'Publicity stunt': Johnson confronts Dems over shutdown grievances
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() Arizona’s two Democratic senators got into a testy exchange Wednesday with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, with both sides blaming the other for the ongoing shutdown of the federal government.

The back-and-forth came as Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego held a press “gaggle” outside Johnson’s office at the Capitol. The Democrats talked with reporters about their party’s attempts to negotiate health care subsidies with the GOP to end the impasse, and they also complained Johnson was dragging his feet in swearing in Arizona Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat.

Enter Johnson, who waded into the group with an affable, “Hey, gentleman. Good to see you all.”

Things went downhill from there. Johnson, who has sent his members home, suggested he’d swear in Grijalva as soon as the Senate approves a House measure to fund the government.

“I’m anxious to administer the oath to her as soon as you guys vote to open the government,” Johnson said.

Gallego said Johnson was stonewalling because Grijalva would be the final legislator needed to force a vote on releasing additional files about sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, which could be potentially embarrassing to the White House.

“Totally absurd. You guys are experts on red herrings and distraction,” said Johnson, who called such claims a “publicity stunt.” He said lawyers for the House Oversight Committee were reviewing documents from the Epstein estate.

Kelly stepped in to ask Johnson to call his Republican members back to Washington, “so we can have a serious negotiation” to end the shutdown.

Johnson replied: “We’re going to have plenty of negotiations, as soon as you open the government.”

When Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., entered the fray, the lawmakers talked over each other in assigning blame for rising health care premiums. Gallego, bringing up the Epstein issue again, accused the majority party of “covering up for pedophiles.”

“Nobody’s covering up for pedophiles, so knock it the hell off,” Lawler shot back.

The group quickly broke up, with Johnson and Lawler walking off.

“That was fun,” Kelly observed.

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