Politics
WATCH: Dem Senator Stumbles When Confronted With Shutdown Hypocrisy
Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) failed to give a coherent answer when he was confronted with past statements from leaders of his party on government shutdowns, which wildly contrast with statements they are making during the ongoing shutdown fight.
House Republicans last month passed a “clean” temporary funding measure, knowing as a continuing resolution (CR), that would extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 through late November and give lawmakers additional time to negotiate a comprehensive package for FY 2026. Senate Democrats, with the exception of three lawmakers, have repeatedly voted against the clean bill in order to hold out for legislative wishlist items like an extension of Obama-era Affordable Care Act (ACA) credits.
In the past, however, senior Democrat leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)) have relentlessly attacked Republican lawmakers for engaging in the same tactics they are now rather than passing a clean CR.
CNN’s Kasie Hunt pointed this out during an interview Tuesday in which Senator Gallego accused Republicans of causing the government shutdown and the looming SNAP (food stamps) crisis, as SNAP resources have been depleted as the shutdown drags towards the one-month mark.
“Democrats, when Republicans have tried to do something like this, Democrats have argued that the norms of our government should be that you negotiate policy outside of a government shutdown. I mean, I have over many years covering Washington, people have said that over and over and over again. And now I have neighbors in the D .C. area, who are both employed by the federal government, who are having to use food banks,” Hunt said.
“We are heading into Thanksgiving. Why is it suddenly right to do it this way and to do it for this long when it didn’t used to be the right way in Democrats’ view?” the host asked. Without hesitation, Gallego gave an “easy” answer to the question by blaming the shutdown on President Donald Trump.
The senator then claimed that “norms” no longer matter in the Trump-era before pivoting to the ongoing White House East Wing renovations, at which point Hunt attempted to follow up but was immediately cut off. “It’s all out the window Kasie,” he said.
“No, when you’re dealing in a time with Donald Trump, this is the man that is extorting people. He’s literally breaking every rule. We’re not going to go back and play by the norms when we know that what’s on the line is 24 million people are going to have their insurance rates, premiums doubled. That’s a new thing, by the way,” the senator added before reiterating his view that Democrats are no longer beholden to Senate norms.
“But didn’t Democrats kind of set that up in the bill that you passed, though, that these subsidies were going to expire?” Hunt followed up. Gallego then conceded that Democrats did indeed pass a bill that would cause the ACA credits to expire at the end of the year before once again attempting to blame Republicans.
“And if it makes it harder on the Republicans, that we’re putting them in a very difficult position, that they have to answer for that, and hopefully it actually comes with a good outcome, which is Americans not having to pay higher premiums, then that’s good,” he added, suggesting that the shutdown has political benefit for the Democratic Party.
“But I’m not going to abide by old norms, especially when you’re dealing with this presidency, this administration, and how the Republicans themselves have been acting.”
