TMZ Is Tracking Congress on Vacation During a Shutdown. Someone Had To.
The big picture: The DHS shutdown just passed 40 days. All 535 members of Congress went home for a two-week spring recess. TMZ told its tipsters to photograph any member of Congress doing anything that isn’t their job and they’re posting every single one. Lindsey Graham was tracked to Disney World holding a bubble wand. Ted Cruz was spotted in Fort Lauderdale. Democrats and Republicans are both getting roasted.
Why it matters: There’s no shutdown deal in sight because House and Senate Republicans can’t agree on a path forward. Thune pushed a compromise. Johnson killed it. Trump signed a temporary executive action to get TSA workers some back pay, but it’s unclear if payments will continue. AND Democrats aren’t coming to the table while Republicans fight each other. Meanwhile, Congress is at the beach.
The TMZ campaign: Founder Harvey Levin told tipsters to send in photos of any of the 535 members of Congress “doing anything that isn’t their jobs.” TMZ is posting them across their website, social media, and TV shows. Both parties are getting hit. Democrats tagged: Seth Magaziner (Real Housewives party), Amy Klobuchar (robotics conference), Robert Garcia (Vegas casino). Republicans tagged: Ted Cruz (Fort Lauderdale airport), Marsha Blackburn (left town early), Lindsey Graham (Disney World, bubble wand).
The responses: Garcia took it well: “I don’t mind what TMZ is doing here. Speaker Johnson should have never sent us all home.” Graham was defensive: “I voted 7 times to fully fund the government. Call a Democrat.” Levin’s response to the blame game: “It’s not the other party, it’s both parties, and we are kind of sick of the way they are patronizing us.”
The GOP infighting: Thune moved forward with a deal funding DHS except ICE and Border Patrol, described as “the only deal he believed was possible.” House GOP killed it. Johnson is running a public pressure campaign against the Senate. Reports say House leaders believe Thune botched negotiations. Trump has hinted at forcing Congress back into session. With Republicans at war, Democrats aren’t negotiating.
The bandaid: Trump signed an executive action Friday directing funds to cover TSA back pay. BUT it’s unclear if payments continue as the shutdown drags on. It’s not a funding deal. An actual resolution could be weeks away.
By the numbers:
40+ — days of the DHS shutdown
535 — members of Congress on spring recess
2 — weeks of recess during an active shutdown
0 — shutdown deal in sight
7 — times Graham says he voted to fund the government (his defense for Disney World)
The bottom line: It took the outlet that normally tracks celebrity sightings at Nobu to show you what your representatives are doing while the government is partially closed and federal workers can’t pay their bills. Graham’s at Disney World. Cruz is in Fort Lauderdale. The House and Senate can’t agree. Democrats aren’t at the table. AND every single one of them went home for two weeks. Levin’s right: they’re counting on you blaming the other side instead of holding all of them accountable.
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