WASHINGTON – City leaders pushed back, in fiery exchanges at a Sept. 18 congressional hearing, against Republicans' assertions that the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in the nation's capital had driven down crime rates.

"We think that the DC National Guard is a very valuable and wonderful asset to the city. That’s a little bit different than having thousands of guard troops stationed around the city when they are not trained in law enforcement," Phil Mendelson, the chairman of Washington's city council, told the House Oversight Committee.

"My understanding is many of them were looking kind of bored with what they were doing," he added.

In a prickly exchange, Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania pressed Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser that the drop in Washington's crime since President Donald Trump ordered the mid-August takeover was thanks to the National Guard's presence. As of Sept. 18, crime in the city was down by 9% and violent crime was down by 28% from last year, according to police statistics.

"You would agree that right now crime has dropped dramatically since they've been present?" Perry questioned.

Bowser said the drop in crime stemmed from the surge in FBI and drug enforcement agents in Washington – not the National Guard deployment.

"So you're saying the Guard has had no impact in DC?" Perry shot back. "You can't quantify it, so you can't make the claim."

Another lawmaker spoke out from behind Perry: "But I don't think the Guard has made any arrests." Perry glared back at them but did not reply.

The Trump administration contends the presence in Washington of more than 2,300 troops – 960 from the DC National Guard and more than 1,300 from Republican-led states – has deterred crime.

Since the deployment began in mid-August, National Guard troops have been seen almost exclusively in relatively low-crime areas, such as downtown Metro stations and the National Mall. Many have been tasked with "beautification" duties, including picking up trash and tending to public parks. The deployment of the DC National Guard is projected to cost around $200 million, according to internal budget information seen by USA TODAY.

During the hearing, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois displayed a picture from a USA TODAY report of a soldier equipped with a leaf-blower as troops shoveled mulch in downtown McPherson Square.

"This is not why the taxpayers fund the National Guard," Krishnamoorthi said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Looking kind of bored': DC leaders clash with Republicans over National Guard presence

Reporting by Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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