House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) delivered a fiery rebuke of Democrats on Wednesday night, placing the full blame for the recent government shutdown squarely on their party and accusing them of engaging in a “political game” that caused unnecessary suffering for American families.
During the press conference, the Speaker expressed relief that the “Democrat shutdown is finally over,” a result he attributed to the unity of House and Senate Republicans. He asserted that there is “absolutely no question” that Democrats were “responsible for this.”
Speaker Johnson detailed the severe consequences of the impasse, stating that millions of American families went without food, travelers were “stranded in airports with their flights canceled and delayed,” and federal employees were left “wondering where their next paycheck would come from.”
“The Democrats openly admitted… that they used the American people as leverage in this political game,” Johnson stated. “They knew that it would cause that pain to the people and they did it anyway. They did it for their own selfish purposes… it was a game they played with real people’s lives.” RELATED: House Passes Bill To Reopen Government, Ends Longest U.S. Shutdown
The Speaker labeled the event as “utterly pointless and foolish,” noting that the ultimate outcome—a continuing resolution—was “totally foreseeable” from the start. He argued that Democrats “got nothing for their selfish political stunt here,” emphasizing that shutdowns only serve to hurt people.
Johnson contrasted the Democratic action with the efforts of his own party, saying Republicans did the “right thing” by presenting a nonpartisan continuing resolution (CR) that simply sought to “keep the lights on” for seven weeks to allow Congress to return to the regular appropriations process.
He concluded with a stern warning about the political ramifications: “Voters are going to remember which political party played games with their lives.”
The Speaker urged Americans to consider a “split screen” view, contrasting the Republican achievements—which he cited as securing the border, cutting taxes, and achieving American energy dominance—with the Democratic party’s actions, which he claimed included shutting down the government and achieving nothing else.
READ: ‘Country Over Party’: Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman Stands By Maverick Vote On Morning Joe
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