Clinton: I support D.C. statehood

Hillary Clinton wants to see D.C. become a state.

The Democratic frontrunner wrote for The Washington Informer that "the District of Columbia is often neglected when it comes to federal appropriations" because it doesn't have a vote in Congress. She promised to "be a vocal champion for D.C. statehood" if elected president.

Hillary Clinton went on to attack Donald Trump, saying the presumptive Republican nominee "hasn’t given this issue much thought." | AP Photo

Many of the District’s decisions are also at the mercy of right-wing ideologues in Congress, and as you can imagine, they don’t show very much of it," Clinton wrote. "Everything from commonsense gun laws to providing women’s health care and efforts to cut down on drug abuse has been halted by Republicans, who claim the District is an exception to their long-held notion that communities ought to be able to govern themselves."

She went on to attack Donald Trump, saying the presumptive Republican nominee "hasn’t given this issue much thought."

In a meeting with the Washington Post's editorial board, Trump said: "I think statehood is a tough thing for D.C. I think it’s a tough thing. I don’t have a position on it yet. I would form a position. But I think statehood is a tough thing for D.C."

"I think it’s just something that I don’t think I’d be inclined to do," Trump said. "I’d like to study it. It’s not a question really – maybe Chuck [Todd] didn’t ask me like you’re asking me – I don’t see statehood for D.C."

When asked whether D.C. should have a vote in the House, he said: "I think that’s something that would be okay."

Responding to Trump's remarks, Clinton wrote: "Well, I think what’s been tough for the District is having virtually no say in its own affairs for decades."

The District's primary is June 14, and Bernie Sanders has pledged to stay in the Democratic primary through that contest.

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