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Schumer discusses tense relationship with McConnell: 'I try to get along with everybody' | TheHill - The Hill

Senate Democratic Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerFed's expanded lending program opens funding to oil and gas industry Report finds states need millions more in federal funding to hold elections this year Democrats face disadvantage in COVID-19 political battle MORE (N.Y.) on Thursday discussed the difficulties in his relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellCapitol physician doesn't have enough coronavirus tests for all lawmakers as Senate plans return Overnight Health Care: Pelosi floats almost T for states | US intel investigating COVID-19's origins | Trump outlines efforts to protect nursing homes The Hill's Campaign Report: Pressure grows on Biden to address Tara Reade allegations MORE (R-Ky.), which he characterized as fundamentally lacking in communication.

Schumer and McConnell have fought a number of battles in recent years, ranging from the bitter confirmation fight over Supreme Court Justice Brett KavanaughBrett Michael KavanaughTrump: Biden allegations 'could be false,' but 'he should respond' The Hill's Campaign Report: Pressure grows on Biden to address Tara Reade allegations Biden to join MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' to discuss Reade sexual assault allegations MORE and the 2019 government shutdown to President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump to travel to Camp David on Friday Overnight Defense: Sexual assaults increase across military | Army defends bringing cadets back for Trump graduation speech Overnight Health Care: Pelosi floats almost T for states | US intel investigating COVID-19's origins | Trump outlines efforts to protect nursing homes MORE’s 2020 impeachment trial and recent clashes over coronavirus-relief legislation.

Asked by late-night talk show host Stephen ColbertStephen Tyrone ColbertBiden takes back seat to Pelosi, Schumer in coronavirus response Maher presses Pelosi on coronavirus spending: 'Funny money' may collapse economy into depression Global concert 'One World' raises 7 million to fight coronavirus pandemic MORE to describe what McConnell is like in private, Schumer acknowledged there isn’t much of a relationship between the two leaders.

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“Look, I try to get along with everybody and — but he’s not very talkative. Let’s put it like that,” Schumer said during an appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Schumer fumed in March when McConnell rejected his entreaties to hold bipartisan negotiations before drafting the phase-three coronavirus bill and instead let GOP chairman take the lead in putting together its core components.

The relationship hit a low point during the impeachment trial when Schumer repeatedly decried the process as a "sham" because McConnell refused to negotiate an organizing resolution calling for additional witnesses.

Asked about McConnell’s decision to reconvene the Senate next week even though the House is staying away from Washington on the advice of Congress’s attending physician, Schumer said Thursday he plans to be back in the Capitol.

“I’m going back as minority leader but let me just say this, if we’re going to go back, let’s do something about COVID. We should have tough strong hearings,” he said.

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“I’d like to call Dr. Birx and Fauci before us — without Trump hovering over them, correcting them and trying to keep them quiet — and ask them about the testing and why we’re not doing what we can do to make it happen,” he said, referring to senior White House health advisers Deborah Birx and Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care: Pelosi floats almost T for states | US intel investigating COVID-19's origins | Trump outlines efforts to protect nursing homes Hillicon Valley: Experts worry U.S. elections vulnerable due to COVID-19 | Report finds states need more federal election funds | Republican senators to introduce coronavirus-related privacy bill Susan Rice: 'Ridiculous' for Kushner to call coronavirus response 'a great success' MORE.

“I’d like to bring the head of the Small Business Administration before a hearing and say, ‘Why are the big shots getting it, not the little businesses?’” he added, referring to the SBA’s Personal Paycheck Protection lending program.

Schumer said McConnell is more interested in getting his “protégé” Justine Walker, whom President Trump has nominated to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

“It has nothing to do with COVID and this guy was rated unqualified by the [American] Bar Association,” he said.

“We ought to be focusing on COVID and making things better,” he said.

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Democrats say McConnell has given them little idea of what to expect in the upcoming work period.

A senior Democratic aide said Thursday afternoon there has been “no outreach from Sen. McConnell about what he plans to do next week.”

Schumer told Colbert that he’s only getting about three hours of sleep a night because he’s so consumed with responding to the pandemic, which has hit New York City harder than anywhere else in the country.

“Stephen, I’m working 24/7 — I sleep about three hours, there’s so much to do,” he said.

But the Democratic leader joked his toughest assignment is looking after his 16-month-old grandson Noah.

“My most exhausting hour [is] the hour I’m assigned to chase Noah around the house. We’re not childproof anymore. He pulls the books off the bookshelves, he goes into the closet bangs the pots and pans,” he said. 

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