Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., told Newsmax on Thursday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is deliberately keeping the government shut down to coincide with this weekend's "No Kings" protests — events Daines described as organized protests by the far left.
"You know that 'No Kings' rally that's happening on Saturday, something we've known about for a couple of weeks," Daines said on "Newsline" to host Bianca de la Garza.
"One of our Democrat colleagues quietly told us that Schumer is not going to open things up until at least after that 'No Kings' rally."
Daines said the demonstrations, involving more than 250 progressive groups nationwide, were "very premeditated" and designed to make a political statement against Republican leadership and President Donald Trump.
"That 'No Kings' rally — just a mass protest of anger, a 'we hate America' rally," Daines said. "They're upset because Trump won the election in '24; we took the Senate back."
"They don't like what's going on in Washington."
Daines accused Democrats of prioritizing political theater over the livelihoods of ordinary Americans missing paychecks during the shutdown.
"So the Democrats are trying to make this big political point, while sadly, the American people suffer," he said.
Daines also pointed to what he called hypocrisy among Democrats, invoking last summer's political turmoil within the Democratic Party.
"[Former President] Joe Biden was basically dethroned in the middle of July last year because he couldn't win the election," Daines said. "And they appointed Queen Kamala Harris — they put their queen in place without winning a single primary vote."
"The hypocrisy of the left around what they did with absolute power."
Daines said he isn't sure what Democrats will do after the rallies conclude but believes the focus remains on scoring political points rather than governing.
"I don't know where this goes after Oct. 18."
"They may continue to think they're making political hay about this. And for them, it's all about the politics."
He added, "It's not about serving the people of this country."
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