FBI Director James Comey is "spot on" in linking the so-called "Ferguson Effect" to the recent rise in crime in some major cities, says Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Chuck Rosenberg.
"I think there is something to it,'' Rosenberg told reporters on Wednesday. " I think he's spot on. I've heard the same thing."
The Ferguson Effect is named for the civil unrest that occurred in Ferguson, MO and other cities following the deaths of black men either by police or while in police custody. Police say they fear becoming a target if they do their jobs aggressively.
Rosenberg was Comey's chief of staff before his appointment to head up the DEA in May.
"I've heard the same things. I think it's worth talking about," multiple news outlets quoted Rosenberg. "I don't know if it will turn out to be right or wrong. That's why Comey called for better data. The data that we have is limited. It just is.''
The White House has
disputed Comey's assessment, and Rosenberg was asked about that Wednesday.
"The White House is a building, so I'm not sure what the White House thinks,'' Rosenberg said, but added that he believed what Comey said was "thoughtful and measured.''
"When you get criticized from the right and the left, you probably hit it just about perfectly,'' he said.
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