Politics

New Jersey Attorney General Sues Trump Administration Over Tweet Saying Public Housing Correlates With Crime

Democratic New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced a lawsuit against the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Monday after President Donald Trump said public housing leads to an uptick in crime.

“Nothing. That’s what we got from the Trump Administration when we requested data supporting the President’s claims linking affordable housing to crime,” Grewal tweeted.

“We called them out, and they came up empty. Now we’re suing for answers.”

Nothing.

That’s what we got from the Trump Administration when we requested data supporting the President’s claims linking affordable housing to crime. We called them out, and they came up empty. Now we’re suing for answers: https://t.co/gSTW30fpO4 pic.twitter.com/elk58zEwtH

— AG Gurbir Grewal (@NewJerseyOAG) October 19, 2020

The president tweeted on July 29, “I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood…Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down.”

“I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy!”

…Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down. I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020

New Jersey authorities requested information to back up Trump’s claims through the Freedom of Information Act in mid-August, but the AG alleges that neither HUD nor the Department of Justice responded to their request within the legal timeframe of one month, according to a press release.

“Why would a President with access to all of the federal government’s resources make unfounded claims about nonexistent crime waves?” Grewal asked in the news release.

“Why try to scare people with no basis? If the numbers support the President’s claims, why not release them?”