Gardner Refuses to Stand Up To McConnell After He Tells Trump to Abandon COVID Relief Negotiations, Votes for Another Partisan Stunt

Stunt vote today was for political cover, actually cut emergency unemployment benefits, shortchanges aid to local governments & fails to give real relief to struggling Coloradans

Denver, CO - After multiple reports revealed that Mitch McConnell told Senator Cory Gardner and his Republican colleagues that he instructed President Trump to abandon negotiations on any bipartisan pandemic relief package before the election, Gardner has stayed deafeningly silent despite Colorado entering a “dangerous third wave” of the pandemic. Gardner is refusing to stand up to his party bosses as Colorado’s unemployment claims spike, hospitalizations and infections rise, and Coloradans are struggling to make ends meet — instead, he’s voting with McConnell on stunt half-measures that do not provide the real relief Coloradans desperately need.

Despite Gardner’s political spin, McConnell has made it crystal clear that a bipartisan deal is off the table and he is laser-focused on ramming through Trump’s anti-ACA and anti-choice Supreme Court nominee. On brand, Gardner has fallen in line with his party bosses’ strategy. 

The GOP's stunt bill slashed emergency unemployment insurance in half, shortchanged aid for state and local governments, gave zero housing support to renters and homeowners, and would have failed our schools. Simply put, this was a political stunt that does not meet the moment — and is far less than the comprehensive relief package House Democrats passed with bipartisan support months ago. 

154 days ago, Gardner infamously said that it would be “unfathomable” for the Senate to leave Washington without further action, but has since let emergency unemployment expire and failed to take action on two comprehensive House-passed pandemic aid packages. Gardner has failed to deliver for Colorado. 

Colorado Democratic Party spokesperson Eli Rosen:

“Senator Gardner has abandoned thousands of Coloradans struggling to pay rent and put food on the table — all to stay in the good graces of his party bosses. Mitch McConnell spiked any chance of needed relief for Coloradans like a political football, and Senator Gardner’s silence is ensuring we will punt him from the Senate in two weeks. John Hickenlooper will actually stand up for Colorado and deliver the long-overdue relief we need.”

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