Lawler, Jeffries spar publicly over government shutdown

By Chris Wade
The Center Square

Two of New York’s top congressional lawmakers are publicly sparring over the federal government shutdown, with Congress still deadlocked on a funding plan and tensions between Democrats and Republicans rising.

In a fiery Capitol Hill exchange captured on video, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, of the state’s 17th congressional district in the Hudson Valley, to “keep your mouth shut” after Lawler confronted him over the government shutdown.

Lawler challenged Jeffries to sign onto the bipartisan bill extending COVID-19 pandemic-era enhancements to federal American Care Act subsidies for one year.

“We’ve got a one-year extension,” Lawler asked, according to a video of the exchange. “Why don’t you sign on right now?”

Jeffries responded angrily telling Lawler to “shut up” and sarcastically asking “Did you get permission from your boss? Did your boss Donald Trump give you permission?”

“He’s not my boss,” Lawler replied.

Jeffries referred to Lawler being “not a serious person” and the two traded more jabs about support for Trump’s policies and their party’s prospects in next year’s midterm elections.

“I voted for a tax cut bill that gave the largest tax cut to Americans in history — including, by the way, the average New Yorker getting a $4,000 tax cut,” Lawler asked. “Are you against that?”

The exchange came after the Senate failed for a seventh time to pass the government funding bill. Both men continued their argument on social media and in interviews with cable news shows Thursday, where both reiterated claims about which party is to blame for the shutdown.

Lawler blasted Jeffries in a social media post that accused him of “cowardice” and choosing “partisanship over governance” by blocking passage of a resolution to reopen the federal government.

“Instead of coming to the table to work out a bipartisan compromise that extends ACA credits, he’s playing political games with people’s livelihoods. It’s disgraceful, and it’s hurting families across the country,” the Hudson Valley Republican said

Jeffries also took to social media after the exchange to criticize the fellow New Yorker for confronting him about his opposition to the GOP spending bill to reopen the government.

“Some random Republican tried to come for me in the Halls of Congress,” Jeffries posted on X, with the hashtag #SaveHealthcare. “Things didn’t work out well for him.”

Lawler appeared on ABC News late Thursday afternoon to explain why he confronted Jeffries in the halls of the capital, saying he wasn’t trying to get publicity for the exchange.

“It’s not about publicity, it’s about the American people,” Lawler said. “Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries chose to shut the government down. And they did so because they’re petrified of AOC, Zohran Mamdani and their left-flank, and they want to show that they’re fighting for the base of their party.”