Several prominent Democrats have taken aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., over his decision to side with Republicans and vote for a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open.
“I believe that’s a tremendous mistake,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told CNN’s Jake Tapper Thursday in response to Schumer’s decision. “It is almost unthinkable why Senate Democrats would vote to hand the few pieces of leverage that we have away for free when we’ve been sent here to protect Social Security, protect Medicaid and protect Medicare.”
The progressive lawmaker was just one of several prominent Democratic figures to lash out at Schumer, who opted to vote in favor of a House-approved government funding bill that averted a government shutdown.
Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., were the only other Democrats in the Senate to vote in favor of the bill, while Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican senator to vote against the legislation, which passed 54 to 46.
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Getty Images)
Schumer, the most prominent of the trio of Democrats to support the bill, is now facing heat for that decision, including from some longtime allies.
“Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said of the decision.
Anne Caprara, the chief of staff for Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Prtizker, appeared to pile on, arguing on social media that Democrats should unify around resisting President Donald Trump.
“The fight going on in the Democratic Party right now is not between hard left, left and moderate. It’s between those who want to fight and those who want to cave,” Caprara said in the post. “Misread this at your own peril.”
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., refused repeated questions about whether he had confidence in Schumer at a Friday press conference urging Senate Democrats to vote against the continuing resolution.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“We do not want to shut down the government. But we are not afraid of a government funding showdown,” Jeffries said.
Democratic allies on television also lashed out at the Schumer decision, with CNN political commentator Van Jones arguing that the Democratic Party had to do more to push back against Trump.
“We want some alpha energy. And that’s not what we’re seeing. This party is tired of watching Donald Trump and Elon Musk run over this party, run over this country, run over the Constitution,” Jones said during a Friday appearance on the network. “And if you only have one opportunity to take a stand, and you don’t take it, it’s very difficult.”
Van Jones (New York Times Events YouTube channel)
Meanwhile, MSNBC political commentator Symone Sanders said she was “p—ed” that Schumer “folded like a paper napkin” and threatened to change her party registration to independent.
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Nevertheless, some Democrats tempered their criticism of the longtime Democratic leader, noting that the party was put in a no-win situation.
“We’re stuck with two bad choices presented by a unified Republican front,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who voted against the bill, said, according to a report in WTTW. “These are tough, tough calls.”
Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.