The Democrats can usually count on the likes of CNN to run cover for them. But the old alliances are shattering.
Because CNN just caught House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a devastating lie.
Jeffries Caught in Misstep on Shutdown Talks
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) faced sharp scrutiny from CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins on The Source Wednesday, as she exposed inconsistencies in his claims about the ongoing government shutdown, now dragging into its 30th day.
Jeffries asserted that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refused to engage in discussions to resolve the crisis, stating Johnson was unwilling to “have a conversation.”
Collins swiftly challenged this narrative, noting, “You said that Mike Johnson isn’t willing to sit down and have a conversation. Y’all did have a phone conversation, I believe you said earlier today.”
Pressed on who initiated the call, Jeffries reluctantly admitted, “It was a call from Mike Johnson,” undermining his earlier claim of Republican disengagement.
Jeffries downplayed the interaction, calling it “very brief” and “not a substantive discussion in terms of finding a path forward.” Collins persisted, asking, “But was he calling to talk about the government shutdown?”
Jeffries vaguely conceded, “I mean, you could say that—that was in the ballpark,” before deflecting to a familiar talking point: “Nothing meaningful came out of it, again, because Donald Trump has not given Mike Johnson permission to enter into a bipartisan negotiation.”
The sidestep failed to mask the fact that Johnson had indeed reached out, contradicting Jeffries’ portrayal of Republican inaction.
Revisiting Past Promises
Jeffries’ credibility took another hit when Collins aired a 2013 clip of him denouncing government shutdowns as causing “unnecessary pain” to Americans and advocating for a clean continuing resolution (CR).
Confronted with his past stance, Jeffries insisted, “The Hakeem Jeffries of today definitively agrees with the Hakeem Jeffries of yesterday,” despite Republicans repeatedly offering clean CRs to reopen the government—offers Democrats have rebuffed.
His attempt to reconcile his current opposition to such measures with his prior rhetoric appeared strained, as he offered convoluted justifications that failed to align with his earlier principled stand.
The exchange highlighted Jeffries’ tendency to lean on partisan narratives, blaming Republicans for stalling while glossing over their outreach and proposals. His claim that Republicans had been “on vacation for the last five weeks” further muddied the waters, ignoring ongoing negotiations and the complexities of the shutdown’s impact on federal workers and citizens.
Shutdown Stalemate and Jeffries’ Deflections
The confrontation emphasizes Jeffries’ role in perpetuating the shutdown gridlock, as his evasive responses and selective framing cast doubt on his commitment to bipartisan solutions. With the government paralyzed and Americans bearing the brunt, Collins’ pointed questioning exposed Jeffries’ reluctance to acknowledge Republican efforts, such as Johnson’s call, and his shifting stance on clean CRs.
As the shutdown stretches on, Jeffries’ reliance on blaming President Trump and dismissing substantive outreach risks further eroding trust in his leadership to navigate this crisis.
