Scott Jennings Reminds David Hogg of Democratic Responsibility in Shutdown

On Monday’s “CNN Newsnight,” Salem Radio Network host Scott Jennings highlighted the role of Democrats in the current government shutdown, particularly pointing out their responsibility in passing Obamacare and the planned expiration of subsidies in 2025. This came after former Democratic National Committee Vice Chairman David Hogg attempted to shift blame onto Republicans.

As the shutdown enters its fifth week, Democrats are pushing for over $1 trillion in funding to sustain various initiatives, including the continuation of subsidies linked to Obamacare, originally tied to the pandemic. Hogg maintained that Democrats are resisting the continuation resolution out of concern for not wanting to seem complicit in raising insurance premiums for millions, including around 100,000 in Kentucky.

In his argument, Hogg asserted, “The reason the government isn’t open is due to Democrats not wanting to be involved.” Yet he added, “You can address that separately.” There seemed to be some confusion, as he suggested these two topics shouldn’t overlap.

During the debate, which became quite tense, anti-gun activists criticized Republicans for not repealing Obamacare back in 2017. This led to Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz stepping in after a key vote from then-Republican Sen. John McCain sunk the repeal effort.

Jennings pointedly reminded Hogg and Moskowitz of the Democratic lineage of the ACA and its subsidies. He said, “David, you know that the ACA was a Democratic initiative, right? And the subsidies you’re speaking of were established by Democrats, correct? You’re trying to reframe it as a Republican problem, but that doesn’t make sense.” Jennings insisted that the issues could be separated; the government could be reopened while those discussions continued.

He expressed skepticism about the motives behind the current negotiations, stating that some House Republicans might be open to discussions, but only under pressure. He added that merging various issues—like SNAP benefits and federal workers’ pay—into the shutdown debate created a mess. Jennings concluded, “You all caused this crisis, and now it seems you’re uncertain about how to navigate out of it.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also faced scrutiny from progressive media and fellow Democrats for his March decision to support a Republican-sponsored spending bill aimed at averting a government shutdown. Following his history in Congress, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is speculated to possibly challenge him in 2028.