At this point, I’m not sure who would be able to keep up with how many times the Biden bunch have flip-flopped back and forth when it comes to the Wuhan coronavirus.
Joe Biden indicated today that the CDC would be reviving the eviction moratorium after it expired on July 31.
This would ban eviction in counties with high rates of the Wuhan coronavirus according to the assessment by the CDC for sixty days and is expected to cover 90% of renters in those areas.
Biden did this despite his team saying just yesterday that he didn’t have the legal authority to extend it and the CDC also saying that they were legally unable, even for the more narrowed extension that Biden is now proposing.
Biden asked the CDC to consider a new extension of the eviction moratorium, but agency leaders have been unable to legally justify one, says American Rescue Plan aide Gene Sperling https://t.co/gmrHXRzmt2 pic.twitter.com/YKol1ahDur
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) August 2, 2021
“On this particular issue, the president has not only kicked the tires; he has double, triple, quadruple checked,” Gene Sperling, a White House official helping to coordinate the response to the pandemic, told reporters on Monday. “He has asked the CDC to look at whether you could even do targeted eviction moratorium — that just went to the counties that have higher rates — and they, as well, have been unable to find the legal authority for even new, targeted eviction moratoriums.”
While the Supreme Court had previously upheld the moratorium until July 31, they said that a further extension would exceed the CDC’s authority without Congressional approval.
Despite knowing this decision for more than a month, Congress did not pass anything to change the situation but blamed Biden for not acting. As we noted, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) attacked both Biden and the House Democrats for not acting faster. Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) camped out on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to pressure people to act. Even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) appeared to try to shift blame to the Biden administration and pressure the CDC.
The CDC has the power to extend the eviction moratorium. As they double down on masks, why wouldn't they extend the moratorium in light of delta variant?
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 1, 2021
Biden was asked today about the announcement during his presser on COVID and his remarks about NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He didn’t give a full response but did acknowledge that the action was coming and might not pass legal muster.
Pres. Biden says he's not sure if the upcoming eviction moratorium decision from the CDC will hold constitutionally, but that he hopes it will "give some additional time" to give out rental assistance funds. pic.twitter.com/V78AOusRe5
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 3, 2021
“Whether that option will pass constitutional measure with this administration, I can’t tell you. I don’t know,” Biden said. “There are a few scholars who say it will, and others who say it’s not likely to. But, at a minimum, by the time it gets litigated it will probably give some additional time while we’re getting that $45 billion out to people who are in fact behind in the rent and don’t have the money.”
In other words, he knows it’s unconstitutional and it wouldn’t be upheld but he knows that legal action against this extension will take time, so he’s going to try to do it anyway and then blame others and the courts when he’s sued and he loses. Can we talk about how wrong this is? He doesn’t care that it’s illegal. He knows it’s contrary to what the Supreme Court has already indicated yet he’s flying in their face anyway, something that just defies belief.
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