Republican Lawmaker Breaks From POTUS, Agrees To Open The Government Without Wall Funding

It was only a matter of time.

Colorado’s Republican Sen. Cory Gardner is ditching his party. He plans to vote for a “clean” funding bill with no wall money attached.

“As I said on the night the partial government shutdown began, I do not think shutting down the government is ever the right answer,” Gardner said earlier this month. “We should pass the bipartisan appropriations bill that includes money for border security while we continue to fight for more border security money. Congress needs to take further action on border security, but that work should be done when the government is fully open.”

Perhaps, but you and I both know that it isn’t going to happen. Democrats are lying when they say that they’ll deal with the border security issue separately. They won’t do it. Pelosi has already made it abundantly clear that a wall is off the table. This is the absolute ONLY way President Trump can force the issue. Welcome to politics.

The Denver Post editorial board has a strong opinion on this.

Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner’s spokesman told us Wednesday he intends to vote for a clean funding bill that would open the government with no increased border-security funding attached.

It’s the right thing to do.

We cannot stress enough that our democracy’s health is at stake in this political stalemate. When we allow funding measures and budgets to be tied to policy objectives and pet projects, everyone suffers. Both parties are guilty of the malpractice, as we noted at about this time last year when Democrats were the ones orchestrating a shutdown in pursuit of protections for immigrants without legal status who were brought to America as kids.

This 33-day, partial shutdown is driven by President Donald Trump’s demands for $5.7 billion for a wall on America’s southern border. It should stand as the last time our politicians abuse federal workers as though they are disposable pawns in a grander game of political chess.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, pledged to allow his members to vote on two bills Thursday and one would fund the government until Feb. 8 without the controversial money for Trump’s wall (it would keep border security funding at the same level). That clean continuing resolution takes the common-sense approach of alleviating the shutdown crisis and then allowing negotiations on immigration reform and border security.

Do they really think anything will change by Feb. 8th? And do they really think the measure will get 60 votes in the Senate? Gardner may be voting alongside Democrats on this one, but there are still many Republican lawmakers who are standing firm with President Trump.

We’ll see what happens.