President Joe Biden has blocked the District of Columbia’s crime bill, which has faced criticism for its ‘soft-on-crime’ provisions. The president announced that he would sign a resolution to block the bill, stating that he supported D.C. Statehood and home-rule, but not some of the changes the D.C. Council made over the mayor’s objections. Biden specifically cited the lowering of penalties for carjackings as an example.
Some House Democrats criticized the president for his decision, with one lawmaker stating that the White House had “f*cked this up royally” and that “heads should roll over at the White House over this”.
However, Rep. Pete Aguilar, the No. 3 House Democrat, expressed disappointment but also respect for the president’s position. Democrat D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton complained that the move came at a time of soaring crime rates. Meanwhile, the bill’s defeat is being considered a significant victory for the McCarthy-led House.
