Dems will shut down federal government if needed to stop Trump from dismantling it, says Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey
Trump's drive to stop spending approved by Congress puts the nation "on the cusp of a constitutional crisis," Sen. Andy Kim, Democrat of New Jersey, said.
U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D., N.J.) said Democrats in Congress would support shutting down the federal government “if we have to” in order to block President Donald Trump from smashing it.
Withholding Democratic votes next month for funding needed to keep government open may be the best way “to hold them accountable, use the leverage that we have,” Kim said in a Sunday appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press.
The Trump administration has issued a flurry of executive orders to abolish some government programs and has sanctioned attempts to fire thousands of civil servants by the new Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man.
Federal courts have issued restraining orders to halt the reorganization drive temporarily in response to lawsuits filed against the measures, including a number by Democratic attorneys general.
“I cannot supports efforts that will continue this lawlessness we’re seeing,“ Kim, a first-year senator, said.
Republicans hold the majority in the U.S. House and Senate, and must pass a continuing budget resolution by March 14 to continue funding for the national government.
The GOP’s majority in the House is thin, and Republican Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has needed Democratic votes several times to avert shutdowns in recent months. A sizable group of conservative lawmakers in Johnson’s caucus oppose continuing the spending.
Musk’s team has gained access to the computer system the Treasury Department uses to pay federal bills. Files in the system contain sensitive information on millions of Americans, including Social Security numbers and bank accounts.
Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.), appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, would not rule out using the prospect of a government shutdown to force changes.
Trump’s actions are fostering “allowance of corruption and abuse and violations of people’s privacy and other most sacrosanct values,” Booker said. “We are in a crisis right now, and Democrats will use every tool possible to protect Americans.”
In addition to the access to personal data, Musk’s company SpaceX has government contracts worth billions as well as access to sensitive national security information. Critics argue he has conflicts of interest in his new role.
Already, a Trump executive order and Musk’s actions have effectively shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development, which distributes foreign aid, including food and medicine, around the world.
That amounts to a surrender of American power and makes the nation less secure, said Kim, who worked for USAID and other agencies before he was elected to the House in 2018.
“China doesn’t even need to fight for their influence around the world now, because of our own effort — we’re doing China’s work for them,” he said. “I hope that the American people understand just how dire a situation it is.”