House Democrats Vote to Grant DC Statehood

For the obvious reason that they seek to add two more Senators to their ranks. Though it’s unlikely to get past a filibuster in the Senate, the story notes “Zack Smith, a legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, argued before Congress last month that D.C.’s status can only be changed through a constitutional amendment since its creation and purpose provisions are enumerated in Article I of the Constitution. He claimed that the framers of the Constitution “intended this to be a federal district outside the jurisdiction of any one state.” Smith predicted that lawsuits and litigation would follow a D.C. statehood bill passing in Congress. “Every legislative act of this new state would be called into question. … Things would be in a state of flux for years,” Smith said” (National Review). From the Wall Street Journal editorial board: A week after the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee introduced legislation to pack the Supreme Court by adding four new Justices, the House is set to vote on a bill to pack the U.S. Senate by adding two new Senators. Unlike court-packing, the bill granting statehood to Washington, D.C., has majority support among elected Democrats and the official backing of the White House. But the impetus behind both measures is the same—to tilt the constitutional playing field and consolidate liberal power (WSJ). From Spencer Brown: Rather than prioritizing policies to address the crisis challenge at our southern border, spiking violent crime, rising fuel and energy prices, or aggression from China and Russia, the “we know best” Democrats have cleared another hurdle in their latest push to give Washington, D.C., statehood (Townhall).