Biden's Pivot On D.C. Criminal Code Bill Creates Tension For Democrats

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is expected to setup a Senate vote on Wednesday on a Republican bill to block changes to D.C.'s criminal code.

• The legislation, a play by Republicans to portray Democrats as soft on crime, passed the House on February 9 with 173 Democrat House Reps voting against it.
• CNN: "At the time, the understanding among Democrats was that Biden opposed the bill – in no small part because of the White House statement saying it opposed it."
• President Biden has since pivoted, saying he won’t veto the bill, paving the way for moderate Democrat Senators to approve the bill.
• Axios: “The hostility threatens to damage the White House's relationship with House Democrats ahead of 2024, as Republicans force them to take votes on wedge issues that could come back to haunt the party on the campaign trail.”
• A House Democrat said Biden, "is going to have a much harder time asking people to take tough votes after this."
• A Democratic aide said of Biden: "'If you were going to do this, why not say before the vote to give us cover?'"