Schumer Says Trump Isn't The Biggest Villain In Shutdown Standoff

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) just blasted House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as the “real bad guy” behind the latest government shutdown.

Addressing the congressional stalemate during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” the veteran Democratic legislator said Republicans were the only ones responsible for thwarting bipartisan budget bill negotiations.

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“The American people know the Republicans have the presidency, they have the Senate, they have the House, and the blame will be on them,” Schumer told host Joe Scarborough. “And they will have to negotiate with us.”

“Johnson’s been the real bad guy in this,” the New York native added. “If you want to know who wanted a shutdown, there’s one sentence that proves it. Johnson had the Congress, the House, not even be in session when the shutdown occurs. How do you negotiate like that?”

Schumer went on to conclude that the only way to solve the budget deadlock would be sitting down with Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and President Donald Trump to hash out a compromise.

“We’re ready and willing and able to do it right now, immediately,” he said.

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During the interview, Schumer also shot down accusations that Democrats were holding the bill hostage to secure health benefits for undocumented immigrants, allegations his party has repeatedly denied.

The senator dismissed the Republican-concocted claim as a “total, absolute effing lie” crafted to hide the truth about how the GOP’s pet policies gutted health care for millions of Americans.

“When the average American says, ‘Why the heck did I get a bill that raises my health care cost, doubles them?’ We’re going to be pointing out it’s the Republicans who did it.”

Watch Schumer’s full interview with “Morning Joe” below.

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