Schumer faces calls to step aside as minority leader, as Democrats break party ranks to end shutdown
The Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, is facing calls to resign as minority leader after a group of Democratic senators broke ranks with the party and voted to advance a bill to reopen the government, as the longest shutdown in US history continues.
Notably, Schumer did not vote in favor of the legislation, which omits the centerpiece of Democrats’ negotiations – an extension of Obamacare tax credits. Regardless, he’s facing steep pushback from lawmakers who ultimately blame him for the eight members of the caucus who defected.
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” said congressman Ro Khanna, who represents the Silicon Valley region of California. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
Meanwhile, Khanna’s colleague Mark Levin – another House member from California – joined in the chorus questioning the minority leader’s capabilities. “Chuck Schumer has not met this moment and Senate Democrats would be wise to move on from his leadership,” he wrote in a post on X.
The progressive non-profit Our Revolution, similarly called for Schumer to step aside. The organization’s executive director, Joseph Geevarghese, issued the following statement:
If he secretly backed this surrender and voted ‘no’ to save face, he’s a liar. If he couldn’t keep his caucus in line, he’s inept. Either way, he’s proven incapable of leading the fight to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans. The country can’t afford his failed leadership any longer.
In Maine, Graham Platner, who is running to unseat Republican senator Susan Collins, issued a call-to-action to voters in his state. “Call your senators and tell them that Chuck Schumer can no longer be leader,” the Bernie-Sanders backed candidate said in a direct-to-camera video posted on social media. “We need to fight back. But sadly until we elect more democrats that fighting is what we need to do, we’re going to find ourselves in this position over and over again.”
Similarly, Saikat Chakrabarti, the progressive-hopeful running to fill retiring speaker emerita Nancy’s Pelosi’s seat in Congress, reposted Khanna’s call for the veteran senator from New York to step down from his party leadership role.
Key events
Despite the intra-party turmoil that has erupted after some Democratic lawmakers voted to advance a bill that would end the government shutdown, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) issued a memo to encourage members to “hold vulnerable Republicans” accountable when speaking to the media this week.
As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, moderate and progressive Democratic lawmakers alike have taken umbrage with the eight members of the caucus who broke ranks and provided the remaining votes needed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer, the upper chamber’s top Democrat, has been under fire for failing to keep the party united.
“It’s critical that we continue to highlight the health care crisis that the Republicans refuse to come to the table to try and solve, and call out by name our Republican colleagues in swing seats refusing to extend health care subsidies on the insurance marketplace,” said DCCC chair Suzan DelBene, before listing several GOP representatives in competitive districts to call out – instead of suggesting that the call might be coming from inside the house.
Jeffries remains resolute that Schumer is an effective party leader
The House’s top Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, said that Chuck Schumer should stay in place as leader of the party – despite calls from progressive members of the caucus for him to step down.
When asked by a reporter at a press conference today if the Jeffries viewed Schumer “as effective and should he keep his job”, the congressman from New York responded with “yes and yes”.
He added that the Senate’s top Democrat, along with his colleagues in the upper chamber, have “waged a valiant fight on behalf of the American people” for the duration of the government shutdown.
Per my last post, another name to add to the list of progressives who are calling for Chuck Schumer to resign, is congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. The Michigan lawmaker said that the Senate minority leader “has failed to meet this moment and is out of touch with the American people”.
“The Democratic Party needs leaders who fight and deliver for working people. Schumer should step down,” she added.
Schumer faces calls to step aside as minority leader, as Democrats break party ranks to end shutdown
The Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, is facing calls to resign as minority leader after a group of Democratic senators broke ranks with the party and voted to advance a bill to reopen the government, as the longest shutdown in US history continues.
Notably, Schumer did not vote in favor of the legislation, which omits the centerpiece of Democrats’ negotiations – an extension of Obamacare tax credits. Regardless, he’s facing steep pushback from lawmakers who ultimately blame him for the eight members of the caucus who defected.
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” said congressman Ro Khanna, who represents the Silicon Valley region of California. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
Meanwhile, Khanna’s colleague Mark Levin – another House member from California – joined in the chorus questioning the minority leader’s capabilities. “Chuck Schumer has not met this moment and Senate Democrats would be wise to move on from his leadership,” he wrote in a post on X.
The progressive non-profit Our Revolution, similarly called for Schumer to step aside. The organization’s executive director, Joseph Geevarghese, issued the following statement:
If he secretly backed this surrender and voted ‘no’ to save face, he’s a liar. If he couldn’t keep his caucus in line, he’s inept. Either way, he’s proven incapable of leading the fight to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans. The country can’t afford his failed leadership any longer.
In Maine, Graham Platner, who is running to unseat Republican senator Susan Collins, issued a call-to-action to voters in his state. “Call your senators and tell them that Chuck Schumer can no longer be leader,” the Bernie-Sanders backed candidate said in a direct-to-camera video posted on social media. “We need to fight back. But sadly until we elect more democrats that fighting is what we need to do, we’re going to find ourselves in this position over and over again.”
Similarly, Saikat Chakrabarti, the progressive-hopeful running to fill retiring speaker emerita Nancy’s Pelosi’s seat in Congress, reposted Khanna’s call for the veteran senator from New York to step down from his party leadership role.
On the topic of the government inching towards reopening, a White House official told the Guardian that “the action in the Senate is a positive development” and that “we look forward to seeing it progress.”
“President Trump has wanted the government reopened since the first day Democrats shut it down,” the official said.
