As the nation’s capital experiences a surge in criminal activity, President Joe Biden has indicated he will sign a bipartisan bill overturning a D.C. measure that decreases penalties for many crimes.
Democrats have committed to providing enough votes to pass a resolution that will be sent to Biden for consideration within weeks. This backing of the resolution by Democrats, who have been accused of being soft on crime, is noteworthy and could be seen as a shift in their stance leading up to the 2024 elections.
The bill has the support of at least five Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Patty Murray of Washington, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Mark Kelly of Arizona, and with the backing of Democrats, it could pass with a simple majority.
Republicans are expected to force a vote on the Senate floor, and they see an opportunity to champion a tough-on-crime policy that could be popular with passionate Republican voters.
According to Breitbart News, many political analysts believe that the Democrats’ soft-on-crime stance during the 2020 and 2022 elections was detrimental to their success at the polls.
The D.C. criminal law that reduces punishments for serious criminal offenses was enacted by the city council, which overrode the mayor’s veto, all while crime increased at the beginning of 2023.
The Metropolitan Police Department has reported a significant increase in crime, with 94 carjackings occurring in the District so far this year. Homicides have increased by 25 percent, along with theft from auto (21 percent), theft (16 percent), and arson (300 percent).
While Biden’s Twitter account indicated his support for the resolution to overturn the law, he retains the power to veto it, which would result in the law remaining in effect.
However, some Democrats are outraged that Biden would block the politically controversial soft-on-crime law, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed frustration with his decision.