Biden’s Eviction Comments Create a Constitutional Pickle | RealClearPolitics
Was it the view of the White House that this surprising step was unconstitutional but necessary? I didn t say that, press secretary Jen Psaki told RealClearPolitics at Wednesday s briefing. Biden wouldn t have moved forward, she said in reply to a follow-up query, if he was not comfortable with the legal justification. RealClearPolitics raised that question again on Thursday with the president himself. And while he said he believes the new ban is in line with the law of the land, he could not answer for the Supreme Court. At very least, Biden added, the ban was necessary to buy renters some time.
I can’t guarantee you the court won t rule that we don’t have that authority, but at least we’ll have the ability to, if we have to appeal, to keep this going for a month. At least. I hope longer, he said during a White House briefing.
It was the latest in a showdown between a president who fancies himself something of a second FDR and a Supreme Court controlled by a conservative majority. After taking a lap around the White House driveway in a brand new all-electric Jeep, Biden stepped out from behind the wheel and tried to explain one last time why I did what I did.
The Supreme Court has made its ruling. Now let them enforce it. Now it’s time for my nap and my cookie.