New Yorkers should thank Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan for helping (unwittingly) remind the country how safe their metro area is compared to his own. Did he think that no one would note that there are 15.4 murders for every 100,000 people in Columbus but only 5.2 in New York City? Or that Ohio’s murder rate is almost twice that of New York state?
But let us not knock Columbus. It has a reviving downtown, Ohio State University and a lively club scene, famous drag queen included. Springtime there is spectacular. And, trigger warning for a stereotype, the people there are nice. Columbus happens to be a terrific city — despite the crime.
Too bad for Jordan’s “Victims of Violent Crime in Manhattan” hearing — surely orchestrated by defendant Donald Trump — that it took place in a closed room somewhere. It caused no noticeable traffic jams. As a stunt it afforded Jordan and company much TV time, but the usual claque of protesters had other things to do.
One attendee, Republican Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, got to talk on CNN about crime “at crisis levels across our inner cities,” citing the Democratic strongholds of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Jake Tapper picked up from there. “It is horrible what’s happening nationwide,” he said. “For example, you represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District, and it’s between Jacksonville and Orlando, both of which have higher homicide rates than New York City.”
