Rising violence in Washington, DC, pushed a victimized small business owner to launch a recall campaign against a Democratic councilman who she says failed to protect residents and emboldened criminals.
“As someone who was born and raised here, it's very disheartening to see,” Diana Alvarez told Fox News. “I don't feel safe walking my dog.”
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“I don't feel safe knowing that something could happen to my 23-year-old son when he returns home,” she continued. “Sometimes I don't sleep when he goes out to work and has to stay out late.”
Alvarez, who opened Lit City Smoke Shop in the Columbia Heights neighborhood seven years ago, reached breaking point after his business suffered four robberies in 2023. He launched a recall effort against his council member, Brianne Nadeau, on September 20. February, arguing that the Democrats pushed soft-on-crime policies that have endangered residents, such as supporting cutting millions from the police budget, reducing penalties for some major criminal offenses, such as vehicle theft , and the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders.
Democratic Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau faces a recall campaign launched by Diana Álvarez in February. A small business owner blamed the official for supporting soft-crime policies that have allowed criminals to prosper and businesses to suffer. (Getty Images)
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“Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau is responsible,” Alvarez said.
Another Democrat, Councilman Charles Allen, faces a recall campaign over similar soft-crime arguments.
“How can we move forward when we have a city council that doesn't do the right thing for the citizens?” said Álvarez, herself a Democrat. “They are being too soft on crime and now, as a result of that, crime has gotten completely out of control here in Washington, DC.”
Nadeau, in response to the recall effort, told WUSA9 that he could “understand people's concerns about crime.” The three-term councilwoman defended her work and pointed to three bills she is spearheading to address public safety concerns, including legislation aimed at improving the city's 911 center and recruitment of police cadets.
“I will focus on doing the job that the voters of District 1 sent me here to do, and I will continue to do so regardless of any recall effort,” Nadeau told the local media.
The country's capital has faced an increase in crime in recent years, reaching the highest number of homicides in 26 years in 2023. Skyrocketing crime has led some residents to flee the city and caused several businesses to close entirely. (Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
But Alvarez said “it's too late” for the councilman to regain the community's trust.
“We have received unwavering support in this recall, and this simply means that DC residents, especially District 1 residents, are tired,” he said.
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The city council will vote Tuesday on a massive public safety bill. The legislation is an urgent response to rising crime in the District and aims to crack down on illegal gun ownership and retail theft and would expand the definition of vehicle theft, among other reforms.
In 2023, there were 274 homicides in the nation's capital (the highest number in 26 years) and robberies increased 67% compared to the previous year, according to data from the Metropolitan Police Department. The increasing violence has led some residents to flee the city and caused several businesses to close.
“It's embarrassing,” Alvarez said. “We are the nation's capital. This should not be happening here.”
Alvarez's smoke shop suffered its first robbery in 2023 last summer, but faced three more robberies in October alone. The incidents caused costly damage, distressed employees and made customers nervous, he said.
A small business owner of seven years in Washington, D.C., launched a recall effort against her Democratic council member after her tobacco shop suffered four robberies in 2023. (Courtesy: Diana Alvarez / Lit City Smoke Shop Security Camera)
“I can't afford to stay closed, so we had to clean up, be resilient and get back to work,” Alvarez said. “It's been very, very challenging. Crime in DC has gotten out of control and it's affecting small businesses like mine.”
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A nearly 10-year-old wine bar, for example, closed in December after the restaurant racked up high costs for five robberies in five months. Another restaurant, Sticky Fingers, closed in February after the owner was kidnapped while making a delivery, FOX5 reported.
“There is certainly crime. This makes it extremely difficult to operate,” Sticky Fingers owner Doron Petersan told the local media. “DC has not done enough to ensure our infrastructure is set up so everyone can operate safely.”
Nadeau's recall effort came shortly after the campaign was launched to unseat Allen over his criminal justice reform policies. The initiative, which began in December, has attracted support from Democratic political fundraisers and congressional staff who have helped raise more than $56,000 for the campaign.
A recall effort was launched against Democratic Councilman Charles Allen for his lax criminal justice reform policies. The campaign to recall Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau is the second recall effort to be launched in the district in months. (Getty Images)
Nadeau's recall committee similarly said it has garnered broad bipartisan support among business owners, real estate agents, homeowners and families who feel this is their last resort to save their neighborhood.
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“Our group is as bipartisan and non-political as possible,” a spokesperson for the recall campaign told Fox News in a statement. “We are totally focused on crime, public safety and Brianne's failed record on those issues.”
“Your car thief or home invader doesn't care if you're left-wing or right-wing, and neither do we,” the statement said. “Partisan politics have no place in this campaign.”
Nadeau did not respond to a request for comment.
