With the House out on summer break after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) vacated the premises to avoid a vote on the Jeffrey Epstein files, Democratic senators are huddling on plans for when the full Congress is back in session.
According to a report from Politico, at a luncheon for Democratic senators on Wednesday attendees "grappled" with how to push back against the Republicans and whether they should forcefully take them on or work to come up with some compromises.
One prominent Democrat made it clear that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) may be on a short leash.
As Politico's Calen Razer wrote, "Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) fiery protest on Tuesday, urging his party to “have a backbone” in dealing with Trump, could preview the potential progressive backlash if they cut a deal. Some Democrats, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, are questioning why they should agree to help the administration fast-track filling its ranks at all, though plenty of other Democrats would disagree."
With regard to the threat of another looming government shutdown on the horizon, the report notes that some Democrats are wary of Schumer bending like he did last time and helping Republicans get out of a bind that would damage them with voters since they hold the White House and both chambers of Congress.
Politico is reporting, "They don’t want a repeat of the spring showdown where Schumer infuriated Democratic activists by helping to advance a GOP-written funding bill."
That led to Warren putting Schumer in the spotlight by warning, "The Republicans can roll us once, but we sure as hell shouldn’t let them roll us a second time."