On Wednesday, tensions reached a boiling point on Capitol Hill as the government shutdown entered its eighth day, with no clear resolution in sight. An intense confrontation unfolded in the hallway between House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, highlighting the deepening divisions among lawmakers. Lawler approached Jeffries after a news conference, urging him to support a bipartisan bill that would extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for one year. “We got a one-year extension. Why don’t we sign on right now?” Lawler pressed.
Jeffries, however, was quick to respond with skepticism, asking, “Did you get permission from your boss? Did your boss Donald Trump give you permission?” Lawler reiterated his point, suggesting the extension should be feasible, even as his own party leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, showed little interest in the proposal as a compromise to end the shutdown. Jeffries countered Lawler's arguments by advocating for a permanent extension of the tax credits associated with the ACA, labeling a one-year extension as a “non-starter.”
The confrontation intensified as Jeffries accused Lawler of performing for the cameras to gain relevance in the political discourse. “You’re embarrassing yourself right now,” Jeffries remarked, adding pointedly, “Why don’t you just keep your mouth shut?” Lawler's response was one of disbelief, questioning the appropriateness of Jeffries' remarks. “Is that the way to talk?” he asked.
Earlier in the day, the atmosphere on Capitol Hill was chaotic, especially outside the Speaker’s Office where Johnson interrupted a press gaggle involving Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. The discussion centered on government funding and the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva. Gallego pressed Johnson on the delay in swearing in Grijalva, who recently won a special election in Arizona's 7th Congressional District. Johnson replied, “We are happy she got elected ... but we need the lights turned back on, so we encourage both of you to go open the government.”
Gallego accused Johnson of intentionally delaying Grijalva's swearing-in to impede progress on a discharge petition related to the Jeffrey Epstein files. He pointed out that Grijalva’s presence would provide the crucial 218th signature needed to force a vote on the matter. Johnson dismissed these claims, asserting that the situation had “nothing to do with Epstein.” “You keep coming up with excuses,” Gallego retorted, pressing Johnson further on why he was blocking the swearing-in.
As tensions escalated, Johnson grew agitated, insisting, “I am not blocking her! I just told you.” Gallego pointed out that this situation marked an unprecedented delay in the swearing-in process, suggesting that it was unreasonable to link it to Grijalva’s role in the discharge petition. Johnson acknowledged the frustrations but shifted focus to the ongoing government shutdown, saying, “You are getting a lot of heat because the government is closed down.”
At this point, Senator Kelly urged Johnson to reconvene the House for serious negotiations regarding the Democrats' health care demands. Johnson responded defensively, stating, “Let me tell you why they are not here. Because the House did its job.” Lawler then joined the fray, criticizing the Democratic senators for their role in the shutdown and urging them to take action. “Don’t sit here and try to lecture us. How about you go down the hall and go vote to open the government up?” he said.
On the Senate front, efforts to advance two competing funding plans—one from Republicans and the other from Democrats—failed, leaving the government shutdown unresolved. As discussions continued, the lawmakers argued over health care premiums, with Johnson stating, “There’s big problems with Obamacare.” Amid the heated exchanges, Gallego charged, “Get your people in and stop covering up for the pedophiles!” Johnson vehemently denied the accusation, exclaiming, “That’s ridiculous! Nobody’s covering up for pedophiles. So, knock it the hell off!” Lawler concluded the altercation by branding the entire exchange as “absolutely absurd.”
