to Crime Data DC, homicides in the ward doubled, from 14 in 2022 to 28 in 2023. Motor vehicle thefts, robberies and burglaries also saw significant increases over the same period.
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“The historic rise in crime is not just mere numbers; they represent shattered lives, eroded trust, and a community living in fear,” said Diana Alvarez, committee chairwoman. “My business experienced three violent robberies. My employees were terrorized and my security costs have become astronomical.”
“I know that I am one of many people and businesses in this dire situation,” she continued. “Brianne Nadeau has fundamentally failed to take any consequential action to reduce crime, and it is time she is held accountable.”
Nadeau, who was reelected in 2022 with an overwhelming 80 percent of the vote, said in a statement emailed to Newsweek that “public safety” was her “top priority.”
“People’s fears and frustrations about crime are rational and understandable,” Nadeau said. “That’s why I have been working together with public safety experts, community leaders, fellow council members and the Mayor on comprehensive solutions.”
Nadeau pointed out her recent efforts to reduce crime, which include authoring a bill that would “bolster police cadet recruitment,” advocating for improving the city’s 911 call center and an evidence processing lab, and lobbying the U.S. attorney “to prosecute more cases.”
“No amount of legislation will put criminals in jail if the crime lab doesn’t process the evidence and the U.S. Attorney won’t bring their cases to court,” Nadeau said. “I will always work with and for my constituents to help Ward 1 and the District continue to grow and thrive. A recall does not change that.”
Nadeau has a personal connection to the recent rise in homicides. Davon Fuller, a former staffer for the council member, was shot and killed last year “following a disagreement with someone” outside a supermarket in the northeastern quarter of the city.
To bring the recall before voters in a special election, the recall campaign will need to gather signatures of at least 10 percent of Ward 1’s registered voters, which amounts to about 6,100 people. Over 47,000 of the roughly 61,000 voters in the ward are registered Democrats, with only around 2,500 being Republicans.
Nadeau is not the only Democratic D.C. council member facing a recall effort over the increase in crime. A similar campaign was recently launched against Charles Allen, who represents Ward 6 and backed the same police funding cuts in 2020 as Nadeau.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.