One Weird Trick To Get Rid Of Chuck Schumer

Any single Senate Democrat can force a vote on Schumer’s job as minority leader.

By Whitney Curry Wimbish, The American Prospect

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) has to go. That’s the conclusion of multiple Democratic groups, House members, and candidates after Schumer oversaw his caucus implode ahead of passing a continuing resolution to fund the government with nothing more than a meaningless promise on the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Preserving health care was the whole point of the government shutdown; Democrats and workers nationwide begged Schumer to hold the line. Now, they say he has disappointed them for the last time.

No Senate Democrats have joined their colleagues in seeking Schumer’s resignation and none responded to requests for comment from the Prospect. But every single one of them has the power to force a vote on Schumer’s continued control of the caucus. If they wanted to, one of Schumer’s colleagues could bring forward a motion to amend the Democratic Caucus Rules to say that he should lose his leadership position if a set number of members disapprove of him. The motion would be “self-executing,” resulting in Schumer’s removal at the same time that it’s approved.

“Most Senate experts would say it’s highly unlikely,” said Daniel Schuman, executive director of the American Governance Institute, who wrote about how to push Schumer out in March, the last time he blinked and enabled a government funding bill that President Trump promptly violated. “But if the members are really pissed off, this is a mechanism they have.”

Under the Rules for the Democratic Conference, members can make rule amendments by submitting proposals directly to the conference for consideration, with one week of notice, Schuman said.