House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is not being honest about why he and fellow Democrat lawmakers have voted to shut down the government, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., told Newsmax on Friday.
Appearing on "National Report," Lawler recounted his heated hallway confrontation this week with Jeffries as the federal government entered its 10th day of a shutdown.
Lawler told co-hosts Jon Glasgow and Emma Rechenberg that he approached Jeffries to push for a bipartisan compromise to extend Obamacare subsidies for one year, a proposal supported by 14 Republicans and 11 Democrats.
He accused the Democrat leader of refusing to act out of political fear.
"He and [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer[, D-N.Y.,] have shut the government down because they are petrified of their far-left base — [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.], [New York City Democrat mayoral nominee] Zohran Mamdani," Lawler said.
"They're afraid that if they don't show their base they're fighting [President Donald] Trump, they'll be taken out in primaries."
Jeffries mocked the confrontation on social media, calling Lawler "[s]ome random Republican."
Hours after that post, the minority leader doubled down on "The Siren" podcast, calling Lawler "a complete and total fraud" and "a malignant clown."
Lawler said Jeffries' refusal to engage revealed his true motives.
"He couldn't answer a question. He was stuttering, stammering, yelling, telling me to shut up."
"'Brooklyn Hakeem,' as he calls himself, is more like 'Dollar Store Obama.' It was an embarrassing display for a leader of the Democratic Party," added Lawler.
"[Former Democrat House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi[, D-Calif.,] never would have allowed herself to fall into that situation."
"He's just not ready for prime time."
Lawler argued that his record shows consistency on keeping the government open, regardless of who is in the White House.
"Shutting down the government is idiotic," he said. "It doesn't serve any purpose except a political one."
When Jeffries later told CNN that Lawler was "irrelevant" and lacked the backing of GOP leadership, the New York Republican dismissed the insult as "laughable."
"He voted to shut the government down," Lawler said. "Our military won't be paid next week because of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer's incalcitrance."
"He said, 'If you have something to say, say it to my face' — so, I did, and he didn't like it."
Lawler also took aim at Jeffries' criticism of the GOP's healthcare approach, noting that if the Affordable Care Act needs subsidies to remain affordable, "there's a fundamental problem with the law itself."
"Premiums have risen 60% since Obamacare passed in 2010," Lawler said.
"We should fix the system — not shut down the government."
He added that Jeffries' claim of irrelevance rings hollow.
"If I'm so irrelevant, why did he spend $42 million trying to beat me last year and plans to spend another $60 million this time?" Lawler said.
"There's a reason I was able to lift the SALT cap when he couldn't — I get things done."
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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