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House Democrats expressed concern that Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will cave to President Donald Trump once again to avert a government shutdown.
In March, Schumer and a handful of other Senate Democrats joined the Republicans to pass a short-term spending package that staved off a government shutdown. For their support, Schumer and the Democrats received nothing in return. Schumer’s capitulation angered many House Democrats at the time, and now congressional Democrats worry he’s about to do it again as funding for the government is set to expire at the end of the month.
On Tuesday, House Democrats held their weekly closed-door caucus meeting, which this week included “a vent session” toward Schumer, according to Axios.
“There was anticipatory anger rooted in what went down in March… Schumer was named explicitly,” one House Democrat told Axios. “The overriding concern was that Senate Democrats will get cold feet. Schumer can’t sh*t the bed.”
A spokesperson for Schumer did not respond to Axios’s request for comment.
A senior House Democrat said there was “mucho” anger toward Schumer. Another House Democrat said that regardless of how the shutdown showdown unfolds, the knives are out for the Senate minority leader.
“I think no matter what happens, people come after Schumer [because] we need generational change,” the person said.
Although Republicans control the Senate, 53-47, the chamber requires 60 votes to invoke cloture to advance legislation. In March, nine Democrats, including Schumer, joined Republicans to vote for cloture.
“I knew I’d get flak,” Schumer said after the vote. “You know, I’ve learned in politics through the years. The higher up you climb on that political mountain, the more fiercely the winds blow.”
