Letts: D.C. Council Wouldn’t Protect Citizens, So Congress Did

Isn’t it funny how Democrats, who don’t want to prosecute criminals and protect citizens when bad things happen in other cities, turn around and act like Republicans when their own safety could be threatened?

The most recent example of this is the decision of the US Senate. pass resolutions to block amendments to the Washington, D.C. Penal Code that would reduce sentences for many violent criminal offenses such as robbery and auto theft.

As a result, county criminals would have less reason to fear the consequences of their criminal actions.

Interestingly, the D.C. Democratic government approved the changes, but the Democratic-controlled US Senate blocked them.

In addition, 33 Democratic senators voted to block the changes. In the House of Representatives, 31 Democrats joined Republicans to block changes 250-173.

District officials love to champion DC statehood and self-government, but federal law gives Congress the power to block DC legislation before it becomes law.

Most of the time, Congress is pleased that the district is being granted home rule, but now that the city council has shown it does not want to stop violent crime in the city, Congress has stepped in to void the district for the first time in a generation. law.

President Joe Biden said he will sign the disapproval bill if passed by the Senate in a March 2 tweet.

“I support the statehood and self-government of the District of Columbia, but I do not support some of the changes made by the District of Columbia Council over the objections of the mayor, such as lowering fines for auto thefts. If the Senate votes to reverse what the DC Council did, I will sign it,” Biden said.

I support D.C. statehood and self-government, but I don’t support some of the changes the D.C. Council made over the mayor’s objections, such as reducing car theft fines.

If the Senate votes to reverse what the DC Council did, I’ll sign it.

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 2, 2023

If he supports self-government, why doesn’t he support the bill passed unanimously by the D.C. Council last year? How bad were the proposed changes if other Democratic politicians failed to support them?

Or was it something else?

Are they worried about their safety in a lawless city, or are they really paying attention to the news and realizing that voters are rebelling against politicians who are soft on crime?

Rep. Angie Craig, Democrat from Minnesota, recently was attacked in the elevator of her D.C. apartment building. Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot lost her city’s Democratic primary to a pro-rule Democrat.

People get tired of politicians speaking softly to crime, and some of them understand this, if only to stay in office.

Last year, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee sent letter D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to speak about her plan to fight violent crime in the nation’s capital, especially since she and the council have cut police funding.

Bowser has said she plans to take new actions to ensure public safety that will not be part of the penal code. She emphasized that there must be consequences for criminal acts, and her constituents seem to agree with her. They want the police to be funded and prevent crime in their neighborhoods.

What Congress did was necessary because the council was not doing its job of protecting the citizens. Now perhaps the council will do something to fight crime in the city.

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