LEADER JEFFRIES ON CNN: "REPUBLICANS REFUSE TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE"
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN's The Situation Room, where he reiterated that Democrats will continue working to reopen the government, extend the ACA tax credits and lower the cost of living for everyday Americans.
WOLF BLITZER: Leader Jeffries, thank you so much for joining us. I want to get your reaction to what we heard from the Speaker and talk about the shutdown, which is so, so critical right now. But first, let me quickly get some reaction from you following this FBI U.S. Attorney news conference in your home state of New York about this federal gambling and sports rigging program—probe involving the New York mafia that led to the arrests of Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers' head coach Chauncey Billups. What's your reaction to what we heard? To me it was very shocking, especially as a long-time NBA fan.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It's a stunning development. The indictment seems very wide-ranging. Of course, every single one of the individuals charged are entitled to the presumption of innocence, but it was a development that I think shocks the conscience of a lot of folks, particularly those who follow the NBA closely.
WOLF BLITZER: Well said, indeed. All right. As you know, House Republicans, including the Speaker, they passed what they say is a clean short-term funding bill—a CR, a continuing resolution. But most congressional Democrats have refused to support it. I know you and other Democrats want to address the Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. You want to make sure that doesn't happen. But why not vote to fund the government right now and then negotiate in the coming weeks on the subsidies once the government is open and people are working, they're getting paid and all of that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: We want to reopen the government, and we want to do that immediately. We want to find a bipartisan path forward toward a spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people. We will continue to stand by hardworking federal employees who've been targeted by this administration from the very beginning of Donald Trump's presidency. In fact, Wolf, more than 200,000 federal employees have been run out of their jobs prior to the start of this Trump government shutdown. But at the same period of time, we do need to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating the American people in so many different ways all across the country, including in rural America. And one of the things that we need to do with urgency is to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
WOLF BLITZER: You heard the Speaker suggest you guys, the Democrats, are acting like terrorists holding the American people hostage right now in order to get what you want. You want to just quickly respond to that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that type of language is reckless, it's irresponsible and it's going to get someone killed. What do these folks not understand as it relates to the language that they continue to use? We should be able to battle it out in the contest of ideas as opposed to trying to use these extreme terms that have been unleashed on the American people from the very beginning of this presidency, and, matter of fact, for a long period of time by the current President and those sycophants who continue to do nothing more than rubber stamp his extreme agenda and hurt the American people. These are folks in the House, in terms of the Republicans, they've been on vacation for the last four weeks. They have actually canceled votes four consecutive weeks in a row. And as Democrats, we've been here, Leader Schumer, Senate Democrats, House Democrats making clear we are ready, we are willing, we are able to sit down with anyone, anytime, anyplace in order to reopen the government, enact a spending agreement that actually improves the quality of life of the American people, that lowers costs for the American because this country is too expensive and also does the things necessary to ensure that tens of millions of Americans are not going to experience dramatically increased healthcare premiums that for many may increase by $1,000 or $2,000 per [month]. That is unsustainable. And the average income for folks, in fact, more than 90% of the people who receive Affordable Care Act tax credits make around $63,000 per year. We're fighting for working-class Americans, for everyday Americans and for middle-class Americans while Republicans continue to do the bidding of their billionaire donors.
WOLF BLITZER: As you know, Leader Jeffries, the White House and the Republicans, they are seizing on this clip—and I'll play it—from your fellow top House Democrat, Congresswoman Katherine Clark. Listen and watch this. This is what she said.
VIDEO OF WHIP CLARK: I mean, shutdowns are terrible, and of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leveraged times we have.
WOLF BLITZER: Republicans say this is an admission that Democrats are using the American people as political leverage during this shutdown. Do you want to respond?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Donald Trump is the President. Republicans control the House and the Senate. They've made the decision to shut down the government, and they are the ones who consistently have taken adverse actions, made clear that they want to hurt the American people during this shutdown that they've created, and they refuse to reopen the government because of their unwillingness to provide affordable healthcare to everyday Americans.
WOLF BLITZER: On another very sensitive issue involving your home state of New York, specifically New York City, we're now learning that the New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, will endorse former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race. You recently said you'll have, more to say about the mayor's race and about our, in your words, 'our Democratic nominee prior to early voting beginning.' Early voting starts in just two days. Will you finally make an endorsement, Leader Jeffries?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, as you indicated, Wolf, early voting starts in a few days, and you know, I look forward to saying much more about the Mayor's race, as I've promised, in advance of that moment. I haven't gotten the chance to actually review the debate clips from last evening, but I will say that I think it was an important step that our Democratic nominee took when he indicated that he will retain the current Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. She's doing a tremendous job. She's well-respected in the communities that I'm privileged to represent. And, you know, we'll have more to say about the Mayor's race sometime soon.
WOLF BLITZER: I know you're a very strong supporter of Israel, the U.S.-Israeli relations. I know that you're also a strong supporter of the Jewish community, large Jewish community in New York, as we all know. What do you say about the criticism that Mamdani is getting from the Jewish community? Specifically, a lot of rabbis signing documents saying he is a potential threat to the Jewish community in New York. What's your reaction to that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I'm going to continue to stand up strongly for the Jewish community, of course, to uplift the special relationship that the United States and Israel continue to have with each other and lean in on supporting, hopefully, a path toward a just and lasting peace in Israel. I'm thankful that all the hostages have been returned. I'm thankful that humanitarian assistance is being surged into Gaza. We've got to get to reconstruction. There's been far too much suffering in the region. And that needs to be dealt with and dealt with decisively. And, of course, all of us should recommit to finding that path toward a just and lasting peace. And at home, all of us need to make sure, and I'm certainly committed to it, to making sure that every single community remains safe and that we address some of the issues and the challenges that the Jewish community has faced with the stunning rise of antisemitism that has occurred all across the country.
WOLF BLITZER: On another important topic, while I have you, Leader Jeffries, a Trump-pardoned January 6th rioter, was recently arrested and charged with threatening to kill you. Do you feel safe? Have you spoken to President Trump or Speaker Johnson, for that matter, about your concerns?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, not a single Republican has reached out to me since that incident occurred. And that's no surprise, because they cannot defend the fact that Donald Trump pardoned hundreds of violent felons who brutally beat police officers on January 6th and then released them back in communities all across the country. I'm just thankful for our state and local law enforcement partners for the work that they continue to do each and every day on behalf of the American people. But they've been put in a situation all across the nation where these violent felons have been released back into communities and many of whom have already re-offended and that's a shame.
WOLF BLITZER: Yeah, that's a serious, serious development. I want you to stay safe. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of the House of Representatives, thanks so much for joining us. We'll stay in close touch with you for sure.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.
Full interview can be watched here.