Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: ‘Stop lying to the people’

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) was interrupted during a Tuesday press briefing on the Supreme Court vacancy by a heckler who shouted, “Stop lying to the people.”

Schumer addressed a crowd outside the Capitol, condemning the Republicans’ decision to move forward with confirming a Supreme Court justice 42 days ahead of the election.

At the time of the interruption, Schumer was criticizing Republicans for their COVID-19 response and discussing the Science Transparency Over Politics Act, which would create a task force “to report to the public when politics are behind COVID response decisions.” 

“We Democrats are fighting as hard as we can to protect Americans,” Schumer said. “And we need Americans — ”

“You ain’t doing shit,” the heckler said. “Stop lying to the people. Stop lying to the people.”

Another person shouted, “Jesus saves. Jesus saves. Jesus loves you guys,” to which Schumer responded, “Thank you” before continuing.

Hecklers disrupt @SenSchumer presser on RBG’s replacement, clearly annoying the N.Y. senator pic.twitter.com/XdbULAwW2w

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 22, 2020

The interruption to Schumer’s press conference comes as several lawmakers are holding briefings outdoors due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Tensions are ramping up in the Senate as Republicans push forward with plans to confirm President Trump’s currently unknown Supreme Court nominee after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on Friday left a vacancy in the court. Trump said he plans to announce his pick at the White House on Saturday.

“The American people don’t want Republicans to move forward with a confirmation,” Schumer said during the outside briefing. “They know this is wrong.”

Schumer also spoke on the Senate floor about the court debate earlier Tuesday, saying, “Because the Senate Republicans have no respect for the institution, we won’t have business as usual here in the Senate.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appears to have enough support to move forward with a confirmation vote but has not said whether he will force one before the election. Trump has said he expects to nominate a woman and to announce his nominee Saturday.

Democrats have accused Republicans of hypocrisy after the caucus blocked Merrick Garland’s confirmation hearing in 2016, nine months before the election.

Schumer said on Saturday that “nothing is off the table for next year” if Republicans take steps to fill Ginsburg’s seat before the election.