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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who just emerged from the \u2018Schumer Shutdown\u2019 politically wounded, is watching his party self-destruct before his eyes, and it could even lead to his own undoing, according to political observers who are watching things play out in the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n
That opinion is shared by conservative radio host and professor Hugh Hewitt, who predicted that Schumer would not win a primary contest against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) if she chooses to run against him as their Democratic Party shifts further and further to the hard left.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore I let you go, I know you\u2019re not a gambling man, but does Chuck Schumer survive this? I mean, it seems designed to insulate him from AOC, and if that was his goal, I don\u2019t think it worked,\u201d Fox News host and former GOP congressman Trey Gowdy asked Hewitt during a segment on his Sunday show.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think he survives it for a very selfish reason by the other Democrats. Nobody wants that job. Someone\u2019s going to have to open the government again. He\u2019s already got \u2014 he\u2019s a pin cushion of arrows, so there\u2019s nothing he can really lose,\u201d Hewitt began before dropping his prediction.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not going to win if AOC runs against him in 2028. I would not be surprised if he is announcing his retirement early in 2027 to clear the way. He\u2019s been in government for 50-plus years. Sometimes it\u2019s time to go home and there\u2019s no reason not to use that if a guy has been beat up this badly, and boy, has he been beaten up pretty badly,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
WATCH:<\/p>\n
A New York Post editorial board piece published a week ago noted that rank-and-file Democrats are largely dispirited and frustrated after a lengthy shutdown failed to win concessions from majority Republicans on issues important to their party.<\/p>\n
\u201cDemocrats pointlessly kept the government shut down for 41 days (and still counting!), purely to satisfy their squalling left flank\u2019s need to do something to \u2018resist\u2019 President Donald Trump,\u201d\u00a0the editorial began.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter they shut it down, they opted to claim the point was to force the GOP to extend expiring Covid-era Affordable Care Act subsidies \u2014 though the Dems themselves had set the expiration date back in 2021,\u201d it continued. \u201cYet the true reason was simply that Democratic grassroots activists and donors are furious that they can\u2019t get their way in Washington, and insisted that their congresscritters express their rage.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter<\/em>\u00a0they shut it down, they\u00a0opted to claim the point was to force the GOP to extend expiring Covid-era Affordable Care Act subsidies \u2014 though the Dems themselves had set the expiration date back in 2021,\u201d it continued. \u201cYet the true reason was simply that Democratic grassroots activists and donors are\u00a0furious that they can\u2019t get their way\u00a0in Washington, and insisted that their congresscritters express their rage.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter that they\u2019re near-powerless because they lost last year\u2019s elections.\u00a0 That is, \u2018saving democracy\u2019 never had anything to do with respecting the wishes of the majority of voters; it\u00a0<\/p>\n The op-ed noted, too, that the most left-wing base of the Democratic Party in Congress is livid with Schumer, with some even calling for him to be removed.<\/p>\n \u201cSen. Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,\u201d postured Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).<\/p>\n There have been rumors for months that AOC has been eyeing a primary challenge to Schumer, which is why he bent to her wing of the party to keep the government shuttered.<\/p>\n A new report from CNN says that, if she does challenge Schumer, AOC would likely win.<\/p>\n CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten reported Tuesday that\u00a0Schumer\u2019s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level for any Democratic Senate leader since at least 1985.<\/p>\n Washington, D.C.\u2014October 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n In what may become one of the most consequential hearings in recent congressional history, Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana delivered a devastating expos\u00e9 on Congresswoman Maxine Waters, unraveling decades of alleged corruption, self-enrichment, and divisive rhetoric. The Senate Banking Committee hearing, originally scheduled to address the housing crisis and congressional ethics, quickly transformed into a public reckoning for Waters, whose 34-year career representing South Los Angeles communities came under intense scrutiny.