乔·拜登总统在周四访问国会山期间，私下告诉参议院民主党人，他不会否决一项有争议的共和党领导的努力推翻华盛顿特区新的进步刑法，这一举动为民主党竞选连任提供了政治掩护。
随后，拜登拒绝回答美国广播公司新闻频道(ABC News)提出的问题，即如果国会法案摆在他面前，他将如何处理。但多名参议员证实，他告诉他们不会有否决权。
“他说得很清楚，我们听得很清楚，”西弗吉尼亚州参议员乔·曼钦(Joe Manchin)在离开午餐会时说。“我鼓掌很大声，因为我也有同感。”
拜登后来在一条推特上证实，如果华盛顿市议会通过的新刑法出现在他的办公桌上，他将签署这项立法，废除这部新刑法。该市的民主党市长穆里尔·布瑟否决了当地的立法，但委员会推翻了她的否决。
“我支持华盛顿特区的州地位和自治——但我不支持华盛顿特区议会不顾市长的反对而提出的一些变革——比如降低对劫车的处罚，”他在推特上写道。“如果参议院投票推翻特区议会的做法——我会签署。”
该市的刑法一直是当地和联邦政府争论的话题，国会对特区的法律有最终决定权。
共和党控制的众议院上个月投票阻止了刑法修正案，该修正案要求更多的陪审团审判，并减轻对劫车、抢劫和其他一些暴力犯罪的处罚。拜登政府当时说，它反对众议院的行动，说国会应该尊重华盛顿的自主权，但没有承诺总统否决。
白宫新闻秘书郭佳欣·让-皮埃尔在每日新闻发布会上被问及总统明显的转变。她告诉记者，他对国家地位的看法没有改变。
“我们对此的看法是，这是非常不同的。这是，特区议会不顾市长的反对提出的修改意见。总统也不支持降低劫车处罚等改革，”她说。
“看，总统相信的一件事是确保美国的街道和全国各地的社区安全，”她补充说。“这包括华盛顿——这一点不会改变。”
曼钦将于明年11月竞选连任，他在本周早些时候宣布支持废除华盛顿特区的新措施。他的支持，加上参议员约翰费特曼的缺席，使得共和党法案更有可能获得通过。
但拜登决定不阻碍其发展，这给了潜在的弱势民主党人在犯罪问题上的掩护，其中一些人直接离开了午餐，表示他们现在将与共和党人一起投票废除华盛顿特区的法律。
面临2024年连任的新墨西哥民主党参议员马丁·海因里希(Martin Heinrich)表示，他将在下周与共和党人一起投票废除该市的措施，并强调布瑟否决了该措施。
海因里希说:“我认为称之为自治并不准确，因为这是正确的事情。”。"我们都意识到存在一些非常严重的犯罪问题。"
宾夕法尼亚州民主党参议员鲍勃·凯西也将参加明年的投票，他也表示将投票阻止华盛顿特区的法律。
“我不支持他们(华盛顿特区)的所作所为，”凯西说，尽管他说拜登不否决的决定并不影响他的决定。
其他民主党人更犹豫地明确表示他们将如何投票，但几个人说他们对华盛顿的措施有真正的担忧。与本周早些时候的谈话相比，这是一个明显的语气变化，因为民主党人考虑到支持共和党人可能声称使他们“对犯罪手软”的立法的政治影响。
内华达州民主党参议员杰基·罗森(Jacky Rosen)仍在审查该法案，但她表示，她专注于保持社区的安全，包括她兼职居住的华盛顿特区。
“我可以告诉你，我们从每个人那里听到的最重要的事情是安全和有保障的社区，”罗森说，他将在2024年面临连任。“我们必须确保尽最大努力保护每个人。”
内华达州民主党参议员凯瑟琳·科尔特斯·马斯托(Catherine Cortez Masto)说，“作为一名前检察官，我对减少劫车和入室抢劫犯罪的一些犯罪量刑感到担忧，”她在11月份的紫色内华达州以微弱优势赢得连任。“还没准备好黄金时段。”
大多数民主党人表示，他们将在下周投票阻止共和党提出的法案，他们这样做不是因为他们支持华盛顿特区刑法的变化，而是因为支持华盛顿特区自治。
“如果我在市议会，我会投票反对这项措施，”马里兰州民主党参议员克里斯·范·霍伦说。“但我尊重哥伦比亚特区人民自决的过程。”
共和党参议员比尔·哈格蒂正在发起推翻华盛顿法案的努力，他驳斥了这些担忧。
“我认为这与特区的州地位和简单的公共安全问题有些混淆。华盛顿的州地位是另外一个问题。这关系到华盛顿每个人的安全，关系到我的员工和选民的安全。就在昨天，有150人来拜访我，”这位田纳西州共和党人说。
Biden says he won't veto GOP measure to repeal DC's new criminal code
President Joe Biden, during a visit to Capitol Hill Thursday, told Senate Democrats behind closed doors that he would not veto acontroversial Republican-led effortto roll back Washington, D.C.'s new progressive criminal code, a move that gives political cover to Democrats up for reelection.
