'I'm not giving Joe Biden cover': Rep. Clyburn explains his 1994 crime bill vote

[@krystalgustin1409]

Good reporting. I agree some of those changes needed to happen like the weapons and women protection but the 1994 Crime Bill did not help or fix anything really, it hurt a lot of people and it's still targeted and targeting Black Americans.

[@jmjfanss]

Yep and made the problem worse, end the war on drugs.

[@richtheking7157]

I think people forget how bad the crack epidemic was back in the 80s.

[@scruff522]

I think people also forget the govt brought the drugs over here.

[@ebonix33]

Sooo crack and cocaine has a 15-20yrs difference in sentencing. ...sounds racial to me

[@John-mu2js]

Biden's son got caught leaving a crack pipe in a rental car.

[@deelightful9730]

It IS.

[@cnnnpc4351]

@@John-mu2js The pictures are now in NYPost

[@happyguy2k]

@@John-mu2js you'd think after that the Joe will b an advocate to change the laws so they help ppl instead of locking them up but it's sad that you don't hear much questioning by the news about this

[@FredDogification]

Meth had the same sentencing as crack... both cheap drugs used by the poor. They use race to divide us.

[@mrfoomanmusic]

If you want credit for what you did, you must own your mistakes too. You cant have it both ways, walking a perfect line.

[@sylvester01ful]

No human is perfect, but some are perfect for the problem at any given time. Biden is perfect for defeating Trump, which is the problem right now. If your house is on fire, that is not to time to complain about water damage. The firemen you call will leave some damage behind; but your decorator can wait.

[@mjohnston8313]

@@sylvester01ful Biden isnt perfect for defeating Trump. Where did you get that idea?

[@bernlin2000]

"I know it looks bad...but crack and mandatory minimums". Playing voters for fools: we have Biden's CSPAN footage. His excitement over all the new crimes the federal government could put prisoners to death with is disgusting. That's not leadership: that's feeding the fears of the public.

[@bernlin2000]

@@sylvester01ful Biden, like Clinton, are leaders for another century...the 20th. Time for new ideas, new leadership (even in the hands of a more experienced politician, like Bernie, from Mayor all the way to the Senate). Biden had low-energy and Trump will eat him alive for dessert. No trouble convincing Trump to debate Biden...he probably relishes it. Will people say "enough is enough"? Trump has a more loyal following than Democrats want to see.

[@mjohnston8313]

@untamed gorillalittle too close to be gloating. I'm glad you weren't worried. To me, and the numbers, this election was razor thin, no? Kind of looked like anybody could have beaten Trump. And if you put someone in there offering Americans anything real, Trump would have been landslided.

[@cygnevara8400]

Good, keep that same energy when you’re no longer “representative” cause you definitely failed the black community...keep that SAME energy

[@sylvester01ful]

MLK would not please the current generation, but he was best for his time. If you think it is time for this "representative" to go, time will tell. But he deserves respect for bringing blacks this far. You sound like someone disrespecting your parents by wishing they were dead: vicious, nasty, and unnecessary. There is wisdom in experience; and foolishness in rash wars that only create ten new conflicts.

[@annafisher2851]

Cygne Vara k

[@anthonynicholson5523]

Bernie is on fire! These establishment dems have no clue whats happening down here in the real America.

[@bernlin2000]

He looks tired, yet speaks like a bully. "Believe me or else". Retire this man, South Carolina...he's the same kind of slick-talking folk that you see up North with cretins like Charlie Rangel. They pillage their communities for voters...and the voters thank them for the ransacking.

[@shirlenebrass5751]

@Ted Freddy And I say you are one for addressing Rep Clyburn in this disrespectful manner.

[@mjohnston8313]

That crime bill gave incentive to states that had judges that gave out longer sentences. That legislation was a violation of human rights. But hey, there were good things in it.

[@BasedRichardNixon]

How's it against human rights to lock up violent criminals ? Crime went down thanks to that bill

[@mjohnston8313]

@@BasedRichardNixon Its the non violent drug offenses that people are imprisoned for years for that is violating human rights. Violent criminals have been punished harshly since the beginning of America. America has the world's largest prison population. if that doesn't alarm you, nothing will.

[@anthonyshannon6744]

No sir you voted for the WHOLE BILL. Not just the parts you like to highlight. So yes you too sir are responsible for the police state in america and the prison industrial complex

[@jeffcard1A]

no, scumbag criminals and their apologists are responsible for that.

[@saultorres7452]

@@jeffcard1A no victim no crime

[@LambertBowden56]

So those things he highlighted were less important to you...

[@hus390]

Those who were locked deserved to be locked. The long sentences for some drug charges needed to be reduced. And that happened. But the '84, '88 & '94 laws all made America safer. Compare the statistics and get back to me.

[@derickwills8434]

They took the mandatory minimum off first time offenders but they gave them a lifetime of probation so they're guaranteed to get mandatory minimum once they violate

[@user-yf7tz2rb7d]

Yes

[@luisclaudio9995]

They tried to put me on papers twice.. after seeing the BS my brothers went through, I told the court to give me straight time.. I've seen 2 year on papers turn to 15..

