Jeffries: Dems Who Voted Against Raising Debt Limit Didn’t Like Substance, But Were Also Objecting to ‘Hostage-Taking’

On Tuesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) stated that the Democrats who voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling did have some objections to the substance of the bill, but they also “voted out of principle objection to the hostage-taking moment that we were in, what was important is everyone supported President Biden’s leadership.”

Jeffries stated, “Clearly, there were a few skirmishes in some areas where there was concern, whether that was in the permitting space or around the SNAP program. … I think we basically took the position that we’ll allow everyone to evaluate the resolution on the merits, make sure that there’s real engagement between the administration and House Democrats every step of the way, including when a resolution had been reached, and then allow people to make their evaluation based on the four corners of the resolution. And when that happened, I think people concluded averting a default was incredibly important, protecting Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and veterans and education and public safety and protecting the American people against these draconian, dramatic, across-the-board 22% cuts, that was incredibly important, and taking us out of this hostage situation for the balance of this Congress by suspending the debt ceiling until the early part of 2025, that was important. And as a result, we got a strong Democratic vote. Those who voted against it also voted out of principle objection to the hostage-taking moment that we were in, what was important is everyone supported President Biden’s leadership.”

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