Biden and Congress Are Right to Stop DC’s Misguided Crime Bill

On Wednesday evening, the US Senate approved Republican-sponsored legislation that would block the District of Columbia from easing punishments for some local crimes. Departing from his party’s longstanding commitment to home rule for the district, President Joe Biden has said he will sign the bill. The sheer irresponsibility of the city’s proposed reforms gave Biden no other choice.

At issue is the city council’s recently approved overhaul of the district’s century-old criminal code, which governs how crimes are defined and provides sentencing guidelines for prosecutors and judges. Among other things, the new policy would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for all crimes, except first-degree murder; allow people serving time (including for serious offenses) to petition for shorter sentences; and give those charged with misdemeanors the right to demand jury trials, a measure likely to overwhelm underfunded courts. More egregiously, it would reduce punishments for violent offenses such as robberies and carjackings and even slash penalties for illegal gun possession.