Senator Hakeem Jeffries Weighs In On BBB

During today’s House Democratic leadership press conference, Hakeem Jeffries disagreed with Senator Joe Manchin’s assessment that the Build Back Better reconciliation package is “dead.” The package recently died in the Senate after Chuck Schumer realized he didn’t have the votes.

Jeffries’ comment was mocked during a segment on Neil Cavuto’s Coast to Coast, as the reporter noted that Manchin is the one with a deciding vote in the Senate and a member of House Democratic leadership does not.

The Washington Examiner pointed out the absurdity of Jeffries countering Manchin’s assessment.

Washington Examiner: “The comments come the day after Manchin told reporters there are “no organized conversations going on” surrounding the legislation, which includes key portions of Biden’s domestic agenda. Manchin made his opposition to the size and scope of the bill clear during negotiations and said shortly before Christmas that he would not support it.”

Jeffries’ insistence that BBB isn’t dead comes after CNBC reported that Democrat Party leaders were told by large donors that they will withhold donations until Build Back Better is passed.

CNBC: “Some of the party’s top donors have privately told leading Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that they will not be donating any more money while President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social and climate spending package remains unpassed in Congress, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.”

Bottom Line: Hakeem Jeffries’ bizarre claim that BBB isn’t dead is either a feeble attempt to keep his party’s major donors from jumping ship, or more evidence that he’s simply not ready for prime time. Either way, it doesn’t change the fact that the American people rejected the Democrats’ gargantuan tax and spending package.