Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan on Wednesday crashed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s press conference on the government shutdown, demanding to know whether he would meet with her party about ending the shutdown.
The government shutdown became the longest on record late Tuesday, replacing the record set during the first Trump administration in 2018 and 2019. The current shutdown began Oct. 1.
“I’m asking a question if you’re ready to have a conversation with the other side,” Houlahan shouted at the Capitol, per Fox News. “You represent all of us. You are the speaker for all of us, sir.”
Johnson initially attempted to ignore the Democrat by taking a question from a reporter, but then said, “I can’t hear you because we have someone who doesn’t respect the rights of their colleagues.”
Houlahan again disrupted the press conference by accusing the speaker of lying to American voters about trying to end the shutdown. Republicans have claimed that Senate Democrats are to blame because the House passed a continuing resolution that would have funded the government through Nov. 21.
