Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and top Senate Democrats on Tuesday expressed intense anger at Republicans for abandoning the bipartisan border deal after demanding that border security be included alongside aid to Ukraine, accusing them of to give in to pressure from Donald Trump.
The New York Democrat accused Republican leader Mitch McConnell and the Republican conference of “a 180-degree turn” and “shaking at the knees in fear of Donald Trump.”
“Today in our caucus room there was a lot of anger, frustration and deep disappointment toward our Republican colleagues,” he added.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the lead Democratic negotiator for the deal, sharply criticized Republicans. “I know it's easy to lose your sense of outrage over politics,” he said, “but what's happened here over the last four months is outrageous,” adding that Republicans “now oppose the very bill they begged us for that we elaborate. ”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, spoke about fentanyl overdose deaths in her state, saying, “Anything we can do to reduce the amount of fentanyl coming into the United States we should do, for God's sake.” . If they are not willing to do that, then it is their fault.”
Asked whether the Senate would abandon the border provisions and move to pass a package with only foreign aid if Wednesday's vote on the package fails as expected, Schumer said, “Stay tuned.”
Asked if he has a plan for what will happen in the Senate if DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is impeached by the Republican-led House on Tuesday night, Schumer did not specify or say whether he would take steps to remove him.
“Let's see what the House does first,” he said.
