WaPo hammers Congress on voting rights bill

The Washington Post pulled no punches in its scathing editorial on Friday on the D.C. voting rights bill that is currently stalled in Congress. The bill, which would provide D.C. a voting member in the House and also add a member to Utah’s delegation, has made it through the Senate. It was held up in the House this week, as Democrats sought to address an amendment added to the Senate version that restricts D.C.’s ability to regulate and restrict guns.

The Washington Post says, basically, that lawmakers are in the pocket of the gun lobby.

…lawmakers were more interested (in the case of D.C. voting rights) in trying to curry favor with the gun lobby and (in the matter of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program) with teachers unions and others ideologically opposed to vouchers. It is scary how blithely 62 senators, including 22 Democrats, signed on to broad changes in gun legislation affecting the nation’s capital. Even if they don’t care a whit about the wishes or safety of city residents, you would think they might want to know what the Secret Service thinks about repealing the ban on .50-caliber sniper rifles able to pierce armor plating up to a mile away.

Wham! And the Washington Post goes further, singling out certain members.

With few but notable exceptions, Republicans have fought the District’s efforts for voting rights; the gun amendment offered by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) is but the latest sabotage. Democrats such as Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) have been similarly relentless in their fight against a program that offers some 1,700 poor children the choice to escape failing schools, a choice that members of Congress take for granted. We admire the leadership of House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) in pushing D.C. voting rights; too bad that Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) is less gutsy. Not only did Mr. Reid not try to dissuade his colleagues from voting for the objectionable gun amendment, his vote in support likely gave the green light for others to follow suit.

Yow!

jeremy.jacobs@digital-stage.thehill.com