By Nicole Weatherholtz | Wednesday, 05 November 2025 02:10 PM EST
Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., criticized Democrats on Newsmax for exploiting the government shutdown as “political leverage” while harming families and federal workers. Appearing on “National Report,” he accused Democrats of hypocrisy, stating they have already voted for the spending plan now under dispute.
Ricketts argued that the current framework is a bipartisan solution, calling it a “Biden budget” and emphasizing that Democrats are prolonging the stalemate. He highlighted the impact on public servants, such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement, who work without paychecks, and families awaiting SNAP benefits.
The senator cited Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who previously stated healthcare debates should not occur during a shutdown, to underscore Democratic inconsistency. Ricketts urged Republicans to focus on clarifying the cause of the crisis rather than being distracted by recent election results.
He reiterated that Democrats are responsible for creating stress on American families and government workers by refusing to reopen operations.
