House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) accused the mainstream press of allowing Democrats to get away with the “most extreme example of gaslighting in the history of American politics” by blaming the government shutdown on Republicans.
Democrats, Johnson said during a press conference on Monday morning, “are blaming the shutdown on the Republicans, and it is patently absurd.”
He said congressional Dems have voted 13 times now to keep the government shuttered — a move that has led to air traffic controllers and federal workers not getting paid and SNAP benefits not being dispersed, Johnson said.
“They have gone out into the hall to the nearest camera they can find and looked into the lens and said Republicans are shutting down the government. It makes no sense,” Johnson said about Democratic lawmakers.
Johnson continued:
It is the most extreme example of gas lighting in the history of American politics. And many in the media have allowed them to get away with that. It is shameful.
One reason the Dems are keeping the government shutdown, Johnson said, was because party leaders like Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) are “terrified” of “political retribution” from far-left Dems. Johnson pointed to Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani being the frontrunner to be the next mayor of New York City, and said Jeffries and Schumer are more focused on grappling with how to embrace Mamdani than opening the government.
The strong words from Johnson on Monday morning come as the government shutdown reaches its 33rd day.
President Donald Trump, during an appearance on 60 Minutes on CBS on Sunday night, said Dems are holding up a deal on the shutdown because they want extensions on Obamacare subsidies. Trump said he is willing to “work with” Dems to “fix” Obamacare, but he wants them to vote to open the government first.
Watch above via Fox News.
