Conservative group targets Dem leadership over shutdown fight

A conservative group is targeting Democratic leadership over the potential government shutdown, slamming Democratic lawmakers who in 2013 criticized the use of threats to shutdown the government as a negotiating tactic.

The video, released by America Rising PAC, features Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDemocrats will need to explain if they shut government down over illegal immigration White House: Trump remarks didn't derail shutdown talks Schumer defends Durbin after GOP senator questions account of Trump meeting MORE (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Nancy PelosiNancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiDemocrats search for 51st net neutrality vote Hoyer suggests Dems won't support spending bill without DACA fix Trump’s first year in office was the year of the woman MORE (D-Calif.) and Sens. Bernie SandersBernard (Bernie) SandersMellman: On Political Authenticity (Part 2) Former Sanders campaign manager: Don't expect email list to be shared with DNC Adult film star: Trump and Stormy Daniels invited me to 'hang out' MORE (I-Vt.) and Kirsten GillibrandKirsten Elizabeth GillibrandTrump thinks he could easily beat Sanders in 2020 match-up: report Listen: EMILY’s List upbeat about Dem House in '19 Desperate Democrats shouldn't settle for Oprah MORE (D-N.Y.) speaking about the negotiations and 16-day shutdown several years ago.

“But we want to negotiate without a gun to our head. Speaker [John] BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerDems face hard choice for State of the Union response Even some conservatives seem open to return to earmarks Overnight Finance: Trump, lawmakers take key step to immigration deal | Trump urges Congress to bring back earmarks | Tax law poised to create windfall for states | Trump to attend Davos | Dimon walks back bitcoin criticism MORE comes in and he says basically it’s sort of like this. Someone goes into your house, takes your wife and children hostage and then says, ‘Let’s negotiate over the price of your house,’” Schumer says in the 2013 clip.

“You know, we could do the same thing on immigration. We believe strongly in immigration reform. We could say, ‘We’re shutting down the government. We’re not going to raise the debt ceiling until you pass immigration reform.’ It would be governmental chaos,” the Senate minority leader adds.

The threat of another government shutdown is looming over lawmakers. Congress is struggling to strike a deal to keep the government's lights on as Democrats push for a fix to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation.

"Democrats can't escape their rhetoric on government shutdowns. They've said it themselves — disrupting the functions of government in the name of political posturing would result in 'governmental chaos,'” Alexandra Smith, America Rising PAC’s executive director, said in a statement.

While Republicans are trying to blame the threat of an impending shutdown on Democrats, Democrats argue President TrumpDonald John TrumpDems flip Wisconsin state Senate seat Sessions: 'We should be like Canada' in how we take in immigrants GOP rep: 'Sheet metal and garbage' everywhere in Haiti MORE is threatening a shutdown to acquire funding for his proposed border wall.

Trump has said the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, a signature promise of his 2016 campaign, “must be part of any DACA approval.”