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The Push To Recall Councilmember Charles Allen

Posted on May 23, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Kaela Cote-Stemmermann

Kaela Cote-Stemmermann

Charles Allen, Councilmember for Ward 6

Charles Allen, Councilmember for Ward 6. (Lorie Shaull/Flickr)

If you haven’t heard, D.C.’s Councilmemer for Ward 6, Charles Allen, has been taking some serious heat. A group of Capitol Hill residents want to recall him, blaming him for last year’s crime spike. But Allen isn’t taking it lying down. We chatted with the recall organizers and Allen himself to get the full story.

The Case To Recall Allen

The recall campaign believes Allen is not hard enough on crime. Rich Masters, one of the campaign organizers, told us they believe Allen is “gutting the police department,” unnecessarily reducing sentencing, and not taking crime seriously.

No member of the D.C. Council has ever been recalled, and for a vote to occur, the campaign needs at least 6,500 signatures. Masters details the progress of the campaign and why they see the fight as critical to D.C.’s future ⬇️

City Cast

The Case to Recall Councilmember Charles Allen

00:00:00

Why Allen Should Stay

Allen is confident it won’t come to a recall, pointing out that last year’s rise in crime has less to do with his policymaking and more to do with D.C.’s understaffed 911 call center, a faulty crime lab, and local court vacancies. He also claims that the recall effort is led by national outside forces and funded by former Trump officials.

Allen says the recall campaign is “trying to convince you it's a neighborhood-driven effort, but it simply isn't. Neighbors don't go create dark money super PACs.” And there’s more where that came from ⬇️

City Cast

Councilmember Charles Allen Strikes Back

00:00:00

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