House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faced a tense confrontation with Democratic senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly during a media gaggle outside his office on Wednesday. The escalating tensions over the government shutdown and disputes regarding the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files created a heated exchange, with both sides accusing each other of stalling the legislative process.
Johnson, who has been at the center of the shutdown, urged the Senate to reopen the government so that the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., could proceed. Grijalva, who won her special election last month to fill her late father’s seat, had been a central figure in the political spotlight. Johnson maintained that the House Oversight Committee was actively working on releasing the Epstein files, calling the Democrats’ accusations ‘totally absurd.’ Gallego, however, accused Johnson of using the shutdown as a way to delay votes on the Epstein documents, citing the ongoing stalemate in federal funding talks.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., joined the fray, criticizing the Democrats for their role in the shutdown and accusing them of not fulfilling their responsibilities. Lawler reiterated that the House members had done their jobs, while the Senate Democrats had failed to support their proposals. Meanwhile, Kelly, a fellow Democrat, brought up the issue of extending ObamaCare subsidies, a key sticking point in negotiations. His comments added to the complexity of the situation, with both parties unwilling to compromise on critical issues affecting their constituencies.
The standoff occurred just as Senate Democrats blocked the GOP’s federal funding bill for a sixth time, extending the government shutdown. The House had passed a bill to extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal funding levels through Nov. 21 to give lawmakers more time to draft a longer-term deal for FY 2026 spending. However, Democrats have made it clear that they will not accept any deal that fails to include an extension of the expiring ObamaCare subsidies. As the crisis continues, political leaders remain locked in a protracted battle, with the impact of the shutdown affecting federal operations and the livelihoods of millions of Americans.