House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., declined to back Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as House Democrats continue to voice their outrage over Schumer's decision to advance a Republican stopgap spending bill rather than risk a government shutdown.
"Next question" was all Jeffries would say when asked by reporters if there should be new leadership in the House, Politico reported. Jeffries also refused to answer a question on whether he had confidence in Schumer. He said any conversations they had would "remain private."
Schumer has defended his decision by saying that voting for the continuing resolution was the best of a bad option.
"As bad as passing the continuing resolution would be, I believe a government shutdown is far worse," Schumer said.
Jeffries called Schumer's reasoning a "false choice."
"It is a false choice that Donald Trump, Elon Musk and House Republicans have been presenting, between their reckless and partisan spending bill and a government shutdown," Jeffries said. "We do not support a bill that is designed to hurt the American people."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., expressed her fury at Schumer, saying Democrats felt "outrage" and "betrayal." In an interview on CNN, Ocasio-Cortez declined to rule out primarying Schumer when he is up for reelection in 2028.
"I think it is a huge slap in the face and there is a wide sense of betrayal if things proceed as originally planned," Ocasio-Cortez told MSNBC.
House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was also critical of Senate Democrats who support the continuing resolution.
"Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America," Pelosi said in a statement. "But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable.
"I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill. Democratic senators should listen to the women."
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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