Chuck Schumer: The Days Of Mitch McConnell Holding The Senate Hostage Are Over

Last updated on January 27th, 2021 at 04:20 am

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reminded Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Monday that he lost the Senate and no longer gets to hold the chamber hostage.

During an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Sen. Schumer said, “He is not the Majority Leader, he is the Minority Leader, and he is not going to get his way.”

Video:

Sen. Schumer said:

He is not the majority leader. He’s the minority leader. And he is not going to get his way. We are not going to do what he wants and that is universal, Rachel, in my caucus, from the most liberal to the most conservative. We hope in the next day or two, he’ll come to his senses and take our offer. But we are not giving into him. It was outrageous what he did and it really angered my entire caucus. That was not the way to start off.

McConnell is in no position to make demands

Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell have been negotiating a Senate power-sharing agreement, but the Kentucky senator is demanding assurances that Democrats will preserve the filibuster.

Democrats were quick to knock down that effort by McConnell, and Schumer’s comments to Maddow show that he isn’t about to be pushed around by the minority leader.

Schumer’s strategy appears to have worked, according to MSNBC’s Kyle Griffin, because McConnell announced late Monday that he is backing down from his filibuster demand and will finally support a rules resolution.

During his time as majority leader, McConnell turned the Senate into a place where good legislation goes to die. He even bragged about being called the “grim reaper.”

Now that Mitch McConnell – with a big assist from Donald Trump – lost control of the U.S. Senate, his days of making demands and holding the chamber hostage are over.

With Joe Biden in the White House waiting for Congress to move quickly on his agenda, Democrats appear ready to do whatever it takes to make sure they deliver.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter

• Author
• Recent Posts

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.

Latest posts by Sean Colarossi (see all)

• Bernie Sanders Praises Biden For Making The Government Work For Middle Class Americans - Tue, Mar 16th, 2021
• John Fetterman Calls GOP A Disgrace For Voting To Overturn The Election But Opposing COVID Relief - Tue, Mar 16th, 2021
• Trump Tower Chicago Is Under Investigation For Using Vaccines Meant For Minority Communities - Tue, Mar 16th, 2021