(DailyVantage.com) – In a move that took everyone by surprise, President Joe Biden sided with Republicans by deciding not to veto a GOP crime bill.
In an attempt to not look soft on crime, Biden, to the chagrin of those in his own party, voiced support for a conservative piece of crime legislation that would reverse D.C.’s criminal justice reforms. Biden, though supportive of some parts of the reforms, stated that he was against certain provisions in the bill like one that “lowers penalties for carjackings”.
This move caught House Democrats completely off guard.
Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA), who seldomly ever has anything negative to say about the Biden administration, told Punchbowl News that he was “disappointed” by the president’s decision not to veto the bill. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a far left Democrat who recently introduced legislation that would grant D.C. statehood, also said that she was disappointed by Biden’s decision.
Some on the other side of the aisle, however, have voiced approval of Biden’s decision. Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters on Thursday that the move was “smart politics”.
With crime on the rise throughout the country, Biden and his team are trying to change the narrative that he is soft on crime. Republicans, who often criticize Biden for his frequent capitulation to the far left, often lump him in with the “Defund the Police” movement. Biden, time and time again, has had to reiterate that he does not support defunding the police.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, when asked about Biden’s decision to side with House Republicans, said “he believes in keeping the 700,000 residents in DC safe.”
The bill will now move on to a Democrat-controlled Senate. In a tweet Biden stated that “if the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. council did – I’ll sign it.”
Copyright 2023, DailyVantage.com
