President Joe Biden didn’t do himself any favors with members of his own Democratic Party this week when he sided with Republicans on a key issue pertaining the nation’s capital.
The Washington, D.C. City Council passed a crime law titled the “Council’s Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022,” which would have reduced penalties for several violent crimes, such as carjacking and robbery. In February, House Republicans introduced a resolution of disapproval to prevent the law from taking effect.
Biden had said previously that he would sign the measure of disapproval if it came to his desk while also backing support for “D.C. Statehood and home-rule” — just not “lowering penalties for carjackings.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted this week that Biden is planning on signing the measure because “he’s putting the safety of the people of D.C. first.” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed the law in January citing concerns from D.C. residents and “partners in the public safety and criminal justice community.” However, the D.C. Council overrode the veto with a 12-1 vote.
Congressional Democrats were furious at Biden for siding with Republicans (and some Dems) on overturning the measure.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, head of the extremist left-wing House Progressive Caucus, said she is “deeply disappointed” in Biden’s decision.
“This is simple: the District of Columbia must be allowed to govern itself. Democrats’ commitment to home rule should apply regardless of the substance of the local legislation,” she said in a statement to CNN. “This is why the Congressional Progressive Caucus and its members have endorsed D.C. statehood, with every CPC member cosponsoring D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton’s bill in the 117th Congress. Statehood is the only way to protect the 700,000 residents of the District from this kind of interference, we will continue to champion this cause.”
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York responded angrily as well.
“This ain’t it. DC has a right to govern itself, like any other state or municipality. If the President supports DC statehood, he should govern like it,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Plenty of places pass laws the President may disagree with. He should respect the people’s gov of DC just as he does elsewhere.”
Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, told CNN, “The people of the district should have the right to have their Council accountable to them and should not have to worry about what Congress is going to do in regards to local decisions.”
This ain’t it. DC has a right to govern itself, like any other state or municipality. If the President supports DC statehood, he should govern like it.
Plenty of places pass laws the President may disagree with. He should respect the people’s gov of DC just as he does elsewhere. https://t.co/VXczSp8YPc
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 3, 2023
The Constitution gives Congress control over the nation’s capital. And thus far, Congress has not passed legislation granting the city self-rule. Also, noted experts say that D.C. cannot become a state because the Constitution forbids it.
