Posted on 01/24/2019 8:25:14 PM PST by be-baw
Frustrated GOP senators read Vice President Pence the riot act at a closed-door meeting Thursday, telling him the partial government shutdown needs to end soon, according to lawmakers in the room.
Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), warned the vice president that prolonging the shutdown is not a smart political strategy, in hopes of sending a clear message to President Trump that he needs to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.
Lawmakers vented their irritation to Pence shortly before six GOP senators defected to vote for a Democratic-backed bill that would open the government without funding Trump’s proposed border wall.
One GOP senator said lawmakers told Pence “the shutdown needs to come to an end, this is not a strategy that works [and] we never should have had a shutdown in the first place.”
Pence in turn told them that “the president is interested in striking a deal,” according to the source.
The pushback against Pence came from outspoken critics of the shutdown like Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), as well as from lawmakers who usually keep a lower profile — Sens. John Boozman (Ark.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.) and Jerry Moran (Kan.).
One of the most remarkable moments during the Senate luncheon came when McConnell told Pence that shuttering the government to try to secure funding for a border wall was not a smart approach.
“McConnell talked about how we need to bring this process to a close; we should never have had a shutdown; they don’t work; I’ve said this numerous times; I don’t know how many times I’ve told you there’s no education in the second kick of a mule,” said a GOP source familiar with the meeting.
A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment on specific conversations during the private lunch but noted that the Kentucky Republican made his thoughts about a potential government shutdown clear in mid-December.
“I think that a government shutdown is not a good option. That’s my view. The American people don’t like it,” the GOP leader told reporters on Dec. 18, four days before funding lapsed. “You remember my favorite country saying, ‘There’s no education in the second kick of a mule.’ We’ve been down this path before.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said after Thursday’s meeting but before the Senate votes that colleagues were “airing their concerns.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters after the Senate votes that Pence got an “earful” from senators.
“We’re all hearing from our constituents who are working for no pay,” Cornyn said. “And there’s a parade of horribles of how people who are having to cope with not getting paid, and it’s not good.”
“There was a lot of frustration expressed about the situation we find ourselves in,” he added.
Pence urged Republican lawmakers at the lunch to stay unified, pressing them not to vote for the proposal from Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) to fund the government until Feb. 8 without additional funding for a border wall, according to the GOP source familiar with the meeting.
To underscore the stern message they sent to Pence, six Republicans — Murkowski, Isakson and Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Susan Collins (Maine), Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) — voted for the Democratic proposal. But the 52-44 vote fell short of the 60 needed to advance the bill.
Murkowski said after the votes that she told Pence the shutdown has to end as quickly as possible.
“I reminded colleagues that I was feeling a very keen sense of urgency on this because Alaska has the highest number of federal workers that are impacted by the partial shutdown and we needed to get this open now,” said Murkowski, who is supporting a measure with Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin (Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.) that would reopen the government for three weeks without providing wall funding.
Isakson’s spokeswoman, Amanda Maddox, said her boss "spoke to his colleagues at today’s lunch to share his reasoning for voting the way he planned.”
“He didn’t know the vice president would be at today’s lunch when he decided on making the speech,” Maddox said. “He wasn’t trying to send any message but was merely speaking his conscience.”
Tell it to Chuckie you traitors.
yep
I think these Rinos need to keep the money from the drug and human trafficking cartels and money laundering banks flowing into their off shore accounts.*************
I think you could possibly be right. I’d forgotten to remember that aspect of things. Thankyou for the reminder.
The Amnesty GOOBers.
WEAK RINOS!! They have NO idea of what TEAMWORK means!
build the mookabooking wall or keep it shut the hell down
Hang tough, people. Shumer voted down a bill to pay the workers. Don’t fall for the Left’s nonsense.
Since Trump is not a career politician I’m sure he’s not worried about keeping a cushy power position for 40 years the way the senators are.
The GOP that couldnt repeal Obamacare, build a wall or do one single thing to restore America? The same Gop who helped give 10 Billion to Mexico n central America while thousands dance across our borderws like rockstars... O wait, they let felons out to live and commit crimes against our children and vote. They granted how many H1B visa?
Those guys are worse than dems.
Its like living with an abuser.. they beat you, hurt you.. crawl back with a gift of Kavanaugh in one hand and a baseball bat in the other.
Mitch, don't you remember back at the close of 2017 when the President signed you and Ryan's mega CR and said this was the last time he'd sign such a monstrosity without Wall Funding in it?
Well then, last month you approve another monster CR WITHOUT Wall funding by a voice vote?
Whose mule kicked who?
Sounds like YOU don't learn.
>> “We’re all hearing from our constituents who are working for no pay,” Cornyn said <<
Nothing about your constituents harmed by the flood of illegals, gangs, drugs, or the cost of illegals for medical, criminal, and other welfare.
The GOP has no interest in real border security.
Spit.
Alexander is retiring. Collins and Gardner are desperately trying to hang on to their seats. Murkowski and Romney are just being Murkowski and Romney. Don't know what got into Isakson.
I do not listen to any Senators who do not stand with POTUS, Trump..period!!! Why? These “Republican” clowns in both the Senate & the House had full control of both the Senate and the House for the first two years of the POTUS, Trump term, and they accomplished nothing relative to immigration reform or border protection. Sickening.
In those two years, they did absolutely “zilch” to pass strong border protection and immigration laws. And....while POTUS, Trump was working his tail off campaigning to get the Senate majority, Republican, Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan was no where to seen on the campaign trail to try and hold the Majority in the House. The Democrats did not win the house, Paul Ryan handed it to them!!!
In the larger picture, IMHO, the American people better wake up, because both the Democrat & Republican Parties are totally unable to function as true servants of the American people who elected them.
Yesterday, as I watched the political doings on C-Span TV with a close friend, we both wanted to puke on the floor listening to these incompetents (Senators & House members) blabber about nothing. What a joke!!!
Time for POTUS, Trump to take the bull by the horns, end the government shutdown, declare a national emergency and move forward with border protection and immigration reform. Do it!!! Both the Senate & the House does nothing but pontificate BS and the House is led by a totally raving, insane, unbalanced, nutcase, woman, Democrat, Nancy Pelosi. The American Republic is dying. Welcome Madero, Castro, Venezuela & Cuba to the USA. Cuba, Si!!! Venezuela, Si!!! USA, No!!! Sad days for the once great American Republic!!!
“Just declare the national emergency and get this over with...order the wall built with all haste...once it is up, it cannot be “defunded” - it is there, unlike other so-called “security measures” that could be eliminated a day later.”
I would add: Declare the National Emergency AND commence the RIF.
The RIF would pay for the wall.
Follow the $$$$.
Who lines their pockets?
Won’t happen. President Trump loves his family and his businesses too much to risk THE long ball. TRUMP is the singular speed bump on the leftist super highway.
Useless traitorous bastards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.