{"id":558279,"date":"2023-03-02T00:46:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T21:46:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-a-dc-crime-bill-is-creating-big-problems-for-democrats\/"},"modified":"2023-03-02T00:46:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T21:46:27","slug":"why-a-dc-crime-bill-is-creating-big-problems-for-democrats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-a-dc-crime-bill-is-creating-big-problems-for-democrats\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why a DC crime bill is creating big problems for Democrats"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a26d7fa924f7\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a26d7fa924f7\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-a-dc-crime-bill-is-creating-big-problems-for-democrats\/#Why_a_DC_crime_bill_is_creating_big_problems_for_Democrats\" >Why a DC crime bill is creating big problems for Democrats<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_a_DC_crime_bill_is_creating_big_problems_for_Democrats\"><\/span>Why a DC crime bill is creating big problems for Democrats<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/manchinjoe_022823gn4_w.jpg?w=900\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Senate Republicans are trying to put the squeeze on Democrats ahead of an expected vote on legislation next week that would undo parts of a District of Columbia crime bill.<\/p>\n<p>The bill would eliminate most mandatory sentences, lower penalties for a number of violent offenses, including carjackings and robberies, and expand the requirement for jury trials in most misdemeanor cases.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr1_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>The legislation was unanimously <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roved by the D.C. City Council, which then overrode a veto by Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in an overwhelming 12-1 vote.<\/p>\n<p>The GOP House passed a resolution of disapproval that would block the implementation of the law. It\u2019s that resolution the Senate is expected to vote on next week \u2014 and it is likely to pass despite the Democratic Senate majority and the party\u2019s usual support for D.C. home rule.<\/p>\n<p>The reasons are a mix of the political and circumstantial.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is expected to miss the vote as he gets treatment for clinical depression, which narrows the Democratic majority to 50-49.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) says he\u2019ll vote for the bill, saying the legislation doesn\u2019t make sense to him.<\/p>\n<p>Other Senate Democrats, particularly those like Manchin who face difficult reelection races in red or purplish states in 2024, may vote with him. In the House, 31 Democrats joined Republicans in backing the resolution of disapproval.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr2_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>If it passes, President Biden will face a somewhat difficult decision. While it is expected that he will veto the resolution of disapproval and argue it is a serious infringement on D.C. home rule \u2014 the idea that the District of Columbia has authority in D.C. and should be able to govern itself \u2014 the veto will undoubtedly be used by the GOP in campaign ads and arguments for the rest of the cycle.<\/p>\n<p>And the danger of being a Democrat seen as soft on crime was reinforced Tuesday when Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot failed to advance from her own primary amid public anger over the issue. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Senate Democrats by and large have declined to jump on board to overturn the D.C. bill given their longstanding support for the District\u2019s self-governance, but Republicans are signaling confidence. They appear to think more Democrats in the Senate than Manchin will be with them on a vote next week.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr3_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWhy the D.C. City Council against the wishes of the mayor in the same party would be downgrading certain offenses \u2014 it just defies common sense,\u201d Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told The Hill. \u201cI think it will be difficult for anybody [to vote against the resolution] and I think it will be difficult for the president to veto it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no huge surprise that Manchin, who told\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/02\/27\/us\/politics\/biden-congress-dc-crime-bill.html\">The New York Times<\/a>\u00a0that slashing mandatory minimum sentences makes no sense to him, would vote with the GOP on the issue. His state voted overwhelmingly for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n<p>Other Democrats to watch include Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Jon Tester (Mont.), who told reporters in recent days that they are undecided. Both face reelection in 2024 in states won by Trump in 2020.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr4_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), who usually votes with Democrats, is also seen as a gettable vote. A Sinema spokesperson told The Hill that she \u201cdoes not preview votes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Republicans point to Lightfoot, the latest Democratic office holder to run into problems over her handling of crime, to argue it will be political trouble for those who effectively vote to back the D.C. City Council.<\/p>\n<p>Paul Vallas, the leading vote-getter on Tuesday in the Chicago vote, ran on a tough-on-crime message, and took nearly twice as many votes as Lightfoot.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr5_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cI think that the mayor of Chicago is probably a case in point,\u201d said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).<\/p>\n<p>The lowering of penalties and other changes has created a tough fence to straddle for Democrats as they overwhelmingly support statehood for the District.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, told The Hill that while his conference backs Home Rule powers, members are looking at the bill \u201cvery closely\u201d because \u201cwe also want this to be a safe city.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr6_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>The crime issue has touched a nerve in the District over non-stop reports of carjackings and robberies across the city.<\/p>\n<p>Homicides\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/page\/district-crime-data-glance\">are up 30 percent<\/a>\u00a0this year from the same point last year. According to the\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/page\/carjacking\">Metropolitan Police Department\u2019s reporting<\/a>, the District has seen 94 carjackings this year alone, with only 16 of those cases being closed and nine arrests having been made. Seventy-eight percent of those incidents have involved juveniles.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone\u2019s going to have to make up their own mind on this and I respect that,\u201d said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who noted that he does not support the crime bill on its own. \u201cRegardless of where you stand on the underlying issue as to what the D.C. government did, the United States Senate should not be substituting its judgment for the elected representatives for the people of the District of Columbia, especially since almost every Senate Democrat supports D.C. statehood.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr7_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>While Bowser opposed the council\u2019s measure and in early February called for it to consider changes to the minimization of penalties and issues surrounding jury trials, she has urged members of Congress to butt out of city-related issues.<\/p>\n<p>The White House has yet to issue a direct veto threat against the resolution, though it has said that it opposes overruling the newly-passed criminal code.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCongress should respect the District of Columbia\u2019s autonomy to govern its own local affairs,\u201d the White House said in January, adding that it still supports D.C. statehood.<\/p>\n<p>Durbin added that he has \u201cno idea\u201d if he expects Biden to issue a formal veto threat.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The District was handed home rule powers in 1973, and Congress has not overturned any city-wide enacted bill in more than three decades. Nevertheless, Republicans believe that the vote could put the president in a bind, especially as the crime situation worsens in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019ll be a difficult vote for anybody who believes in law and order to not be able to impact our capital city that has a higher rising crime rate,\u201d Capito said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/state-watch\/3879991-why-a-dc-crime-bill-is-creating-big-problems-for-democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why a DC crime bill is creating big problems for Democrats Senate Republicans are trying to put the squeeze on Democrats ahead of an expected vote on legislation next week that would undo parts of a District of Columbia crime bill. The bill would eliminate most mandatory sentences, lower penalties for a number of violent&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":558280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/manchinjoe_022823gn4_w.jpg?w=1280","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[30889,53690,136810,4998,140738,134661,80445,90482,124783,991,89017,134190,137265,127406,96140,71525,136293,134345,76751],"class_list":["post-558279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-biden","tag-chicago","tag-chris-van-hollen","tag-crime","tag-district-of-columbia","tag-energy-environment","tag-healthcare","tag-house","tag-international","tag-joe-biden","tag-joe-manchin","tag-john-fetterman","tag-jon-tester","tag-lori-lightfoot","tag-muriel-bowser","tag-national-security","tag-shelley-moore-capito","tag-state-watch","tag-sustainability"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=558279"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558279\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/558280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=558279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=558279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=558279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}