This week, lawmakers voted in favor of granting DC statehood. The decision has sparked a national debate, and lawmakers are mixed on whether or not DC should be granted statehood. Florida Rep. Michael Waltz (R), who’s made it clear that he does not support DC gaining statehood, released a statement discussing the matter.
He didn't hold back.
“It’s no coincidence progressives are pushing for statehood for Washington, DC. Just days after introducing legislation to pack the Supreme Court with more justices,” said Rep. Waltz, adding that “this is nothing more than a power grab to add two Democrat senators with the help of newly appointed justices to help give constitutional cover.” To this, Waltz says that there should be a “full stop.”
“Our founders specifically opted not to give Washington, D.C. voting representatives given its special status as a federal district so our nation’s capital would not have any influence over legislative matters,” he shared.
While noting that he agrees with “returning the neighborhoods around Washington, D.C. to Maryland, which would provide full representation to its residents and comply with the Constitution while keeping the core downtown federal area of DC under federal control,” Waltz warned that “if Democrats were serious about representation vs gaining more Senate seats, they would support this compromise too.”
Placing blame on Democratic leadership, Waltz slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D), calling on them to “stop attempting to ram through unconstitutional legislation that will only intensify partisan tensions.”
The Democratic-controlled U.S. Congress continues to press a Progressive agenda in hopes that President Biden will sign all of the "wish list" issues into law, issues that were dead on arrival in the Republican-led Senate while former President Donald Trump was in office.
Senate Democrats control the Senate because Vice President Kamala Harris serves as the tie-breaking vote in that chamber.
