As the federal government shutdown reaches 30 days, CNN host Jake Tapper pressed far-left Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D–N.M.) on her party’s repeated votes against reopening the government and the growing strain on federal nutrition programs.
During the exchange, Tapper directly challenged Stansbury over Senate Democrats’ refusal to support measures that would end the shutdown.
“This is … a choice by Senate Democrats to NOT vote to open the government,” Tapper said.
Stansbury pushed back, replying, “No, it is not!”
Tapper then followed up:
“If you feel so strongly… why not ask the Senate Democrats from New Mexico to vote to OPEN the government so the SNAP funds…”
Stansbury responded, “I’m fighting for SNAP!”
The far-left Democrat congresswoman tried to claim Democrats were fighting for money already appropriated, but Tapper noted how said funds were only to last weeks at most and not a lasting solution whatsoever, to which Stansbury took offense and continued trying to spar with the CNN host.
The exchange highlighted the growing tension within the Democratic Party as the shutdown enters its fifth week. Despite Stansbury’s insistence that she supports federal nutrition programs such as SNAP and WIC, she voted against a House bill to keep the government open earlier this month.
Democrats in the Senate have voted 13 times against proposals that would have reopened the government, blocking short-term funding measures advanced by House Republicans, as well as a “clean” bill that would merely keep current funding levels on all programs. Even some Democrat senators, such as Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, joined Republicans in working to try to reopen the government despite the Democrats’ shutdown.
Those bills would have kept essential programs funded while broader negotiations continued, but Democrats chose to let the benefits run out to give health care to criminal aliens and extend COVID-era programs that Democrat-led congresses and Joe Biden set sunsets on.
As a result, agencies are running low on resources, and programs that provide food assistance to millions of families are nearing exhaustion of contingency funds. Both SNAP and WIC are expected to face service disruptions if Congress does not act soon.
Republicans argue that Democrats are using the shutdown as leverage for political gain — at the expense of families who rely on these programs. Meanwhile, Tapper’s questioning underscored the growing public frustration with the standoff, as Stansbury refused to call on Democrat Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján to support reopening the government.
With the shutdown now at 30 days and no compromise in sight, critical aid programs continue to hang in the balance.
Stansbury is no match for Tapper.
What an embarrassment fir New Mexico Stanbury is.
She is a disgrace . Her and her comrades should be voted out of office . The Democrats could care less about Americans . All they care about is staying in Office and to get richer .
Our entire Congressional delegation is a disgrace. Not a single one is qualified to hold office. Our state is a laughing stock. Truly sad voters keep electing incompetent officials who only think of enriching themselves at our expense.
Wasn’t it Stanbury who held up a sign that read “ this is not normal “ that was ripped from her hands during one of Trump’s State of the Union address?
Another dimwit dumb-dem. Wake up voters and smell the stench that our representative in DC are trying to sell you..lies and more lies. Happy that Trapper nailed her.
The “left” is saying Tapper was just “baiting” comrade Stanbury for hit points and that she is a great socialist oops I mean democrat
Why do so many NM and US families need SNAP? Why does government subsidize healthcare? These aren’t meant to be long term programs.
Isn’t the high SNAP participation in NM a sign of failed political leadershi? Shouldn’t the drive be to get people out of these programs by raising the standard of living? This is just proof that NM politicians encourage the slavery of entitlement.
Stansbury sure is vocal lately. Her first term heard nary a peep, now she is in the news almost every week. Higher political aspirations?
Stansbury isn’t ready fir Prime Time.
Yes, NM is a mess with what our ‘leaders’ are fighting so hard for. Illegals and not Americans. Please don’t always blame the voters. Take a good hard look at what our choices are. If there aren’t any good candidates running against the lowlife dems then we have nothing to choose from so they win by default. God help NM bring in good trustworthy, honest moral people to run for office here. God please help us.
Martin and Ben Ray have voted 13 times to keep the govt shut down and to starve their own people. Stansberry cant admit that. normal people are sick of this BS but democrats are cheering stansberry as a courageous woman of integrity. sadly, that is not a joke. we have a stupidity problem among voters in NM who are voting for these people.
how can NM be one of the richest oil producing states where the money gushes into state govt and yet have the highest poverty levels ? 21 percent of NM on snap benefits. only democrat management could take such levels of income and produce poverty. and now we have deb haaland and keller on tap for continued lousy governance. way to go voters. you cant fix stupid. arent you all tired of this nonsense ?
If she’s so worried about the “starving children” on SNAP, why isn’t she worried about the children of members of our military, children if air traffic controllers and children of other federal employees whose parents can’t feed them because they aren’t getting paychecks? Just another NM politician with her head in the sand.
Call Heinrich and Ben Tay Lujsn now and demand that they vote to open the government.
SNAP: Stansbury Not A Player
BAAM! she got what she deserved. ( Reality)🙂
Grisham says you can eliminate the children through abortion, just dont starve them. A real Angel of Mercy. Give me a break.