A reminder that the Senate is trying to fast-track the bill, by getting all 100 lawmakers to get it on the floor for a vote, then they’ll need it to pass the House before it lands on Trump’s desk for a signature.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the original and edited footage from the edition of Panorama that Donald Trump is threatening legal action over, which shows how the BBC selectively edited a speech, resulting in the organisation being accused of making it appear clearer that Trump encouraged the US Capitol attack.
Broadcast a week before the 2024 US election, the episode spliced together clips of a Trump speech made on 6 January 2021. The spliced clip suggested that Trump told the crowd: ‘We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.’ The words were taken from sections of his speech almost an hour apart. (Here’s our explainer on what Trump actually said).
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and the head of BBC News have since resigned.
House speaker Mike Johnson said he’s hoping to vote as soon as Wednesday on the Senate’s deal to reopen the government, four sources on a conference call with House Republicans this morning have told NBC News.
While the exact timing will depend on how quickly the Senate is able to move on the bill, as we’ve reported earlier Johnson has urged House members to begin traveling back to Washington as soon as possible.
The day so far
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In a speech on the Senate floor, majority leader John Thune called for the quick passage of legislation to reopen the government, which cleared a key hurdle in the chamber yesterday evening. “I’m grateful that the end is in sight,” he said. “The American people have suffered for long enough. Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out.” Over in the House, speaker Mike Johnson this morning urged representatives to begin traveling back to Washington to vote on legislation to reopen the government. The compromise bill that emerged yesterday funds the government through January, but does not include an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that Democrats had demanded.
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It was able to proceed thanks to the support of eight members of the Democratic caucus, all of whom are moderates or set to soon retire. Those Democratic and Independent senators who broke ranks with the party to advance the bill have this morning defended their decisions amid furor from their party and base. In a statement after the vote, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hammpshire stood by her decision. “This was the only deal on the table. It was our best chance to reopen the government and immediately begin negotiations to extend the ACA tax credits,” she said.
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In a development that is sure to breathe new life into the saga of the Epstein files, a spokesman for Johnson said he plans to swear in newly elected Democratic representative Adelita Grijalva as soon as the chamber returns to session, likely later this week. Grijalva is expected to be the 218th signature on a petition that will force a vote in the House on a bill to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who died six years ago while facing sex-trafficking charges. Johnson has refused to swear her in for over a month, in an effort to pressure the Democrats into reopening the government.
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Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC and welcomed the resignations of two of its most senior figures after a campaign against the broadcaster that reached fever pitch over criticism that its flagship documentary programme in 2024 used a misleading edit of a Trump speech. Here is our explainer on what Trump actually said, the BBC’s apology, and our main report.
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The US supreme court announced it will hear a high stakes case about whether states can accept mail-in ballots that arrive after election day, even if they are filled out and mailed before then. The case, Watson v Republican National Committee, involves a challenge to a Mississippi law that allows ballots to count if they are received within five business days of election day.
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Christine Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, has announced that she is running for a California state senate seat, ending speculation that she might run for the seat long held by her mother in the House.
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Activists are calling for people not to shop at major retailers Target, Amazon or Home Depot during the Thanksgiving week sales to send a message to the companies that they need to stand up for democracy. Dubbed “We Ain’t Buying It”, the call to action announced today asks shoppers to not buy anything from those three stores from 27 November to 1 December, or Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, some of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Rachel Leingang
Activists are calling for people not to shop at major retailers Target, Amazon or Home Depot during the Thanksgiving week sales to send a message to the companies that they need to stand up for democracy.
Dubbed “We Ain’t Buying It”, the call to action announced today asks shoppers to not buy anything from those three stores from 27 November to 1 December, or Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, some of the biggest shopping days of the year.
A website for the campaign explains how these three retailers were chosen:
This action is taking direct aim at Target, for caving to this administration’s biased attacks on DEI; Home Depot, for allowing and colluding with ICE to kidnap our neighbors on their properties; and Amazon, for funding this administration to secure their own corporate tax cuts.
Instead of shopping at these retailers, participants should support “Black, Immigrant and POC-owned businesses, small and local shops, retailers that have stood firm for democracy and inclusion” and “use the time and money to connect with those you love, and rediscover what matters”.
The plans come as millions have marched in the streets against the Trump administration and after boycotts of Target for its abandonment of diversity initiatives and of Disney after it temporarily took Jimmy Kimmel off the air in response to government pressure. Economic pressure campaigns are likely to increase this year as those opposed to Trump find ways to exert their power without Democratic party control in Washington.
Some of the groups behind the boycott are 50501, Black Voters Matter, Indivisible, Until Freedom and the Working Families Party.
“All year, companies like Target, Amazon, and Home Depot have quietly collaborated with Trump to entrench his power and to do his bidding. We won’t stand for it,” said Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible.
We’ll send a clear message: stop complying with this lawless, vicious, bigoted agenda. Stand up for American democracy, civil rights, and our communities. Our dollars will go to people who share our values.
Christine Pelosi announces she’s not running for her mother Nancy Pelosi’s seat
Christine Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, has announced that she is running for a California state senate seat, ending speculation that she might run for the seat long held by her mother in the House.
“I’m running to represent you, San Francisco, in Sacramento,” she said in an announcement video posted on X. “Fighting for consumer rights, women’s rights, gun violence survivors, immigrants and our most vulnerable communities against the threat we face.”
Nancy Pelosi announced last week that she would not seek re-election. Her daughter is an attorney and Democratic party organizer, and is running for the seat currently held by state senator Scott Wiener, who is one of those running for Pelosi’s congressional seat.
