Democrats shut down the government because they fear far-left activists, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said during a press conference on day 28 of the shutdown.
Johnson pointed out that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) — who has continued to blame Republicans for the shutdown — endorsed socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor in New York City.
Referring to it as “an illustration of what we’re facing here,” Johnson explained, “The Democrats right now fear the far left activists more than they fear air traffic controllers, border patrol agents, American service members, and so many others missing their paychecks.”
“They fear the Marxist insurgents like Mamdani more than they fear families and children going hungry from lapsed benefits that keep food on their tables,” he said, explaining they fear losing their “own political positions next November if they don’t appease the angry far-left base right now.”
“And they will appease that base at any cost, no matter how much pain is inflicted. In fact, they’ve said in their own words, this gets better for us day by day. How does it get better? Because they’re proving to the angry far-left base in their party that they will prioritize them over the American people,” he said, concluding it is “profound fear in the Democratic Party” driving them to keep the government shuttered – not principle or policy.
“It is certainly not concern for the constituents that they say that they want to represent. We know that because even their own constituents now are begging Democrats to stop the political games and reopen the government,” Johnson said, pointing out that unions are coming out and calling on Democrats to reopen the government.
He is referring to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union in the country representing federal employees, which called on members of Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR)
“Here’s your off ramp. The unions — the largest unions — are saying, ‘Please do this.’ You can claim that as cover and say that you had to do it, reopen the government, get it working for the people,” Johnson suggested.
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