This morning, Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) was on CNN. Here’s what he had to say.
- On an extension of ACA subsidies: “I think Congresswoman Dingle is right. It will pass in the House. What we’re hearing today from Senate Republican leadership is they don’t intend to move on the legislation even if it has passed the House. I think they’re going to face a lot of pressure. I think you’ll have a bipartisan vote coming out of of the House to extend the tax credits for three years. And Senator Thune and Senate Republicans I think would be wise to take up that legislation and pass it in the Senate as well.”
- On an utterly ridiculous/moronic/biased/obnoxious question about whether, somehow, Democrats share the responsibility for the situation on ACA tax credits: “Well, Democrats in Congress have been advocating to extend the tax credits throughout all of 2025; put forward legislation that was blocked by Republicans in both the House and Senate, time after time after time. So the the burden here, the fault lies with Republicans who have refused to do the simple thing and pass a clean extension of the tax credits that millions of Americans rely on. We can do both. Look, we can pass a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits to prevent these premiums from doubling, tripling, or quadrupling for some American families. and we can have a longer conversation and dialogue about ways to bring down the cost of health care for everyday Americans. We can do both and we should.”
- Another obnoxious question, this time on Zohran Mamdani being sworn in as Mayor of NY City, and specifically his quote, ‘we will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism’, the CNN interviewer asks, “Is that how Democrats should govern in your mind?” “Well, look, the Democratic Party is is a big tent, and that big tent absolutely includes Mayor Mamdani, and I’m excited to see the things he might be able to do in New York City. Obviously, New York City is a unique place. I represent Virginia. I went to school in New York City and it’s a wonderful but unique place politically. So what’s going to work for him in New York City probably won’t work for every Democrat everywhere; we have to run and compete and govern across the country. But we’re a big tent – moderates progressives…”
- On the release of Jack Smith’s testimony, in which Smith accurately said, “President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy. The these crimes were committed uh for his benefit. The attack that happened at the Capitol as part of this case does not happen without him.” “Well, I think it’s obvious why it was released when it was released. Republicans in Washington don’t want to acknowledge Donald Trump’s culpability with respect to January 6. He compounded that culpability with the mass pardoning of the 1,500+ folks involved in January 6, including a lot of folks who have gone on to commit violent crimes in communities across the country. So, they don’t want the American people to hear the truth that Jack Smith laid out in his testimony. I think moving forward, we’re coming up on the anniversary of January 6 in a couple of days. Democrats in the House will be holding a special hearing to talk about the issue. I don’t think it’s something we can ever let go. The fact that a sitting United States President, Donald Trump, at the time, tried to subvert the results of a free and fair election and then cheered on a violent mob who attacked the Capitol leading to the death of police officers, tried to kill the Vice President of the United States. Look, when the history books are written about Donald Trump, January 6 will be in the first paragraph. This will hang over him for the rest of his life and long beyond the end of his life.”
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