Senate Majority Leader John Thune points to the Democrats as the government funding deadline nears.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press this morning, sparring with moderator Kristen Welker over the looming threat of a government shutdown and the potential for mass firings of federal employees.
The exchange focused on a recent White House Budget Office memo advising agencies to prepare for widespread furloughs should Congress fail to pass funding legislation.
When Welker pressed Thune directly on whether he would support mass firings in the event of a shutdown, the Republican leader turned the focus onto Democrats.
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“It doesn’t have to happen. That’s what I’m saying,” Thune insisted.
As Welker continued to ask for a direct answer on his support for the potential firings, Thune shot back, stating, “They’re playing with fire and they know it… They’re playing with fire and they know it, Kristen.”
Thune then invoked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) previous comments on shutdowns, noting, “Chuck Schumer said a few months ago that ‘a government shutdown would be chaotic, harmful, and painful.’ He’s right, and that’s why we shouldn’t do it.”
The South Dakota Senator concluded by reiterating the Republican position to fund the government immediately, saying, “If you’re worried about that, then let’s keep the government open. It’s a pretty straightforward, again, argument. I find this – I’m very comfortable with the position that we have. It’s to fund the government, finish the appropriations process, deal with the issues the Democrats want to deal with after we keep the government open.”
The interview highlights the high-stakes political maneuvering underway in Washington as lawmakers rush to avert a lapse in government funding.
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