Charles Allen (Washington, D.C., politician)

Last updated

Charles Allen
Charles Allen.jpg
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia
from Ward 6
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2, 2015 (2015-01-02)

Relationship with D.C. police force and union

Despite endorsements from DC's police force and union early in his political career, Allen has been criticized more recently by DC's Police Union for weakening the police force by "shrinking" it, which they claim is the cause of an uptick in crime. [36] In an advertisement released in April, 2022, the Police Union points to Allen and Phil Mendelson for the results of crime bills that do not support law enforcement. Subsequently, the Union made an urgent plea to Mayor Bowser, noting that two years of reform under the City Council have done nothing to increase safety, but rather Allen and Mendelson's reforms have resulted in more deaths, "The experiment is a failure, and people are dying." [36]

Further, by December 30, 2022, the police union released the following statistics of increases in crime since the reforms were enacted: "Armed robberies increased by 36%; Carjackings increased by 177%. Also noteworthy, the annual homicide rate was less than 90 in 2012; 104 and 105 in 2013 and 2014 respectively. [36] "Some neighborhoods are suffering greatly from this violence," the D.C. Police Union said. "In Ward 2, for example, homicides have increased 440% when looking at the last three years against the previous three."

The police union placed blame on the increase in violence on Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen who they claim has "turned a blind eye to concerned residents and public safety experts, rather he chooses to cater to an activist crowd whose agenda is anti-police whatever the cost." They continued by saying that Allen's reform measures have resulted in a tragic loss of life and an increase in violent crime." Allen's office responded, calling representation of the police force "lackluster," and blaming the uptick in gun violence across the city on the pandemic. [37]

2024 recall campaign

On February 13, 2024 the D.C. Board of Elections approved a recall campaign that, if successful, would remove Allen from office. [38] The recall was filed by a group of Ward 6 residents who object to "soft on crime" and "anti-police" legislation that Allen shepherded through the D.C. Council during his tenure as chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Residents have formed a committee, Recall Charles Allen, that has raised over $80,000; an unprecedented amount of money for a recall campaign in DC.

If, within 180 days, the recall campaign collects signatures from ten percent of registered voters residing in Ward 6, a recall election will be held. [39]

On August 12, the recall effort failed to qualify as it only gathered 5,500 signatures, 900 less than the required minimum to put a recall on the ballot. [40]

