House Dem defends viral clash with Johnson after Capitol confrontation over shutdown

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., defended her interruption of Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s press conference that went viral this week, arguing her rage was justifiable because Johnson has been unwilling to negotiate with Democratic Party leaders to reopen the government.

GOP lawmakers have argued the two warring parties could agree to a budget resolution and negotiate public healthcare subsidies – which Democrats are holding out for – down the road. But Houlahan suggested she disagreed despite Democratic Party Senate leader Chuck Schumer unveiling a plan Friday afternoon to extend the Obamacare subsidies in question for just a year and develop a committee to negotiate further how to handle the subsidies once the government is open. 

“Because I believe that he’s our Speaker, the Speaker of the House and it’s important that he do his job,” Houlahan responded when asked why she decided to interrupt Johnson’s press conference. “And as near as I can tell, in the more than forty days [of the government shutdown], he hasn’t picked up a phone call and tried to speak to more than half of the country.”

“Democrats could end this in the Senate if they would just pass the CR and then handle healthcare separate,” the congresswoman was then pressed. “Why do you see these as connected?” 

SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES

“I believe them to be inextricably connected,” Houlahan responded. “This is literally the healthcare – the livelihood and ability of people to thrive in our country, and I think this is the time to have this conversation.”

Houlahan went on to say that the Trump administration “has been slowly strangling the American people” and said that by shutting down the government it is “trying to complete the job.”

“Over the last nine months this administration has been slowly strangling the American people,” she said. “Shutting back down the government by itself and now it’s trying to complete the job.”

When pressed further, Houlahan’s staff stepped in and said she needed to go and could not answer any more questions.

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The Democrat became viral earlier this week when House Speaker Johnson’s press conference outside the capitol building briefly descended into chaos once she got into a heated exchange with the Speaker demanding he meet with her caucus to end the shutdown. Houlahan was jeered back at and at a certain point Johnson told her to respect his free speech rights.

“You should respect free speech,” Houlahan clapped back. “I’m asking you a question if you’re ready to have a conversation with the other side. You represent all of us. You are the speaker for all of us, sir.”

Johnson attempted to take a question from a reporter but told them, “I can’t hear you because we have someone who doesn’t respect the rights of their colleagues.”

Meanwhile, Houlahan kept shouting over the speaker even as he tried to call order.

“You have an obligation not just to speak lies to the American people, you have an obligation to call the leadership of both parties and bring us together, and solve this problem together,” she yelled.

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The following day, Houlahan participated in a Democratic Party press conference of her own on the steps of the capitol, during which no interruptions appeared to take place, according to recordings posted online. Houlahan referred to the viral moment between her and the speaker as a “dialogue,” during her comments. 

“I like to think of it as a dialogue more than a confrontation,” she said of the pair’s exchange during the press conference. “He reminded me and the American people that he has literally not sat down and talked to Democratic leaders since before the shutdown. They refuse to sit down with us, and they refuse to tell the American public the truth.”

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Kelly Phares contributed to this report.