Washington, D.C., council pulls crime bill that Senate is poised to block

[The Grand Illuminist]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - The Democratic-controlled Washington city council on Monday withdrew a bill aimed at overhauling the city's criminal code, which Congress had been set to overturn in a move that President Joe Biden had vowed not to block.

"The bill has been pulled back from Congress," council chair Phil Mendelson said at a news conference, adding that he had sent a letter to the U.S. Senate advising that the bill had been withdrawn.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/washington-dc-council-pulls-crime-bill-that-senate-is-poised-block-2023-03-06/

[global1]

1. What's The Politics Behind This Move?....

I'm not sure I understand what's going on here?

[AZSkiffyGeek]

2. The revamp of the crime code lowered the minimums for some crimes

Biden didn't want to appear "soft on crime" going into an election year. At least that's the general interpretation I've seen. The accusations, of course, are that he really doesn't want DC to have self rule.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

6. The "new code", dropped penalties for carjacking, car thefts...

... and I do not think very many folks in the U.S. of A. would agree with that. Even here in Sioux Falls, S.D., car thefts, carjacking and high speed pursuits are out of control.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

7. What I was reading was that the current punishments were excessive

Like 40 years for car theft. The new bill would have lowered them, but not eliminated them.

[IronLionZion]

5. Everyone involved are liberal Democrats

and it's no surprise that liberal Democrats have widely different ideas on the issue of criminal justice reform. So various Dems have reforms and amendments to our 120 year old criminal code.

Lighter sentences for violent crime is absolutely controversial at a time when we are seeing a massive spike in violent crime.

Then there are Dems who want gun restrictions and higher penalties for gun crimes vs non-gun crimes. And so on.

[IronLionZion]

3. I live here, I agree with President Biden and Mayor Bowser on blocking this bill

it's misguided to lower penalties for violent crimes. I have no sympathy for people who commit armed car jackings and random violent assaults.

It's not like stealing food if you're hungry. Sell your guns to buy food. Punch yourself in the face if you're feeling angry about diversity moving into your neighborhood.

We can absolutely arrest and prosecute violent criminals without shooting unarmed people. It's not pick one or the other.

[tonekat]

4. That was a dumb bill to begin with

The carjackings and violent crimes are spilling over into Arlington, VA, where DC criminals can escape back into DC in stolen cars via the 14th St. Bridge. Totally tone deaf.

[Hortensis]

8. I read that D.C.'s nonvoting delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton,

"said Monday that withdrawing the bill was unlikely to affect Senate proceedings, adding that there was no precedent for withdrawing a bill that’s already been transmitted to Congress."