A famous quote, often crediited to Mark Twain, says “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Legacy media commentators chose to ignore this truism when they condemned President Trump’s takeover of policing in Washington, D.C. They quote statistics proving that crime rates are declining in Washington and other major cities, and they insist that federal intervention is unnecessary and a threat to democracy.

What nonsense. The truth is that law enforcement officers in these cities have backed off from proactive policing. Certain criminal activities are no longer responded to or reported, and some felonies have been reclassified as misdemeanors. Crime rates are not down; in fact, they are exploding.

Be a honest reporter. Look past the misleading, lying statistics, and talk to citizens on the streets.