President Trump took a shot at Joe Biden Monday for his backing of the 1994 crime bill, which is controversial among Democrats.
At the time of the passage of the bill, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, Biden served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was instrumental in getting the legislation onto then President Bill Clinton’s desk and signed into law.
“Anyone associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being elected. In particular, African Americans will not be able to vote for you,” Trump tweeted. “I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform, which had tremendous support, and helped fix the bad 1994 Bill!”
Anyone associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being elected. In particular, African Americans will not be able to vote for you. I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform, which had tremendous support, & helped fix the bad 1994 Bill!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2019
Trump then went after Biden directly.
“Super Predator was the term associated with the 1994 Crime Bill that Sleepy Joe Biden was so heavily involved in passing. That was a dark period in American History, but has Sleepy Joe apologized? No!” Trump said.
….Super Predator was the term associated with the 1994 Crime Bill that Sleepy Joe Biden was so heavily involved in passing. That was a dark period in American History, but has Sleepy Joe apologized? No!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2019
The 1994 crime bill overhauled the criminal justice system, funding an additional 100,000 police officers and providing $14 billion more in grants for community policing. While crime rates in the U.S. largely dropped after the bill was passed, critics say the legislation led to an era of mass incarceration that heavily affected black communities.
Biden’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
[Opinion: On the crime bill, Biden is groveling when he should be boasting]
