On 3/3/2023, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, “when was this policy reversed? And why weren’t House Democrats notified about the reversal?” KJP replied, “we never laid out where we — where the President was going to — was going to go once that — once it came to his desk because we wanted to allow Congress to move forward in a way that they normally do with a mechanism — when a — when a piece of legislation moves forward. And so, we never said anything at this time. Now we’re communicating very clearly. Now that we know that this legislation is going to be in the President’s — at the President’s desk, we’re making very clear and communicating that — where the President is on this — on this legislation.”
Q: both things can’t be true? A: both can be true
Reporter: But I guess, you know, the President supports D.C. statehood; he’s been clear about that. But he’s not going to veto this bill from Congress, which does amount to Congress sort of meddling in D.C. own governance. Right? So how do you square that circle? Both things can’t be true.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, we believe both things can be true. Look, right now, D.C. is not a state. This is coming to the President. Right? This is something that’s coming to his desk, and he has to take action … we let the process move forward in Congress, and we felt this was the time to make that decision.
why not sooner? KJP: Biden Never Would’ve Said Opinion On DC Law Without House GOP Pressure
Reporter: Just following up on Colleen’s question on the D.C. crime bill. The House Democrats who are expressing anger and frustration, they are in part saying that they wish they had known sooner what the President’s position would be. As you know, a whole bunch of House Democrats already voted against the bill. Why didn’t the White House make this position clear before that vote had taken place in the House?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, when we put out the SAP — I think it was around the State of the Union; I think that’s when the SAP came out — we were very clear on where — in what — where the President was, which is making sure that he continues his commitment to D.C. statehood … even earlier this week, many of you were asking me — I think your colleague was asking me which direction the President was going to go. And he never made that clear in that SAP. And I think as it was becoming — we always let — we always let the process in Congress go through — right? — whatever mechanism they take, however it moves forward. So we never — we’re always very clear and careful about that. But as it now looks like it was going to come to his desk, we wanted to communicate where we were going to go. We wanted to communicate how the President was going to move forward with — with this particular bill. And we did. And we — we laid that out.
Q: Dems thrown under the bus by Biden, any heads-up and back and forth?
Reporter: we’ve been hearing that some of the House Democrats feel like they got thrown under the bus a little bit by the President’s decision not to step in on the effort to stop the overhaul — which is a lot of negatives, I understand, but I think you know where I’m going. So, I wanted to know, you know: Did the President give them a heads-up on the decision? Was there any sort of back-and-forth about it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, first, let me just say that the White House notified the — notified the members at the House retreat, as you know, back — that was earlier this week — or is still happening — in Baltimore … look, the President supports D.C. statehood … as it relates to the House, as it relates to Senate Democrats, it is a very important relationship to — for us and, clearly, very important. And with the Senate Democratic Caucus, as you know, when he met with them yesterday, he provided what he was going to do and made it very clear to them, and they had that discussion.
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KJP: Biden never would’ve opinion On DC Law without GOP Pressure, two opposite both can be true