The dysfunction in Washington reached an even higher peak on Saturday, as Republican lawmakers accused a New York congressman of pulling a fire alarm while Democrats were trying to stall a short-term funding bill.
According to sources cited by Politico, Democratic representative Jamaal Bowman was the person responsible for the alarm. The Committee on House Administration, which is helmed by Republicans, said “an investigation into why it was pulled is underway.”
Officials were scrambling to avert a government shutdown on Saturday. With just hours to go, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy advanced a 45-day stopgap bill, but it requires support from two-thirds of representatives.
Hard-line members of McCarthy’s party are angling to force him out of the speakership, while some Democrats also signaled their skepticism to the proposal and demanded to give it a thorough read.
“It was just dropped upon us at the 11th hour, and our members are of the view that nothing that Republicans have said this year is trustworthy. Nothing,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.
Bowman could not immediately be reached for comment.
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