BREAKING REPORT — A pro-Trump legal entity, the America First Legal Foundation (AFL), has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking crime stats from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Their aim is to investigate allegations that crime figures have been “falsified” by officials.
This request targets a variety of documents from D.C.’s police force. Among them are emails or internal memos about tracking and reporting crime, including any records showing manipulation or non-publication of crime data.
The investigation was launched a mere four days after President Donald Trump declared a temporary federalization of D.C.. This included deploying D.C. National Guard troops to the city and assuming federal control over local police to improve public safety.
The AFL’s request also mentions D.C. officer Michael Pulliam, who was put on administrative leave for alleged misconduct involving changes to crime stats.
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Pulliam, formerly a commander in the D.C. police, headed the Third District, which covers neighborhoods like Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights.
The inquiry into Pulliam has become a hot discussion topic lately, with Trump’s team using this incident to argue that the D.C. police department has been tampering with crime statistics in a way that misrepresents the situation.
Reports of the AFL’s investigation come as President Trump and his aides criticize the crime rate in D.C., indicating that the available statistics may not accurately reflect safety in the area—assertions that some believe are simply excuses to back Trump’s federalization order.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, commented that D.C. is experiencing more violence than Baghdad.
“With each passing day, we see new shocking examples of crime in D.C.,” shared Will Scolinos, AFL’s lead counsel. He emphasized that investigators are trying to determine whether crimes have been intentionally underreported to paint a safer picture of the district.
“President Trump is committed to improving safety in Washington D.C. for both residents and visitors, but there are forces defending the status quo,” Scolinos remarked. “People see through it.”
On August 11, Trump declared a “crime emergency” in the capital, citing the D.C. Home Rule Act to justify federal oversight of the Metropolitan Police Department to safeguard the area, including key federal properties.
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The AFL launched this investigation following a report by the Washington Free Beacon on a settlement between D.C.’s police and former sergeant Charlotte Djossou, who alleged that her claims about misclassifying offenses were ignored.
Currently, AFL’s FOIA request didn’t include details about that settlement, and Fox News Digital is yet to verify that information.
Amid all this, Trump officials continue to question the reliability of federal crime stats from earlier this year showing D.C. violent crime at a 30-year low.
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D.C. officials acknowledge that crime reduction stats might be somewhat exaggerated (latest data indicates a 26% drop between 2023 and 2024).
However, they rebut the theory that crime data has been artificially reduced. In an NBC News interview, Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that an analysis indicated fewer violent crime victims in early 2025 compared to last year, with overall crime down in all neighborhoods except one. She remarked, “Claims equating D.C. to war zones are simply exaggerated and unfounded.”
America First Legal, while not officially affiliated with the Trump administration, was established by Stephen Miller after Trump’s first term. Miller stepped back from the organization when he returned to the White House as deputy chief of staff in 2025.
Source of the original article:EXCLUSIVE: Trump-aligned legal group files FOIA request for DC crime data, citing alleged manipulation
