CNN’s Kasie Hunt Grills Dem Senator On His Party’s Role in Government Shutdown: ‘I Have Neighbors Who Are Having To Use Food Banks’

CNN’s Kasie Hunt pressed Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) on Democrats’ role in the current government shutdown, warning the lawmaker that some of her neighbors are now relying on food banks.

Gallego joined Hunt on CNN’s The Arena on Tuesday as the government shutdown reached its 28th day and as dozens of states, including Arizona, sued President Donald Trump’s administration over the halting of federal food assistance amid the shutdown.

Gallego maintained the party’s stance that supporting a current continuing resolution from Republicans would require extensions for Affordable Care Act subsidies. Democrats have warned millions will see their health insurance costs significantly increase with the extensions.

Hunt noted that in her years covering Washington, D.C., she’s found Democrats have been the party arguing for maintaining “norms” and not arguing policy amid a shutdown.

“Now I have neighbors in the D.C. area who are both employed by the federal government who are having to use food banks. We are heading into Thanksgiving. Why is it suddenly right to do it this way and to do it for this long when it didn’t used to be the right way in Democrats view?” she asked.

Gallego pointed to Trump as the one and only reason for abandoning any sort of “normal,” declaring, “It’s all out the window” under the current administration.

“That’s an easy answer. It’s Donald Trump. You’re talking about norms in the time of Donald Trump?” the senator said.

Hunt further pressed Gallego when he argued about insurance premiums doubling, noting Democrats set up the deadlines in the original bill they passed.

“Didn’t Democrats kind of set that up in the bill that you passed, though, that these subsidies were going to expire?” she asked.

Gallego answered by blaming Republicans for not agreeing to the extensions as part of the funding deal.

“When we passed the bills and back in the day, as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, of course we were trying to maybe hope for the best that this country and our Republican colleagues would understand that raising insurance rates on people is a bad thing,” he said. “I’m sorry they don’t see it that way, but it’s also not my job to make their job easier.”

Check out the exchange below:

KASIE HUNT: So I think my question is this, I mean, I take your point about these millions of people, the cost of living is incredibly high, but also Republicans control the White House, they control the Senate, they control The House, and in the past Democrats, when Republicans have tried to do something like this, Democrats have argued that the norms of our government should be that you negotiate policy outside of a government shutdown. I mean, over many years covering Washington, people have said that over and over and over again. And now I have neighbors in the D.C. area who are both employed by the federal government who are having to use food banks. We are heading into Thanksgiving. Why is it suddenly right to do it this way and to do it for this long when it didn’t used to be the right way in Democrats view?

ROBEN GALLEGO: Oh, that’s an easy answer. It’s Donald Trump. You’re talking about norms in the time of Donald Trump? It’s also normal not for you to tear down the East Wing.

HUNT: Right, but Democrats have spent so much time arguing about how maintaining those norms is actually incredibly important in the face of Donald Trump.

GALLEGO: It doesn’t. It’s all out the window. It is all out of the window, Kasie. No. When you’re doing this time with Donald Trump, this is the man that is extorting people. He’s literally breaking every rule. We’re not going to go back and play by the norms when we know that what’s on the line. What’s on the line is 24 million people are going to have their insurance rates premiums doubled. That’s a new thing, by the way. And the fact is the president and everyone expects us to play by these old norms.

HUNT: But didn’t Democrats kind of set that up in the bill that you passed, though, that these subsidies were going to expire?

GALLEGO: When we passed the bills and back in the day, as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, of course we were trying to maybe hope for the best that this country and our Republican colleagues would understand that raising insurance rates on people is a bad thing. I’m sorry they don’t see it that way, but it’s also not my job to make their job easier. My job is to make sure that the premiums of 24 million Americans does not double overnight. And if it makes it harder on the Republicans that we’re putting them in a very difficult position, then they have to answer for that. And hopefully it actually comes with a good outcome, which is Americans not having to pay higher premiums, then that’s good. But I’m not gonna abide by old norms, especially when you’re dealing with this presidency, this administration, and how the Republicans themselves have been acting.

Watch above via CNN.