Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) argued Sunday that the government shutdown is being caused by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) “being intimidated by their left.”
“This shutdown is a direct result of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries being afraid of their left flank and their desire to show AOC and [New York City mayoral candidate] Zoharan Mamdani and all the other radical leftists who are fighting against President Trump, Lawler told NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt on “The Hill Sunday.”
He said, “That’s what this is all about, Chris. This has nothing to do with health care. If you want to talk about health care and fix health care in America, we have a lot of work to do.”
On Wednesday, Jeffries called Lawler a “deadly clown.” collision in a Hallway of the house.
“So, we wrap up this press conference, and I hear that Mike Lawler, who is a complete fraud, is waiting outside to come to me, apparently, right, about the Affordable Care Act,” Jeffries said on Wednesday’s episode of “The Siren Podcast.”
“And I’m like, ‘This guy?’ So, you know, I think some people on my team might have preferred that I ignore it,” he said. “But I’m like, ‘You know what? I am not him. Don’t come for me unless I send for you.’ And I didn’t invite this deadly clown.”
Jeffries and Lawler had a heated exchange in the halls of the Capitol on Wednesday, when Lawler confronted Jeffries with his objections to the short-term extension. Affordable Care Act (ACA) Subsidies,
Lawler came to Jeffries as he left the House Democratic leadership press conference and repeatedly pressured him to support a proposal that would extend ACA subsidies by one year, which Jeffries dismissed as a “nonstarter”.
The Hill has contacted Jeffries’ office, Schumer’s office, the office of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Mamdani’s campaign for comment.