[@ካ.ደ.መ.Z]

A true sell out. He voted for the whole bill.

[@graylina1317]

Who sold out my three cousins who were murdered in the crimes that prompted that crime bill? And no, they were not into criminality!

[@2452dee]

"86&88 era" some call it the "Reagan era" really, how did drugs get flooded into the poor communities for there to even be a war on drugs which would result in higher crime rates and later produce the bill on crime? Things to consider

[@1nepunch]

The government put it our communtities to fund their wars, international interest, and corruption and in turn locked us up for it.

[@idalbertoalvarez4493]

All clyburn needs to do is the same thing that Sanders did, come out publicly while the vote is taking place and condemn those portions of the bill that you feel are problematic and point out that the line items you support will not get funded if you don't vote for this particular bill and that those items will never get funded as retaliation for your non participation. if people stood up and did that more often then maybe we would have line-item votes instead of these huge bills that are intended to extort politicians into voting for bad pieces of legislation in order to get those things that are absolutely necessary for the American public like funding for violence against women. But don't give cover two people like Joe Biden who were not only all for the entire bill or making statements on the floor that he doesn't care why these people are in jail he just wants them locked up for life. Spoken like someone who does not live in reality someone who has never been held account for his actions when he made a simple mistake. The drug trade was a way of life for a lot of people in underprivileged communities. it's easy to condemn that when you live in a society that doesn't have to make their way in the world in that manner. I don't condone it myself but I have the privilege of other options available to me. The war on drugs is a direct reflection the creation of the American government's war in the southern portion of Mexico, central and South America. To ignore why those drugs were on the streets of the United States and put all the liability on teenagers who were just trying to climb out of poverty in any way they knew how is in dereliction of their duties as leaders. That piece of legislation was a shortcut and did not address the systemic issues that we were facing in this country. Economic disparity educational inequality those are the real issues that this country was facing and still does.

[@jordanwhite8718]

When your simple mistake leads to the degrading of your community, that’s a really big problem. I feel that a lot of people don’t realize how much compromise is a part of the American system. You are not going to agree with everything that’s in a bill but if there are certain things in there that you think are really important, you’re just going to have to except that you’re not gonna get everything you want. The truth is the 1994 crime bill did work at reducing crime but it led to a lot of unintended consequences that we’re still dealing with today. It’s definitely some thing that we should remember but to think that everyone who voted for that bill hated Black people is a completely ridiculous statement. A lot of Black people at the time supported that crime bill. We can admit that we were wrong About certain things involving it but I think we need a more nuanced understanding for why people support policies they support. Sorry for the rant.

[@lawrencecoley1652]

Bootlicking “clyburn”

[@dmndavis8]

But you didn’t take mandatory minimums off first time offenders 😂😂😂 these men lie with no conscious

[@wyleneedwards]

Joe Biden is a RACIST to his CORE!

[@FredDogification]

2:30. The expert was his son.

[@andreathetexan8272]

Extension of Jim Crow?

[@lw6323]

Yes, Reagan signed worst bills in 86 and 88 but you corrected a disaster by creating a catastrophe.

[@hus390]

Actually all these bills ('84, '86 and '94) made America safer. ... I don't care about mass incarceration. Criminals need to be incarcerated.

[@lw6323]

@@hus390 Ok, what’s the definition of a criminal? It used to include anyone that got caught selling a dime bag of weed. Now it’s mostly legal and white guys are making millions from selling it while there’s still folks in jail or have a felony for life. Then again, that’s probably why you like the idea so much.

[@uTubeMeltsYourBrain]

Break it open, Bush! Snort some

[@kingcurt323]

"Where would be?" Where are we now? Don't we treat drug addiction as a health issue... killed your own people

[@BoEmery]

He TOTALLY gave Biden cover. Clyburn is the Stephen from Django.

[@duanelewis3776]

So you voted to send black men and women to jail to pass a few bills

[@jeffcard1A]

no, he didn't.

[@willia3r]

@@jeffcard1A yes he did.

[@WorriedGrampa-ko4hg]

They use words like hero`s for Clyburn for Lewis and others when in fact they many would use the word frauds. These CBC members have done nothing for the African American Communities outside of enriching themselves. Listen Mr. Clyburn 38% of African American Children live in poverty today let me say that again 38% of African American Children live in poverty today. The richest Country in the world Mr. Clyburn and why have you and the rest of the CBC not addressed this. Well IMO its because you were to busy at the Hillary Clinton trough filling your faces with what little the working families and the poor had left. The real discrimination is not about color sir the real discrimination is about corruption of your Party. Look no further than Haiti when the Clintons stole the food out of poor children`s mouths and one member of your party referred to the Haiti Relief Fund as a lotto ticket. I donot have alot of time left on this earth but I pray I see the day when African Americans march into Washington and remove what I believe to be the heartless criminals in the CBC.

