Heated Battle Over Subway Crime
A Manhattan congressmember and the U.S. secretary of transportation went head to head over subway crime.
A Manhattan congressmember and the U.S. secretary of transportation accused each other of lying about subway safety as they presented competing statistics at a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing Wednesday.
Background of the Dispute
Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.), a senior member of the House’s transportation committee, questioned Sean Duffy, who leads the federal Department of Transportation, over Duffy’s public criticism of the MTA. Duffy has accused the MTA of allowing crime to fester in the subway, despite police statistics showing overall subway crime declining.
The Hearing
Duffy and Nadler each accused the other of lying as they talked over each other and eventually started shouting in the hearing room. Data from the New York Police Department shows that, generally, subways are far safer than critics and media portray. Major crime — including murder, rape and assault — in New York’s subways was down 3% from last year and down 8% from 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Misrepresentation of Facts
Nader said Duffy was ignoring the data to make the subway appear more dangerous. “Secretary Duffy, as recently as last week, you again attacked the MTA, claiming there’s a surge in subway assaults and accusing the agency of withholding information, but many of your statements misrepresent the facts and ignore documentation already provided to your department,” Nadler said. Nadler asked if Duffy was aware of the trend, to which Duffy replied, “No, that’s wrong.”
Duffy’s Testimony
Duffy pointed to an outlier in the data that shows a recent surge in assaults, which critics have said demonstrates the danger of the subway. Nadler said Duffy’s testimony and data misrepresented the overall trend of New York’s subways. “Why do you continue to ignore this and lie about this in your public comments?” Nadler said. Duffy then raised his voice at Nadler and returned the question: “Why do you continue to lie about people being lit on fire in subways or pushed in front of trains? You should be fighting to make sure your subways are safe.”
Criticism of Duffy’s Approach
Duffy, a former reality TV star, has repeatedly criticized the New York subway throughout his tenure as transportation secretary, relying on a few high-profile cases that propelled the city’s subway safety to national attention, including when a woman was burned alive in December. But subway crime makes up less than 2% of total crime in New York City in 2025, and the chances of facing crime on the subway are as remote as being injured in a car crash on a two-mile drive, according to a New York Times analysis of data from 2022.
Reaction from Transit Advocates
Danny Pearlstein, director of communications and policy for the pro-transit group Riders Alliance, said Duffy is more interested in political posturing than solving crime. “Sean Duffy has no sympathy for anyone victimized underground or he would invest in safety,” Pearlstein wrote on social media. “He’s using riders as props to tear down transit, boost fossil fuel consumption, and turn Americans against one another.”
Congestion Pricing Dispute
Nadler also accused Duffy of misrepresenting New York’s congestion pricing program, a toll scheme designed to reduce traffic and fund public transportation. The city won a court case against the federal government after Duffy tried to halt funding to the MTA because of the program earlier this year. Nadler and Duffy continued to talk over each other, with Nadler claiming Duffy had ignored procedure and attempted to stop congestion pricing even after it passed federal review.
Elitist Policy
In turn, Duffy said congestion pricing is an “elitist” policy that hurts the working class by segregating the road. Car-owning households have twice the average annual income as households without cars, according to a 2024 analysis from Hunter College. And a 2017 report from the Community Service Society of New York, an anti-poverty group, found that only 4% of residents in the outer boroughs commute to a Manhattan job and would be subject to congestion pricing.
Conclusion
The heated battle over subway crime at the congressional hearing highlights the deep-seated disagreements between lawmakers and the transportation secretary over the safety of the New York subway system. While data shows that crime has decreased in the subways, the secretary of transportation continues to criticize the MTA, accusing them of misrepresenting the facts. The dispute also extends to the congestion pricing program, which the secretary claims is elitist and hurts the working class. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved and what impact it will have on the safety and efficiency of the New York subway system.
FAQs
Q: What was the main topic of discussion at the congressional hearing?
A: The main topic of discussion was subway crime and the safety of the New York subway system.
Q: Who accused whom of lying during the hearing?
A: Both Secretary Duffy and Congressman Nadler accused each other of lying about subway safety and congestion pricing.
Q: What does the data show about subway crime in New York?
A: The data shows that major crime in the subways has decreased by 3% from last year and 8% from 2019.
Q: What is congestion pricing and how does it affect the working class?
A: Congestion pricing is a toll scheme designed to reduce traffic and fund public transportation. While Secretary Duffy claims it is elitist and hurts the working class, data shows that car-owning households have twice the average annual income as households without cars.
Q: What was the outcome of the court case against the federal government regarding congestion pricing?
A: The city won the court case, allowing the congestion pricing program to move forward.
