Freshmen Democrats Begin to Turn on Pelosi Over Border Wall Funding

As the partial federal government shutdown continues into its fourth week, Democrat leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi still refuse to budge on funding for President Trump’s border wall. House Majority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer told the the New York Times that Democrats are “totally united — totally,” regarding the wall.

But a number of new Democrats are singing a different tune.

Democrat freshman Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, who was elected in November, isn’t down with Pelosi’s strategy. Golden told the Lewiston Sun Journal that it’s time for congressional leaders and Trump “to stop hiding and show a little leadership” to end the shutdown.

Freshmen Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan told the Wall Street Journal, “There’s a number of us on the Democratic side who are quite concerned that we’re not working on negotiated positions and taking the bull by the horns and trying to think about what it would look like.”

Newly-elected Democrat Rep. Max Rose of New York City said he is “sick and tired” of government shutdowns being used “as a form of brinksmanship­–a tool of negotiation.”

“All we’ve done in the House is repass the Senate bill,” Rose said. “Now that will allow us some freedom, some space, some real debate. The Senate though has to show their independence. I just got out of a bruising fight with my House leadership… Let’s open the government back up and let’s get back to work.”

Rep. Anthony Brindisi, a freshman Democrat also from New York, said, “I’ve been meeting with several representatives from across the country, both Democrats and Republicans. And I’ve been trying to force leadership on both sides of the aisle to work out a compromise to this shutdown.”

“Brindisi, like many other Democrats have already done in breaking with Pelosi and Schumer, even told attendees at the local event in his district that a wall–or physical barrier along the border–will work in some places,” Breitbart reports. “Pelosi and Schumer say they are opposed to any barrier at all in any place.”

“If you listen to all the experts, they’ll say some elements of physical barriers where it makes sense are in order,” Brindisi said. “We need more border agents, we need more technology at our border crossings and ports of entries so trucks and shipping containers are inspected before coming into our country.”

These Democrats are not alone. Many others are voicing the same concerns over the ongoing shutdown and their frustration with Democratic leadership.

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Nancy Pelosi might think she’s holding firm, but many in her party apparently think she’s just stubborn.

is a professional writer and editor with over 15 years of experience in conservative media and Republican politics. He... More about John Hanson

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