In a recent interview, Republican Congressman Eric Burlison from Missouri expressed concerns about the safety of Washington, D.C., suggesting that the city has become a perilous place to reside. Burlison made these remarks following the news of an alarming carjacking incident involving Texas Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar in the nation’s capital.
Burlison emphasized the dangerous nature of Washington, D.C., where owning a car has become a challenging endeavor. He mentioned that parking is not only expensive but also risky due to the high likelihood of break-ins and carjackings. Many members of Congress, including himself, have opted to stay within the secure confines of the Capitol building to mitigate these risks. For some lawmakers, this decision is driven by security considerations, making it a practical choice to sleep in their office spaces.
Host Todd Starnes probed further, seeking confirmation that some lawmakers genuinely sleep in their offices due to safety concerns. Burlison affirmed this, underlining the apprehension about commuting between their apartments and the Capitol during the night or early morning hours. He stressed that the environment in D.C. is not conducive to ensuring their safety.
The recent carjacking incident involving Congressman Cuellar served as a stark reminder of the security challenges in Washington, D.C. Cuellar himself has emphasized that he does not support defunding the police and has voiced his disagreement with measures that lower penalties for criminal offenses. He argued that the key to addressing crime is to increase penalties, not reduce them. In Cuellar’s case, he encountered three armed individuals who carjacked him, eventually leading to the recovery of his vehicle and belongings by the police within a short time frame. These incidents underscore the security concerns shared by lawmakers in the nation’s capital.