Joe Biden Congratulates New Hampshire on Eliminating Death Penalty, Reversing a Decades Old Stance
Joe Biden’s campaign will not say whether or not he still believes in the death penalty. After decades of supporting the policy, Biden offered a “decidedly different stance” on the campaign trail in New Hampshire earlier this month.
June 20, 2019
Joe Biden’s campaign will not say whether or not he still believes in the death penalty. After decades of supporting the policy, Biden offered a “decidedly different stance” on the campaign trail in New Hampshire earlier this month.
Does Joe Biden still believe in the death penalty? His campaign won’t say
An aside by the Democratic hopeful at a town hall triggers questions about whether he’s changed his mind on another hot-button issue.
By: Christopher Cadelago
Joe Biden said in a 1992 speech that criminal justice legislation he was pushing was so strict that “we do everything but hang people for jaywalking.” Two years later, his signature crime bill made dozens of additional offenses punishable by death.
But in a little-noticed remark earlier this month in New Hampshire, the Democratic presidential frontrunner seemed to offer a decidedly different stance on the death penalty.
Fielding a question from a voter aligned with the ACLU about how he’d reduce the federal prison population, Biden gave a long and winding answer: He defended his crime bill, advocated for reforms to the criminal justice system involving nonviolent and drug offenders, and said he was proud of his work with Barack Obama to cut the federal prison population by 3,800.
Then, unprompted, Biden added: “By the way, congratulations to ya’ll ending the death penalty here.”
Biden’s campaign would not comment on his answer, or shed light on whether he’s changed his position on the death penalty. The ACLU also declined to weigh in, given the ambiguity of his comment.
Biden’s support for the death penalty was consistent throughout his 30-plus years in the Senate. Whether that stand holds will be another case study of how he reconciles long-held beliefs with the leftward march of his party. His record is full of tough-on-crime bills and statements that were in line with Bill Clinton-style centrism, but now look out of step.
Read the full article here.
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