White House pressed on DC statehood as Biden says he’d override crime bill
Haisten Willis
Video Embed
The White House was pressed Thursday by several reporters after President Joe Biden said he’d sign a law overriding a new Washington, D.C., crime bill.
Biden, while stressing that he still supports D.C. statehood, nonetheless promised he’d sign a law overriding a crime bill passed unanimously by the City Council if it reaches his desk.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT HAS NO BACKUP PLAN IF STUDENT LOANS GAMBIT FAILS
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1631392285182009376
Reporters questioned press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the apparent contradiction — if D.C. should be a state, why does the president think he has the authority to override its City Council?
“This is different,” Jean-Pierre said. “The D.C. council put changes forward over the mayor’s objections, and the president doesn’t support changes like lowering penalties for carjackings. … But again, it doesn’t change the administration strongly supporting HR 51, which would have made D.C. the 51st state.”
Biden’s decision not to veto the legislation deals a major blow to local lawmakers in Washington, D.C., who urged congressional Democrats and Biden to vote against the measure in order to preserve the city’s autonomy. Biden told Senate Democrats of his decision during the party’s weekly luncheon as the upper chamber prepares to vote on the measure as soon as next week.
The news came as a surprise to some district lawmakers because Biden had previously expressed opposition to the Republican measure to override the city’s criminal code.
“This is news to me,” House Del. Eleanor Norton said. “I’m very disappointed in it.”
It seemed to surprise the White House press corps as well.
“The president belies that every city should have the right to self-government, except if he disagrees with the outcomes of their governing process?” one reporter asked.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“One thing that the president believes in is making sure that the streets in America, in communities across the country, are safe,” Jean-Pierre responded. “That includes D.C.”
The Senate GOP is hoping to force a vote next week on the updated code, which softens the punishment for homicide, robberies, and carjackings, opening Democrats up to attacks of being soft on crime should they choose to oppose the GOP’s repeal.
iFrame Object