A Maryland Democratic congressman urged his Senate colleagues to “pick new leadership” Tuesday after Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s controversial vote with Republicans last week to avert a government shutdown.
“I thought it was critical to make sure that we block that bill. I was deeply disappointed that Senator Schumer voted with the Republicans,” Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) told his constituents during a town hall in the eastern suburbs of Washington, DC.
Ivey, who has represented Maryland’s 5th District since 2023, noted that President Trump congratulated Schumer (D-NY) for advancing the six-month spending bill, writing in a Truth Social post that it “took ‘guts’ and courage’” to do “the right thing.”
“You know you’re on bad ground when you get a personal tweet from Donald Trump thanking you for your vote, right? We don’t want to be there,” Ivey argued.
The Maryland rep went on to praise House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for opposing the GOP-crafted continuing resolution in the lower chamber and uniting the Democratic House caucus against it.
“It’s important for us to make sure that at this critical time we have leaders that are going to lead us in the right direction. We had Hakeem Jeffries lead the fight against the CR [continuing resolution] to the tune of 213-1 – Schumer was on the other side,” Ivey said. “Hakeem met the moment. Schumer did not.”
Jeffries appeared with Schumer at an event the same day as Ivey’s comments and expressed his support for the embattled Senate Democratic leader.
Meanwhile, Ivey pushed for a change among his party members in the Senate.
“I respect Chuck Schumer. I think he’s had a great, long-standing career. He’s done a lot of great things,” Ivey continued. “But I’m afraid that it may be time for the Senate Democrats to pick new leadership as we move forward.”
Most of Ivey’s constituents applauded the congressman’s call for Schumer to be replaced.
However, as a member of the House, Ivey has no role in choosing who leads Democrats in the Senate.
Schumer was among 10 Senate Democrats who voted to advance the six-month CR last week, giving Republicans the 60 votes necessary to take a final vote on the measure where it only needed a simple majority to pass.
The Brooklyn Democrat had publicly warned Republicans just one day before voting with them that they lacked the votes from Senate Democrats to barrel ahead with the bill.
“Our caucus is unified on a clean CR that will keep the government open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass,” Schumer said the day of his abrupt U-turn.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday that she has confidence in Schumer’s ability to lead the Democratic caucus in the Senate going forward, but argued that he made too many concessions to Republicans.
“I myself don’t give away anything for nothing,” Pelosi said. “I think that’s what happened the other day.”
Schumer, who has been roundly criticized by left-wing lawmakers over the vote, defended his decision on “The View” Tuesday, claiming a shutdown would have wrought “devastation like we’ve never seen.”
Schumer said he “knew it was a difficult choice” to vote to end debate on the bill but added that “I felt as a leader I had to do it.”
Schumer’s office did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
