Partisan clashes at the Capitol are turning into tense public confrontations as the government shutdown enters its tenth day – with no end in sight.
On Wednesday alone, two confrontations drew widespread attention as lawmakers on both sides fought to gain the upper hand in negotiations.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.) over his unwillingness to support his bill – a one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act’s expanded subsidies turned into a five minute back and forth.
This all took place in full view of gawking reporters following Jeffries’ daily shutdown press conference, during which Jeffries called Lawler a “complete and utter embarrassment.”
Hours earlier, Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego (D) and Mark Kelly (D) held a surprise press conference outside Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) office, calling on him to reconvene the House of Representatives to negotiate health care extensions and for him to replace Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.). sworn in during a pro forma session.
Johnson allowed two Florida lawmakers to be sworn in during a pro forma session earlier this year, prompting Democrats to complain that he is not doing the same this round. They claim he is not doing so because Grijalva would be the 218th signature on a dismissal petition to force a vote on releasing files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which the spokesman has denied.
Johnson left his office with Lawler in tow to confront the Arizona senators – with reporters filming it tense back and forth This included Lawler telling them to “break the fuck up.”
All in all, it’s an encapsulation of a Capitol building that’s seething while the government remains closed.
“Temperatures are rising, but it’s doing no good,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the GOP leadership and former House member. “These are obviously just YouTube moments that people are looking for.”
Tensions on the Senate side have heightened in recent days as members of the upper chamber struggle to find a mutually acceptable shutdown. A Republican idea A vote on subsidies in return for ending the shutdown was promptly shot down.
Republicans were visibly upset Thursday by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)’s remark that “every day gets better for us.” [Democrats].”
But what’s remarkable about the latest round of arguments is that they’re largely focused on the House of Representatives — and the chamber isn’t even in session yet.
Johnson responded to rising tensions throughout the Capitol sophisticated on Thursday, even reiterating his decision to keep the House in session until the government reopens.
“This is getting personal. Emotions are running high. People are upset. I’m upset and I’m a very patient man,” Johnson said in a news conference. “So is it probably better for them to be physically separated now? Yeah, honestly, that’s probably better.”
Republicans in the upper house are cheerful to keep the wild lawmakers away from Washington.
“It’s further confirmation that it would be a bad idea for the speaker to take back the House any time soon. I understand the tensions,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who criticized the move by Arizona Democrats.
“It’s just that kids are kids,” Cramer continued. “And idle time often becomes stupid time.”
Others agreed.
“If you have another 400 people wandering the halls with not much to do, that could spell trouble,” Capito added.
Controversial arguments between MPs have become relatively commonplace in recent years, particularly towards the end of longer sessions without an intervening break.
Two years ago, after the House endured 10 straight weeks of struggles over government funding and three weeks of chaos following the shocking ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). be in session had led to threats of physical confrontation — with allegations that McCarthy elbowed another Republican and Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) challenging that Chief of the Teamsters to a fight during a hearing.
This time the opposite is true, as the House has been out of town for more than two weeks and could be heading into another week without movement.
“Lawler’s Exhibit A. He wanted to fight,” Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said of the “inflammatory” nature of some members. “In the third week they take a siesta.”
The anger also spreads to the full chamber of the House of Representatives, even as the speaker prevents the chamber from voting.
In a pro forma session Wednesday, screams erupted as Republicans once again ignored Democrats’ attempts to get a swearing-in commitment in Grijalva. Representative Greg Stanton (Democrat of Arizona) led a petite group of Democrats in the House of Representatives in an attempt to be recognized by the chairman.
Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), who presided as speaker pro tempore during the brief pro forma session, erupted as they shouted.
“That’s undemocratic,” Stanton said after the gavel struck.
However, some members believe temperatures could get warmer. After all, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) had to be one once reserved when he dropped out with the then representative. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) during McCarthy’s drawn-out election in January 2023.
“[The anger] is slightly worse than usual, but not dramatic,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.).
“When you see a stabbing, you know there’s a new record,” he added.
Updated at 7:02 a.m. EDT
