GOP Sen. Kennedy: D.C. Statehood ‘About Power,’ ‘Unconstitutional’

Friday on Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) dismissed the disenfranchisement argument made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and others for giving the District of Columbia statehood and thereby increasing its representation in Congress.

Kennedy said it was instead about “power,” however suggested it was unconstitutional.

“I think it’s all about power, like everything else in Washington, D.C.,” he said. I mean, I haven’t studied the issue as extensively as some, Neil. But some say it would be unconstitutional. If you look at Article 1 of the Constitution, the idea of our founders was that there would be an independent district, not beholden to any state, not influenced by any state. Another argument I have heard is that the land for the District came from Maryland and Virginia. Virginia’s land has been given back, but if D.C. no longer was D.C., D.C. wouldn’t own the land, that Maryland would. It would cost the District of Columbia a lot of money. Congress puts up about $700 million a year, I think, to — to defray the District’s expenses.”

“Others, I have heard say, well, we haven’t been particularly impressed with the way the mayor and her colleagues have handled the recent felony rioting in D.C.,” Kennedy continued. “I think it’s fair criticism. I think the mayor’s, for her politics, has allowed that to happen. I listened to Speaker Pelosi, who I respect, talk about it has nothing to do with — with disenfranchisement or enfranchisement. That is a bunch of bull, and she knows it. She knows that D.C. is heavily, heavily, heavily Democratic, and they would pick up a congressional seat and two Senate seats. And that’s what it will — that’s what it’s going to come down to, like everything else in Washington.”

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