Gallego: ‘Don’t Know, and I Don’t Care’ What My Stance on Past Shutdowns Was

On Monday’s broadcast of CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) responded to a question on Republicans using a government shutdown to extract concessions in the future by saying that they’ve already done that before and he doesn’t know or care what his position on those shutdowns was.

Co-host Joe Kernen asked, “If Republicans shut down the government, next time Democrats are in charge, to extract whatever it is…are you saying that’s okay?”

Gallego responded, “Republicans have done this quite a while, yes.”

Kernen then cut in to ask, “What did you say about it when they did it?”

Gallego answered, “I don’t know, and I don’t care. What matters is, again, about 24 million Americans, what I care about, 24 million Americans, 24 million families have an opportunity to actually live the American Dream and not have their insurance rates doubled overnight because the government refuses to act. Again, we could negotiate right now. By the way, how could I negotiate? The president’s in Asia for five days. Johnson’s basically keeping his House, the House of Representatives, out until January to stop — and protect pedophiles. So, who am I negotiating with right now? The only person I’m talking to right now is everyday Americans who are worried that they’re going to have their insurance rates doubled overnight because Republicans refused to act. So, they’re screwing up on tariffs, they’re raising inflation, and now they’re going to go ahead and raise your premiums.”

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