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‘The Problem The Democrats Have’: Former Biden Aide Explains How Party Set Itself Up For Shutdown Fallout

Former Biden Aide Explains How Party Set Itself Up For Shutdown Fallout (Screenshot/Newsmax)

Michael LaRosa, the longtime press secretary to Jill Biden, said Thursday that Democrats are walking into a political trap of their own making as the federal shutdown continues.

Lawmakers failed to pass a temporary funding bill before the deadline, forcing the federal government to shut down at midnight Wednesday. In an appearance on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” LaRosa said Democrats face the difficult question of how can they claim to defend federal employees while refusing to support a continuing resolution based on the very budget they championed?

“That is why Schumer voted to keep the government open responsibly in March,” LaRosa said. “And that’s the problem now that Democrats are going to run into. How can you be a champion for the federal workforce when DOGE cuts are taking place?”

LaRosa said that the longer the shutdown lasts, the more political ground Democrats risk ceding to President Donald Trump.

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“President Trump can make the DOGE cuts look like child’s play in one week, and the Democrats are kind of, you know, if they really care about [the] federal workforce, they’re going to come out and vote for a CR, by the way, this is the Biden budget. This is the Biden spending levels. That’s the other problem the Democrats have,” LaRosa said.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer voted to advance a GOP-led stopgap spending bill in March, joining nine other Democrats in support of the measure to prevent a government shutdown. His vote drew fierce backlash from progressives and top House Democrats, who accused him of capitulating to Republican demands.

Six months later, Democrats reversed course. Senators failed to clear a House-passed stopgap funding bill, falling short of the 60-vote threshold in a 55–45 vote, according to the official roll call. Earlier in September, Democrats also failed to advance their own proposal, leaving Congress without a viable path to keep the government funded.

The standoff centered on whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire after 2025. Democratic leaders refused to support any short-term bill that excluded the subsidy extension, while Republicans advanced their own package and accused Democrats of triggering a shutdown for political leverage.

(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/Newsmax)