The 4 Most Off-the-Rails Shutdown Moments So Far

As the fourth week of the government shutdown approaches, little has changed in terms of getting Democrats on board with a short-term funding extension. But Capitol Hill has been far from dull, with shouting matches between members and top congressional leaders throwing up their hands in frustration.

Here are the most off-the-rails moments of the shutdown so far.

The Big Apple Battle

When House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left his Democrat leadership press conference, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., was waiting in the hallway.

The two quickly jumped into a face-to-face war of words, with Lawler accusing Jeffries of being hypocritical for demanding the extension of COVID-19-era health care tax credits before the government reopens but not supporting a Republican-backed bill to extend them.

Jeffries repeatedly called Lawler an “embarrassment,” while Lawler put Jeffries on blast for voting against funding the government and refusing to take a side in the New York City mayoral race, where the controversial New York state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is a front-runner.

Dems Storm Johnson’s Office

In a bizarre moment, House Democrats marched through the Capitol Rotunda to the office of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., who was not there at the time. 

The Democrats were protesting the fact that Johnson, who has kept the House out of session, has not yet sworn in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., who won a special election in her late father’s district in September. 

Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., was the first to enter Johnson’s office, knocking down a poster and then proceeding to yell at a Capitol police officer guarding Johnson’s office.

Barragan told a reporter that the officer “grabbed” her.

Johnson said that the stunt “shows, again, [Democrats’] disdain for law enforcement, as we see all around the country… and it shows their desperation.”

‘Mad Mike’

It seems the partisan gridlock is upsetting the speaker of the House.

Speaking on Democrats’ refusal to pass the short-term funding bill to reopen the government, Johnson said, “I don’t like being mad Mike, I want to be happy Mike.” 

He added, “I want to be the happy warrior, but I am so upset about this. God bless America,” before leaving the lectern.

The Arizona Standoff

Arizona Democrat Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego went over to Johnson’s office to hold a press conference demanding he swear in Grijalva, the Rep.-elect. Then Johnson himself came out.

What ensued was a made-for-television moment, as Johnson took the senators to task, demanding that they reopen the government.

Lawler was also present and told Kelly, “With all due respect, you voted multiple times to keep the government shut down. The Republican members from Arizona voted to keep the government open. So don’t sit here and try to lecture us about whether we did our job. We did our job, you did not.”

Gallego raised the temperature in the room, telling Johnson to his face to “stop covering up for the pedophiles.”

Grijalva, if sworn in, would likely be the 218th signature on a petition that would force the consideration of a bill to compel the executive branch to release files on the now-deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Johnson has opposed the petition, saying it both fails to provide valuable information on Epstein’s bank records and fails to protect undercover agents and Epstein’s victims.

Johnson smiled at Gallego, saying, “That’s ridiculous.” Lawler had Johnson’s back, telling Gallego, “You’re absolutely absurd.”

Johnson brought the shouting match to a close, looking to the cameras and saying, “I’m going to get back to work. These gentlemen had a publicity stunt here. You see the issue, they need to go and vote to reopen the government, plain and simple.”

Gallego has since continued to insult Johnson, calling him a “f—— liar” and a “little creep” online, as well as saying Johnson “should be happy I had my arms folded,” since “it’s a way [for marines] to make sure we restrain ourselves.”

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