Dem Sen. Ossoff: ‘Mitch McConnell Doesn’t Scare Anybody These Days’

During an appearance on Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The Last Word,” Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) reacted to remarks from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who warned the U.S. Senate would resemble a “100-car pileup” with “nothing moving” if Democrats eliminated the 60-vote filibuster requirement.

Ossoff told MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell that McConnell wasn’t scaring anyone these days and added that he had questions about the Kentucky Republican’s ability to hold on to his leadership post.

“Mitch McConnell doesn’t scare anybody these days,” Ossoff said. “We’ll see if Mitch McConnell can hold on to his leadership of his Republican conference. He is dusting off the playbook that they ran against Barack Obama. And that is obstruction and gridlock, grind everything to a halt, prevent progress. There is a mood in the country right now for results and good government. And let’s get specific about what that means. That means 75% support for its stimulus bill, which, thanks to voters in Georgia, is projected to nearly double U.S. economic growth and add a full percent to global economic growth this year, returning us to pre-pandemic employment early next year, broad bipartisan public support.”

“As I said, there is broad bipartisan public support for action on infrastructure and the climate,” he added. “There is broad bipartisan public support for the defense of voting rights. Mitch McConnell should listen to the people, not to the lobbyists whispering in his ears, not to the pollsters whispering in his ears, to the people, and should get on board with the program and play a constructive role in passing this legislation. And if he refuses to, then we will have to assess what changes the Senate rules will be necessary so that the U.S. Senate is a functional, governing, legislative body.”

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