<\/p>\n .<\/p>\n .<\/p>\n .<\/p>\n The committee room was packed, an unusual sight for a late October morning. The official agenda\u2014housing policy and ethics\u2014seemed routine, but the buzz in Washington signaled something more. When Senator Kennedy, a master of folksy interrogation, and Congresswoman Waters, famous for her fiery rhetoric and the catchphrase \u201creclaiming my time,\u201d were set to clash, the political world paid attention.<\/p>\n Senator Kennedy, 74, sat at the center of the dais, looking every bit the rumpled country lawyer with wire-rimmed glasses and a Southern drawl that softened even the sharpest rebuke. His reputation for dismantling witnesses with deceptively simple questions preceded him.<\/p>\n Opposite him, Congresswoman Waters, 85, wore a bright purple suit and an expression of righteous indignation. She had come prepared to defend herself and attack her Republican adversaries, particularly Kennedy, whom she accused of enabling \u201cTrump\u2019s racist agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n Waters wasted no time. Before the committee could address housing, she launched into a blistering statement:<\/p>\n \u201cRepublicans on this committee, particularly Senator Kennedy, don\u2019t care about poor people. They serve corporate interests and enable Donald Trump\u2019s racist agenda. You, Senator Kennedy, mock the suffering of black communities with your country lawyer act. You represent everything that\u2019s wrong with America.\u201d<\/p>\n The progressive staffers in the gallery murmured approval. It was classic Waters\u2014aggressive, accusatory, and unapologetically combative.<\/p>\n Kennedy waited quietly, then responded with characteristic calm. He cleaned his glasses\u2014a move that signaled something big was coming.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Congresswoman Waters, that was quite a speech. Very passionate, very angry. Now, I\u2019m just a simple country lawyer, so maybe I\u2019m confused about something. We\u2019re here to talk about housing and ethics, and you spent your time calling me racist, which is fine, I reckon. I\u2019ve been called worse. But I\u2019ve been doing some homework on you, ma\u2019am. And I\u2019m curious about some things, like how you\u2019ve gotten so rich while the district you represent stays so poor. That seems interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n Waters bristled, calling the line of questioning racist. Kennedy, undeterred, replied, \u201cI\u2019m attacking corruption. Don\u2019t much care about your race. I care about your record. Care about how you\u2019ve spent 34 years in Congress enriching yourself and your family while the people you claim to serve suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n He opened a folder and began listing the payments made from Waters\u2019 campaign to her daughter\u2019s company, Slate Mailer Management Services, totaling millions over the decades.<\/p>\n The silence in the room was palpable as Kennedy continued. Suddenly, an elderly black woman in the gallery stood up. Tears in her eyes, she introduced herself as Dorothy Jenkins, a lifelong resident of Watts.<\/p>\n \u201cI gave $50 to Congresswoman Waters every year for 20 years. Sometimes I\u2019d skip meals to have enough to donate. I thought my money was going to help the community, to help kids get better schools, to fight poverty, to make things better in Watts. But you gave it to your daughter to make your family rich while we stay poor.\u201d<\/p>\n Her words echoed through the room. Kennedy quietly affirmed, \u201cMs. Jenkins isn\u2019t alone, ma\u2019am. Thousands of small donors in your district\u2014working people, poor people\u2014gave because they believed in you. But you fought for your family bank account instead.\u201d<\/p>\n A young man from Compton stood next, his voice trembling with anger. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen her in our neighborhood, not once, except on TV during election years. My school didn\u2019t have enough textbooks, streets full of potholes, crime everywhere, but she lives in a mansion worth millions. Her daughter is a millionaire from campaign donations. Her grandson got paid from the campaign, too. The whole family getting rich.\u201d<\/p>\n Kennedy wasn\u2019t finished. He shifted to the 2008 financial crisis and Waters\u2019 involvement with One United Bank, a small institution that received bailout money under questionable circumstances. Kennedy revealed that Waters\u2019 husband owned substantial stock in the bank and that she had personally intervened to secure TARP funds, protecting her family\u2019s investment while thousands of families like Robert Chen\u2019s lost their homes.