Democratic Texas Rep. Colin Allred, who is running for U.S. Senate, voted to reduce the criminal penalty for carjacking in Washington, D.C., while his fellow Democratic state Rep. Henry Cuellar voted against the measure. Now, he will not comment on whether he regrets his vote after Cuellar was carjacked at gunpoint Monday night.
The Daily Caller contacted Allred’s office multiple times about his Feb. 9, 2023, vote against a resolution of disapproval to block the Washington, D.C., Council’s Revised Criminal Code Act (RCCA) of 2022, which would lower penalties for a number of violent criminal offenses. Despite Cuellar’s carjacking, Allred’s office refused to comment on his previous vote.
The D.C. Council approved the RCCA in November 2022. The RCCA reduces penalties for certain violent criminal offenses, including carjackings, robberies and homicides. Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed the bill Jan. 4, but the council overrode her veto Jan. 17 by a vote of 12-1.
Allred is positioning himself as a moderate in his campaign against Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
However, President Joe Biden; Mayor Bowser; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; former Democratic presidential candidates Michael Bennett, John Hickenlooper and Amy Klobuchar; former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine and Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez all opposed reducing the criminal penalty for carjacking. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House, Senate GOP To Start ‘DC Home Rule’ Vote To Block District’s New Crime Law)
Carjackings in the nation’s capital have tripled since 2019.
From right, Reps. Colin Allred, D-Texas, Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., and Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, are seen in the Rotunda after members of the Congressional Black Caucus gathered outside the Senate chamber to urge passage of voting rights legislation in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The Daily Caller first broke the news on the legislation Feb. 2. The vote passed the Senate in a 81-14 vote. A total of 33 Democrats voted with Republicans to pass the bill. In the House, it passed 229-189, with 14 Democrats voting with Republicans. Cuellar was one of the Democrats who voted with House Republicans to pass the resolution. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Oversight Committee Invites DC Officials To Testify On DC Operations, Crime)
Allred’s office was given over 24 hours to respond to the Caller. His office was also given a deadline.