Staff Reports
Several reporters asked the White House about Joe Biden's statement that he would sign a bill overriding a new crime legislation in Washington, D.C .
Despite his support for the District of Columbia becoming a state, Biden noted that he would sign a bill that would overturn a crime bill passed by the City Council.
I support D.C. Statehood and home-rule – but I don’t support some of the changes D.C. Council put forward over the Mayor’s objections – such as lowering penalties for carjackings.
If the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. Council did – I’ll sign it.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 2, 2023
Press secretary Jean-Pierre was asked about the contradiction between Biden's statement and the president's insistence that he has the power to overrule the District of Columbia's City Council.
Jean-Pierre noted that the president did not support the changes made by the council over the objections of the mayor. Despite this, the White House still supports HR 51, which would make the District of Columbia the 51st state.
It is a major blow to the local lawmakers in the District of Columbia, who urged Biden to veto the legislation. As the Senate prepares to vote on it next week, Biden told Senate Democrats that he would not veto the bill.
It was a surprise for some members of the District of Columbia Congress, as Biden had previously stated his opposition to the Republican-led legislation that would allow the override of the city's crime code.
House Representative Eleanor Norton said she was surprised by Biden's statement. The White House press corps was also surprised by the announcement.
One reporter asked why the president would support the District of Columbia becoming a state if he disagrees with the results of the local government's governing process.
Jean-Pierre stated that the president believes that the streets in the country are safe. He also noted that the District of Columbia should be included in this objective.
The Senate Republican is expected to force a vote on the crime code's update next week, which would soften the punishments for certain crimes. Democrats are expected to use this opportunity to attack the party's soft on crime if they decide to oppose the legislation.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Washington Examiner
