Show-Me State Times

During a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) questioned witnesses about crime policies in major American cities and discussed the impact of past policy decisions. The hearing addressed the influence of organizations associated with George Soros on criminal justice reforms, specifically those supporting measures such as cashless bail, diversion programs for young adults aged 18-25, and broader court jurisdictions.

Senator Schmitt referenced recent data from Washington, D.C., noting reductions in violent crimes: “Mr. Pemberton, thank you for your service. I just want to ask you, could you just walk through — because the numbers don’t lie — in the District of Columbia, there’s been a reduction of 53% in homicides, 57% in robberies, 75% in carjackings. What lessons can be learned, sort of at scale in DC, in places like Kansas City, for example, that has a high crime rate and an apologist mayor and a prosecutor that doesn’t want to prosecute violent criminals?”

Detective Gregg Pemberton, Chairman of the D.C. Police Union responded: “That’s an excellent point. What our organization has been shouting for the past five years — since, I mentioned, that the rhetoric and the policy changed back in 2020 — is that you need to have the proper number of police officers, and they need to be able to have the tools and resources to go out into these communities and do their job — professionally, responsibly, constitutionally. If you do that, and you have a prosecutor that backs those officers, like we now do here in the District of Columbia, guess what? You can reduce crime in seven days. That’s what we saw in the District of Columbia. We saw federal agents surge in, we saw the National Guard taking post in these neighborhoods, and we saw a prosecutor who took all of our arrests seriously. Within the first week there was a remarkable night and day difference.”

Senator Schmitt continued: “And a morale boost, I’m sure, for your officers too, right? When there’s actually a police presence and prosecutions.”

Detective Pemberton replied: “Absolutely.”

Schmitt also questioned Gregory Jackson from Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF) about statements made by his organization regarding policing policies.

Senator Schmitt said: “Mr. Jackson, you’re listed as the former Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, previously served as Executive Director of the Community Justice Action Fund, and now serve as the organization’s Executive Advisor. Is that correct?”

CJAF Executive Advisor Gregory Jackson responded: “Yes sir.”

Senator Schmitt then read previous CJAF statements from public documents including calls to "divest from policing" and prioritize public health approaches over traditional law enforcement methods.

Schmitt concluded his questioning by stating: “I just would point out that this organization [Community Justice Action Fund] that you’re an advisor of is part of the Tides Network which is directly affiliated with George Soros and has gotten funding from USAID. So if you want to understand why people are so committed to making sure USAID doesn’t fund these radical organizations some of these statements are exhibits A B C D through Z. Thank you Madam Chair.”

The hearing highlighted ongoing debates over criminal justice reform efforts funded by various advocacy groups.