Committee membership

As of March 2020, Allen currently serves on the following committees: [41]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Lightman, Andrew (May 10, 2018). "Charles Allen: A Journey". HillRag. Washington DC. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Schulte, Brigid (August 6, 2006). "Class Questions; A groundbreaking poverty studies program at Washington and Lee University has some of the country's most affluent students pondering why they have -- and others have not". The Washington Post Magazine. p. 18. ProQuest   410049664.(subscription required)
  3. 1 2 3 4 Silverman, Elissa; Montgomery, Lori (June 8, 2006). "A Tale of Two Tonys". The Washington Post. p. T2. ProQuest   409987428.(subscription required)
  4. ↑ Hess, Hannah. "Wells' Former Chief of Staff Wants to Represent Capitol Hill". Roll Call. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "About Charles Allen". Charles Allen for Ward 6. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Charles Woodruff Allen, Jr. DUI conviction". Rockbridge County Circuit Couty. Case Number: CR96000643-00. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Timberg, Craig; Strauss, Valerie (March 11, 2004). "Evans Loses Out to the Little Guy". The Washington Post. p. T02. ProQuest   409615108.(subscription required)
  8. ↑ Stewart, Nikita (May 8, 2007). "City Covers Police Overtime Costs for Sponsor; Carnival Organizer Also Wants Waiver". The Washington Post. p. B2. ProQuest   410116183.(subscription required)
  9. 1 2 Harris, Hamil R. (May 28, 2009). "Ousted Parks and Recreation Head Is Pushed to Run for Council". The Washington Post. p. DE1. ProQuest   410316355.(subscription required)
  10. ↑ Chibbaro, Lou Jr. (October 16, 2013). "Committee voids election of gay official as head of Ward 6 Dems". Washington Blade.
  11. 1 2 Allen, Charles (November 18, 2012). "This is no way to choose a D.C. Council member". The Washington Post. p. C6. ProQuest   1162831629.(subscription required)
  12. 1 2 DeBonis, Mike (October 11, 2013). "Evans comes on strong in D.C. mayoral race fundraising, but Bowser retains cash edge". The Washington Post. ProQuest   1441755226.(subscription required)
  13. ↑ Beyers, Dan (October 28, 2013). "Darrel Thompson, former aide to Harry Reid, joins Collins Johnson". The Washington Post. ProQuest   1446801724.(subscription required)
  14. ↑ "Pranav Badhwar for DC City Council, Ward 6". Committee to Elect Pranav Badhwar. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Svitek, Patrick (March 22, 2014). "Council hopefuls' boosters? You may have heard of them". The Washington Post. p. B3. ProQuest   1509170005.(subscription required)
  16. ↑ Sommer, Will (October 10, 2013). "Ex-Wells Chief of Staff Charles Allen Makes Ward 6 Run Official". Washington City Paper.
  17. ↑ "Ward 6 Council Member". WAMU Voter Guide. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014.
  18. ↑ Hess, Hannah (April 2, 2014). "Ward 6: Board of Elections Count Slows Charles Allen-Darrel Thompson Results". Roll Call. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  19. ↑ "District of Columbia Voter Guide: Mayoral, Congressional and Council Primary Election, April 1, 2014" (PDF). District of Columbia Board of Elections. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Our choices for D.C. Council". The Washington Post. March 15, 2014. p. A14. ProQuest   1507543569.(subscription required)
  21. ↑ Sommer, Will (January 22, 2014). "Graham, Allen Land SEIU Endorsements". Washington City Paper.
  22. ↑ Sommer, Will (February 14, 2014). "Wells Leads in D.C. for Democracy Vote, Falls Short of Endorsement". Washington City Paper.
  23. ↑ Wright, James (March 14, 2014). "D.C. Chamber PAC Backs McDuffie, Bonds, Allen for Council". The Washington Informer. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  24. ↑ Wright, James (February 14, 2014). "Charles Allen Gets Key Endorsements in Ward 6 Race". The Washington Informer. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  25. 1 2 Sommer, Will (February 20, 2014). "Union Endorsements Fly in Ward 6 Race". Washington City Paper.
  26. ↑ Sherwood, Tom (July 12, 2012). "Bubbles From the Political Pot... - Tom Sherwood's Notebook". Current Newspapers. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  27. ↑ St. Martin, Victoria (April 2, 2014). "Two new members will change the face of the D.C. Council". The Washington Post.
  28. ↑ "Primary Election 2014, Election Night Unofficial Results, April 01, 2014". District of Columbia Board of Elections. April 2, 2014. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017.
  29. ↑ Wright, James (April 2, 2014). "Allen, Nadeau Set for Council Seats". The Washington Informer. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014.
  30. 1 2 "2014 General Election Unofficial Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 5, 2014. Archived from the original on December 20, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  31. ↑ DeBonis, Mike (January 1, 2015). "Bowser's 'fresh start,' new blood on council heralds new era for D.C. government". The Washington Post.
  32. ↑ "D.C. mayoral primary election results". The Washington Post. April 2, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014.
  33. ↑ Lightman, Andrew (May 14, 2018). "Lisa Hunter: Challenging the Status Quo" . Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  34. ↑ "Primary Election 2018 - Certified Results". DC Board of Elections. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  35. ↑ "General Election 2018 - Certified Results". DC Board of Elections. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  36. 1 2 3 "DC Police Union Ad Blames 2 Council Members for Crime Increase". April 14, 2022.
  37. ↑ "DC Police Union demands change after violent crime increase across the District within last 3 years". December 30, 2022.
  38. ↑ "DC Board of Elections issues official recall petition for Councilmember Charles Allen". FOX 5 DC. February 13, 2024.
  39. ↑ "Recall Process: District of Columbia Board of Elections". www.dcboe.org.
  40. ↑ Koma, Alex (August 12, 2024). "The Charles Allen Recall Is Dead, As Organizers Fail to Collect Enough Signatures for Ballot Access".
  41. ↑ "Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen". Council of the District of Columbia. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
Council of the District of Columbia
Preceded by Member of the Council of the District of Columbia
from Ward 6
2015–present		Incumbent
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