Afterward, Biden refused to answer ABC News' shouted questions about how he'd handle the congressional bill if it came to his desk. But multiple senators confirmed that he told them there would be no veto.
"He said that very clearly and we heard it very loud and clear," said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., as he was departing the lunch. "I clapped very loudly because I feel the same."
Biden later confirmed in a tweet that he would sign the legislation to rescind the new criminal code, passed by the D.C. City Council, if it comes to his desk. The city's Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, had vetoed the local legislation but the council overrode her veto.
"I support D.C. Statehood and home-rule -- but I don't support some of the changes D.C. Council put forward over the Mayor's objections -- such as lowering penalties for carjackings," he tweeted. "If the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. Council did -- I'll sign it."
The city's criminal code has been the subject of much debate locally and at the federal level, with Congress having the ultimate say over D.C. laws.
The Republican-controlled House voted last month to block the criminal code revision, which would require more jury trials and reduces penalties for carjacking, robbery and some other violent crimes. The Biden administration said at the time that it opposed the House action, saying Congress should respect D.C.'s autonomy, but didn't commit to a presidential veto.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was hammered with questions about the president's apparent reversal at the daily briefing. She told reporters his view on statehood hasn't changed.
"The way that we see this is, it's very different. This is, the D.C. Council put changes forward over the mayor's objections. And the president doesn't support changes like lowering penalties for carjacking," she said.
"Look one thing that the president believes in is making sure that the streets in America and communities across the country are safe," she added. "That includes D.C. -- that does not change."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer walks with President Joe Biden as he arrives at the Capitol, March 2, 2023.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Manchin, who's up for reelection next November, announced his support for the effort to quash the new D.C. measure earlier this week. His support, coupled with Sen. John Fetterman's absence, made it more likely that the GOP-bill would pass.
But Biden's decision not to stand in its way gives potentially vulnerable Democrats cover on crime issues, some of whom left the lunch outright saying they'll now vote with Republicans to quash the D.C. law.
Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat facing reelection in 2024, said he'll vote with Republicans to quash the city measure next week, highlighting that Bowser vetoed it.
"I think calling it a home rule thing is not so accurate as this is about getting it right," Heinrich said. "We all realize there are some very serious crime issues."
Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who will also be on the ballot next year, also said he'll vote to block the D.C. law.
"I didn't support what they [D.C.] did," Casey said, though he said Biden's decision not to veto did not affect his decision.
Other Democrats were more hesitant to explicitly state how they'd vote but several said they have real concerns about the D.C. measure. It was a noted change of tone from conversations earlier this week as Democrats consider the political implications of backing legislation that Republicans could claim makes them "soft on crime."
Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., is still reviewing the bill, but said she is focused on keeping communities, including D.C. where she resides part time, safe.
"I can tell you the most important thing we hear from everyone is safe and secure communities," said Rosen, who will face reelection in 2024. "We have to be sure we are protecting everyone as best we can."
"I have concerns about the reduction in some of the crime sentencing that I've seen, as a former prosecutor with respect to reduction in crime around carjackings and home invasions," said Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who narrowly won reelection in purple Nevada in November. "It's not ready yet for prime time."
Most Democrats who said they will vote to block the GOP-proposed bill next week are doing so not because they back the changes to D.C. criminal code, but because support D.C. self-rule.
"If I had been on the city council I would have voted against the measure," Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, said. "But I respect the process of the people of the District of Columbia to self-determination."
Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty, who is sponsoring the effort to quash the D.C. bill, dismissed those concerns.
"I think there's a bit of conflation with D.C. statehood and what is simply a public safety issue. D.C. statehood is a separate issue. This is this is about the safety of everybody in D.C. It's the safety of my staff and the safety of constituents. I had 150 people in to visit me just yesterday," the Tennessee Republican said.
