‘Embarrassing end’ to Paul Ryan’s career as he gavels closed session in empty chamber during Trump shutdown: Report

On Friday, columnist Paul Kane detailed in The Washington Post that Republicans are having an embarrassing end of the year, especially for outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan.

He explained that the GOP is ending the year exactly how it started.

"Republicans are ending the 115th Congress in an all-too-familiar spot: standing on the sidelines while President Trump picks a fight they wanted to avoid as he ignores what they consider major conservative accomplishments," he wrote.

Republicans had a few successes this year, but Trump decided to only focus on the negative.

"Instead, Trump used each ceremony as an opportunity to denounce Democrats for opposing his multibillion-dollar demands for U.S. taxpayer money to fund a southern border wall, launching Washington into its third partial shutdown this year," Kane wrote.

"It’s an embarrassing end to a two-year run for McConnell and Ryan. For months they respectively called this the 'most successful Congress' for Republicans and claimed it set 'a record pace' for legislative production."

Trump's desire for a border wall overshadows any positive action from the GOP, such as helping to pass a historic prison reform bill.

"Time and again, Trump has paid lip service to these issues that Republicans consider wins and instead has focused on his demands for a border wall. Early this year, after the tax cuts took effect, GOP leaders winced as Trump focused on other issues and saw public approval for the legislation fade away," he said.

He noted that Ryans last moments on the House Floor was weak and nothing but a "whimper" as he realized the government would shut down. Republicans will end the year in a government shutdown because Trump refused to sign off on the budget until funding is approved for his border wall.

"Ryan’s last moment on the House floor came Friday evening when he gaveled the empty chamber shut, the last legislative session of 2018 going out with a whimper," he said.

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