Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md), amid the looming risk of a U.S. government shutdown, warned that it may potentially threaten the political futures of key advocates like Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
What Happened: Raskin, in an MSNBC interview, attributed the push for a shutdown to Trump’s sway over House conservatives. "Donald Trump is calling the shots across the board," Raskin said.
The group has been hesitant to work with Speaker Kevin McCarthy on approving funding bills without significant budget cuts, resulting in intra-caucus turmoil and increased chances of a shutdown. Without resolution, the government could exhaust its funds by the end of the month.
"He [Trump] thinks he can shut down his indictments and the works of the special counsel and the Department of Justice and the federal courts by getting Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene and three other members of the ‘MAGA caucus' to derail the House and shut down the government of the United States."
"Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz — who wants to run for governor of Florida, according to all the Republicans I serve with — should figure out right now that they're just going to end their political careers by shutting down the government for no reason," he said.
"They should tell Donald Trump that his plan isn't going to work."
Why It Matters: This came after McCarthy rebuked the hard-right Republicans, including Greene, for obstructing the approval of a defense spending bill, which led to a deadlock in negotiations.
The lack of a clear pathway in the Republican negotiations and the absence of a plan to reconvene has heightened the chances of a federal shutdown scheduled for Sept. 30. A proposal to take up the defense spending bill failed for the second time in a week, with five members of the House Freedom Caucus opposing it, including Greene.
Despite the ongoing discord, McCarthy aims to pass a temporary government funding bill next week before the budget deadline on Oct. 1.
Read Next: Jamie Raskin Slams GOP's ‘Stupid' Push for Biden Impeachment: ‘They Don't Have A Shred Of Evidence'
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