House Democrats working in Washington this week have been scolding their Republican counterparts for remaining in their home districts during the shutdown instead of doing the people’s business in the nation’s capital. Now, even some Republicans are beginning to question Speaker Mike Johnson’s strategy — and to side with Democrats — saying they, too, should be back in D.C.
“During a private conference call with House Republicans on Thursday, at least three GOP lawmakers — Reps. Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma, Jay Obernolte of California and Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota — raised concerns about the House remaining out of session next week, according to a source on the call,” MSNBC reported on Thursday.
“I think we’re gonna get to a point where it’s damaging to continue to keep the House out of session,” Obernolte told his fellow Republicans. “I think we’ve gotten to that point.”
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Obernolte “said keeping lawmakers home would make it look like House Republicans are ‘prioritizing politics over government,’ according to the source.”
On Sunday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told “Meet the Press” that he had not spoken to GOP leadership for at least a week, Politico reported.
“Republicans, including Donald Trump, have gone radio silent,” Jeffries said.
On Wednesday, seven House and Senate Democrats from Georgia sent a letter to Speaker Johnson, urging him to bring Republicans back to work, WRDW reported.
“We are shocked to learn that you have decided the U.S. House of Representatives will not even come to work this week,” the letter states, according to the Atlanta media outlet. “House Republicans have now not come to work for 18 days.”
U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) wrote on Wednesday, “House Republicans are assaulting healthcare and making deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA. Are House Republicans also shutting down the government and avoiding coming to DC because they don’t want to vote on releasing the Epstein Files? That’s a legitimate question.”
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Also on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern told reporters Republicans need to “show up.”
“You know,” the Massachusetts Democrat said, “Republicans love to advocate for more work requirements for poor people, people on SNAP. People on Medicaid. Well, I got an idea. Let’s have a work requirement for Republicans to show up to Congress and do your g—— job.”
“I mean, millions of people are about to lose their healthcare,” McGovern continued. “This is a serious crisis we’re in, and we can avoid it. We can avoid people losing their health care, we can keep the government open. They need to show up.”
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