(The Center Square) – For the first time since President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., district leaders squared off with congressional lawmakers regarding the government’s oversight of the city, and the exchange got heated at times.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, Attorney General Brian Schwalb, and Phil Mendelson, chairman of the District of Columbia Council, appeared before the committee. Mendelson testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the district's oversight.

Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., touted the president’s “historic crackdown,” which has resulted in a decline in crime, including a 75% drop in carjackings, a 57% decline in robberies, and an overall 39% decrease in violent crime.

While Republicans pointed to t

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