Battle over DC statehood collides with politics of crime

An effort to update Washington, D.C.’s criminal code, which ballooned into a national tussle involving the president and Congress, has dealt a serious blow to the city’s long-standing fight for autonomy – while underscoring just how politically potent the issue of crime is likely to be in 2024.

If the U.S. Senate votes, as expected, this week to prevent Washington’s criminal code reforms from taking effect, it will be the first time in three decades that Congress has directly blocked a measure passed by the city council. Already, a significant number...