Today's Headlines

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler faced off with Sean Duffy on Capitol Hill. Plus more news.

By David Meyer

12:01 AM EDT on July 17, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

Jerry Nadler earlier this year. Photo: David Meyer

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler faced off over subway crime stats with Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at Duffy’s first appearance before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Nadler first accused Duffy “misrepresenting the facts” about subway crime, asking Duffy whether he knew “major crime in the transit system … is down 3 percent since last year and down 8 percent since 2019.” Duffy retorted that Nadler was “wrong” (he wasn’t), then threw out his own stats — that assaults “are up 60 percent … since 2019.”

“Our subways are safe and I gave you these statistics,” Nadler said

“You’re wrong,” Duffy told him. They two then faced off about Duffy’s other big lie — that the MTA didn’t conduct a thorough study of the impacts of congestion pricing.

Watch the exchange below, and check out Streetsblog USA’s rundown of the hearing here.

Exchange between @RepJerryNadler and @SecDuffy on NYC Subway safety

Nadler: "Why do you continue ignore this and lie about this…?"

Duffy: "Why do you continue to lie about people being lit on fire in subways or pushed in front of trains?"

Nadler: "Our subways are safe." pic.twitter.com/BnOtJoQHHf
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 16, 2025

Here are the facts:

The NYPD's crime and assault data, which @SecDuffy has, confirms that major crime in the transit system is down 3% since last year, and down 8% since 2019.

Total assaults are down from this time last year.

The data shows that New York is the safest big… https://t.co/U5dDCEO9Ue
— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) July 16, 2025

The spat was big news, with coverage in The Hill,

In other news:

Gothamist teed off five “soap opera”-like accusations from former NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon’s lawsuit against Mayor Adams and the NYPD. (Streetsblog covered the traffic safety angle.)
Charles Komanoff weighed in on the 15 mph e-bike speed limit for Vital City.
The Post was not having it with Andrew Cuomo’s bid to run the MTA … nor his “inauthentic” ad showing him helping a man jump-start his car. (NY Post)
Speed demons: “Harry Potter” actress Emma Watson can’t drive for six months after getting caught speeding. (BBC)
There’s a fight over what to do with a plot of land in Jackson Heights that elected officials want to turn into a park. (Gothamist)
Several subway lines experienced delays on Wednesday morning. (Gothamist)
The city put out new rules for “granny flats” and basement apartments. (Crain’s)
A delivery worker slashed a DOT truck driver after the two nearly collided in lower Manhattan. (Daily News)
Partner of slain Brooklyn activist issued a “cease-and-desist” demand after Council Member Vickie Paladino attacked her on X. (amNY)
Team QueensLink is not giving up even as the city moves ahead with plans for a park where it wants to put a train. (The City)

David Meyer

David was Streetsblog's do-it-all New York City beat reporter from 2015 to 2019. He returned as an editor in 2023 after a three-year stint at the New York Post and is now Managing Editor.