[@nukiolbartes6279]

This sentence summed up the shortsightedness of policy maker : “Suppose we had not done anything, and let the 86 88 stay in place, then where would we be?” Basically the only options for him were : mass incarceration or do nothing. Policy maker need to be held accountable in some form. Just like anybody else.

[@Nevadefeated]

It was deliberate.

[@hus390]

@@Nevadefeated Deliberate in what sense? If a lot of people will be imprisoned because they committed crimes, then what's the problem?

[@Nevadefeated]

The crime was created by the government to make war against black Americans Facts. The same ole tactics they used from the black codes after slavery through the jim Crowe Era. It's not a secret. That's why America is fallling and will face a brutal end for all her atrocities she thought she got away with.

[@Nevadefeated]

Pure evil!

[@marylamarr6194]

"FREE College, Healthcare,Welfare for ALL !! For ALL Open Borders and ALL Illegals TOO ???

[@matternst1442]

Year old but hell yeah tax capital gains at labor rate and bam done and done

[@datguyoverdere6616]

where's the quote?

[@perrygibson8419]

No damn credit...you could've rooted out the racial component of the bill. Sell out!

[@BoseEinstein7]

Why don't you say Sanders (against all wealthy cast advertising media) as he is solid as rock as in the past and still today "as a new"... as Abraham Lincoln said: "As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew." We are observing what must be done in the new not in the old ways as failed ways on all accounts. Biden is too slow in this transition and no admission on the truth acted upon in the past (in other ways, other candidates).

[@hggfhh4449]

Arrest drug dealers and Addicks. At least illegal drugs. Not talking prescription that is different.

[@christianwilliams7861]

Jim also takes the most from the pharmaceutical companies. They all defend each other

[@nmagain24]

BS, this fool is giving him cover

[@jeffcard1A]

he's just stating the truth which you apparently have a problem with

[@luisclaudio9995]

Took minimums off for first time offender and quadrupled them for 2nd and subsequent offenders.. and add the provisions to be able to trial minors as adults at younger ages... As well as a truth in sentencing. which says you have to do 85% your time before you're eligible for parole, while also making it impossible for your terms to be altered even if the law becomes less strict..that's why all the people who were in jail for weed never got out when it was legalized in their states... Only a few people spoke out on how this would only affect minorities and how it would age poorly in contrast with potential future laws... And they weren't Democrats

[@hus390]

Second time offenders deserve higher sentences. What's the problem with that? An 18 years old is not a minor. Truth in Sentencing is excellent. What's wrong with These laws affected minorities more because they happen to commit more crimes. I'm a black man. Don't lecture me about this nonsense. It's our foolishness that gets us into troubles. These laws made life safer.

[@toni-marieschofield3009]

Our govt our the ones that put tjos horrible drug in the streets to begin with!!! Wtf!!!

[@rocdaneweracap]

Assault weapons ban didn't work remember 1997 in LA😑

[@No1SpL]

How didn't you know that generations to come would grow up without fathers. How is that beneficial to the future.

[@jeffcard1A]

the kids were probably better off not having those scumbags in their lives. most of the people put in prison deserved to be there.

[@levonthedon]

He ain't got nothing on Clarence Thomas

[@veebran7845]

What would we have done???? How bout you come up with something different????? 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@jeffcard1A]

really? during the 'tough on crime' nineties when politicians were falling all over each other to see who could be the most draconian cause that's what american voters were supporting back then.

[@scruff522]

Your the fool Jim ain't did a damn thing but throw a fish fry since 1994

[@teareeutley3770]

Suppose you come up with a better plan and you're the fool! All of them are sell outs!

[@crewmax4240]

Lost me at :36! LOL!

[@kevinrichardson3961]

VERY INTERESTING POINT AND OBSERVATION

[@lamarwynn4690]

0:58 the violent thugs ..... huh 😮🤦🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️😔🙄

[@paperniceness]

Racist rhetoric

[@B1GPAPA57]

“Money”

[@raymondeppich4988]

Ya right ya right

[@edwing8895]

I support the ‘94 crime bill.

[@jonathanlebo3710]

Why it didn't do anything

[@annetteeschoe1988]

Garcia you will soon be on the next boat back to Mexico

[@akashicpurple3206]

The 1986 Crime Bill was written by James C. Wright Jr. a Democrat from Texas and passed in the House controlled by Democrats.

[@jeffcard1A]

and nearly everyone in america whether black or white or republican or democrat wholeheartedly supported it

[@revoltanhero2610]

You are correct sir

[@Cizeeks]

NO EXCUSES ... GET OUTTA HERE

[@m.jackson2609]

Clyburn giving Biden cover. What about Mass Abortion of Black babies. Liberals and democrats refuse to talk about the killing of future Black Americans by abortions, they don't care about us.

[@jmjfanss]

I know.

[@jeffcard1A]

how about worrying about and helping actual children already on this planet? oh that's right, you don't give a damn about actual children and alleviating their suffering.

[@malcomshaw5962]

😂😂🤘🏾

[@SB-xy6ix]

🤬

[@tomsalas574]

A MOTEE SIR MEMBER....