<\/p>\n \u201cMy family suffered, lost our home, but her family got protected. That\u2019s not public service. That\u2019s theft. That\u2019s corruption,\u201d Chen testified, his voice breaking.<\/p>\n Kennedy pressed further. \u201cYou were supposed to oversee banks, protect consumers, protect taxpayers. Instead, you used your position to help a bank your family had money in. The House Ethics Committee investigated, found you violated ethics rules, brought discredit upon the House. But what happened? Nothing real. Letter of reproval. No real punishment. Americans lost homes, lost savings, lost jobs during that crisis. But they watched politicians protect their own investments.\u201d<\/p>\n Kennedy then turned to Waters\u2019 public statements, especially her calls to \u201cconfront\u201d Trump officials in public places. Sarah Miller, a DC restaurant owner, recounted how her business was targeted by protesters following Waters\u2019 remarks, resulting in financial loss and fear among her staff.<\/p>\n A young Republican staffer described being harassed, followed, and threatened after Waters\u2019 rhetoric, ultimately forcing her to quit her job. Kennedy\u2019s tone was somber. \u201cYour inflammatory rhetoric has consequences. Real consequences for real people.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued, \u201cIf a Republican told supporters to form mobs around Democratic officials, it would be condemned as incitement. But you say it\u2014nothing. No real consequences. Your rhetoric deepens division in America. Makes confrontation seem acceptable. Makes harassment normal.\u201d<\/p>\n Kennedy summarized the charges: millions funneled to family members, using office for personal gain, divisive rhetoric with real-world harm. Waters attempted her signature defense, calling the hearing racist, but Kennedy shut it down:<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m attacking corruption, ma\u2019am. Don\u2019t care about your race. I care that you got rich while your district stayed poor. I care that you used your office for personal financial gain. I care that your words hurt innocent people. That\u2019s not racism. That\u2019s accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n The committee chairman announced a full investigation into campaign finance violations and family enrichment schemes, with a recommendation for Department of Justice review of the One United Bank matter.<\/p>\n Waters left the hearing, her staff trailing behind, her usual bravado replaced by defeat.<\/p>\n The impact was immediate. The House Ethics Committee opened a formal investigation. The FEC and IRS began reviewing campaign finances and auditing family businesses. In California, younger Democrats announced primary challenges, and community organizers demanded Waters resign.<\/p>\n Dorothy Jenkins\u2019 story went viral, symbolizing the betrayal of working-class donors. Waters issued a statement blaming racism and political motivation, but the public wasn\u2019t buying it. Kennedy hadn\u2019t attacked her race; he\u2019d exposed her corruption.<\/p>\n On December 1st, facing insurmountable odds and multiple investigations, Waters announced she would not seek reelection in 2026. Her district celebrated, and a new generation of leaders stepped forward, promising genuine representation.<\/p>\n The Waters case became shorthand for congressional corruption\u2014using office to enrich family, living in luxury while constituents suffered, avoiding accountability for decades. Term limits movements gained traction. \u201cNo family enrichment\u201d became a campaign slogan.<\/p>\n Dorothy Jenkins stopped donating to campaigns. \u201cI learned my lesson. Politicians say they care about us, but they\u2019re just using us. I\u2019ll keep my $50 now. Use it for food instead.\u201d<\/p>\n Sarah\u2019s restaurant recovered, but she remained wary of political figures. The young staffer found a new job, advocating against inflammatory political rhetoric. Robert Chen never fully recovered from losing his home, but seeing Waters held accountable gave him closure.<\/p>\n In Watts and Compton, communities began to hope for real representation. Because eventually, even the most protected corruption gets exposed. Eventually, even the most skilled deflector faces accountability. Eventually, a country lawyer asks questions that can\u2019t be answered with accusations or slogans.<\/p>\n And so, 34 years of enrichment, exploitation, and divisive rhetoric came to an end\u2014not with righteous fury, but with quiet defeat. A career built on corruption, crumbling under the weight of simple questions and undeniable facts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who just emerged from the \u2018Schumer Shutdown\u2019 politically wounded, is watching his party self-destruct before his eyes, and it could even lead to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}