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Ocasio-Cortez Lashes Out at Schumer Over His Support for G.O.P. Budget

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Ocasio-Cortez Lashes Out at Schumer Over His Support for G.O.P. Budget

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, is facing a torrent of criticism for choosing to vote with his Republican counterparts to head off a government shutdown.

Some of the sharpest barbs have come from another New York Democrat, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez blasted Mr. Schumer’s efforts to gather enough Democratic support so Republicans can clear a procedural hurdle and pass a measure to fund the government through Sept. 30, accusing him of ceding the sliver of power Democrats had over President Trump.

“I believe that’s a tremendous mistake,” she said in a CNN interview on Thursday.

And she had specific criticism of the legislation itself. “This turns the federal government into a slush fund for Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” she said. “It sacrifices congressional authority, and it is deeply partisan.”

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Her sharp remarks even stirred talk about whether she would consider challenging Mr. Schumer, 74, in a primary when he is up for re-election in 2028. Asked directly in the television interview if she would consider such a campaign, she sidestepped the question but did not shoot down the premise.

The House Democratic leadership — with yet another New York legislator at the top — quickly followed Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism, putting out a statement knocking Mr. Schumer’s caucus for going along with Republicans. All but one House Democrat voted Tuesday against the plan, which would slightly decrease spending overall.

“The far-right Republican funding bill will unleash havoc on everyday Americans, giving Donald Trump and Elon Musk even more power to continue dismantling the federal government,” Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top House Democrat, said in a joint statement with the rest of his leadership team.

“House Democrats will not be complicit,” they said.

Their anger, with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez out front, reflects a boiling over of resentments among some Democrats about the gerontocracy leading their party. The older generation led them astray last year during the presidential election, many younger Democrats say, and it is hurting them again as they try to stand up to Mr. Trump.

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Angered House Democrats were already discussing primary challenges to Mr. Schumer, who was first elected in 1998.

“Schumer has been in politics for a long time, and I would hope that this is his final term, and he opens it up for someone new,” said State Senator Jabari Brisport of New York, an ideological ally of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed him when he first ran.

Mr. Brisport said that he did not know if Ms. Ocasio-Cortez aspired to higher office. But if she ran, he said, “she would make a fantastic senator.”

Mr. Schumer’s defenders note that it was easier for House Democrats to vote no — because the Republicans in their chamber had enough support to pass the legislation to keep the government open without Democratic help.

And, his defenders say, allowing the government to shut down would only make matters worse.

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It “may feel good giving vent to our frustration,” Jay Jacobs, the New York Democratic Party chair, said in a statement. But it “will work against our long-term desire to win back the Congress in 2026 and the presidency in 2028.”

In television interviews, floor speeches and a New York Times opinion piece, Mr. Schumer defended his choice, saying that he hated the bill before him but that its passage was better than a shutdown.

“The risk of allowing the president to take even more power via a government shutdown is a much worse path,” Mr. Schumer wrote in The Times.

His efforts drew praise from perhaps an unwelcome source: the president himself.

“Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing — Took ‘guts’ and courage!” Mr. Trump said on social media.

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Video: Fans Show Up to the Parade in Their Best Knicks-Themed Attire

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Video: Fans Show Up to the Parade in Their Best Knicks-Themed Attire

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Fans Show Up to the Parade in Their Best Knicks-Themed Attire

New York Knicks fans showed up in droves to a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan in their best orange and blue outfits to honor the N.B.A champions.

“Patrick Ewing. He didn’t get a ring. But I wear your sneakers, bro. When I was in high school, back in the ’90s, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, they were the team that I rooted for in the ’90s. They didn’t make it. So as a tribute to him because this is where I started at being a fan, Patrick Ewing. Knicks hat in denim — I’m a denim fanatic. So I love denim — Knicks hat. And yeah, that’s it.” “This is my style. I usually dress like this every day. But I did a special Knicks edition. It’s all really fun. I start with my makeup. I did really cute flames on my eyes because the Knicks are fire. I don’t really know what I’m going to do before I put it on. I just figure it out along the way. Like, this is a piece of fabric and I just layer in stuff.” “This is from my online boutique and the hat I just bought on the way to the parade because I wanted to match the jumpsuit, and that’s how I came up with the outfit.” “She was ready to go, man.” “Can you show your fingernail?” “She’s been sleeping in her Jalen Brunson jersey for the last 10 weeks. We’ve been watching all the games. You want to tell them who’s your favorite player?” “Jalen Brunson.” “I’m pretty sure this jersey was actually made for a human baby. But they’re selling them around the block. And we threw it on Chester and everyone started clapping. So — he wears it well.” “Blue and orange.” “So I did blue and orange.” “It had to be orange and blue. “Orange and blue. Orange and blue.”

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New York Knicks fans showed up in droves to a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan in their best orange and blue outfits to honor the N.B.A champions.

By Meg Felling, Jeremy Raff, Ang Li and David Cheung

June 18, 2026

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New York

Video: The Democracy of The Dive Bar

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Video: The Democracy of The Dive Bar

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New York dive bars, known for their grit, have also been crucial spaces where people can mix across class over cheap beer, and sometimes organize and resist. Our reporter Anna Kodé describes how rising costs and a decline in drinking now threaten the survival of these establishments.

By Anna Kodé, Gabriel Blanco, Haimy Assefa and Laura Salaberry

June 19, 2026

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Video: Knicks Fans Celebrate With Ticker-Tape Parade

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Video: Knicks Fans Celebrate With Ticker-Tape Parade

“It’s been 53 years. I’ve been waiting that long.” “It’s been a very long time, a long time coming. And I’m so excited that my Knicks finally brought a championship home.” “Let’s go Knicks.” “I had to wake up at six o’clock.” “Knicks in five.” “Let’s go, Knicks.” “Let’s go, Knicks!” “We just moved to D.C. a few years ago, but we’re so happy to be back in New York, celebrating. Once we won we were like — we’re absolutely coming home. So, we had to bring Chester with us. I mean, he’s the biggest puppy Knicks fan there is. Chester, can you say Knicks in 5? Knicks in five.” “I got hurt a couple weeks ago, but this is the first time they’ve been to the finals since I was a year old. And so to be able to be here, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” “My man’s out here with a boot and a Josh Hart jersey. My man’s got heart.” “It feels so overwhelming but overwhelming in a good way, where, like, I want to be — I want to, like, shoot some balls. I want to, like, just vibe with everyone because everyone’s here for one purpose, and that’s celebrating the Knicks.” “This has been like a uniting situation for New Yorkers, and I just can’t wait to feel the love from everybody.” “I think it’s a great equalizer, right? It brings everyone together. It doesn’t matter if you make $900,000 a year, if you make $50,000 a year. You’re united because of the Knicks.” “So often when this city comes together, it is because we are forced to by a moment of tragedy or adversity. What a gift it is to be brought together by pure, unfiltered joy.” “Most importantly, thank you to the fans. I’m not going to lie though, y’all all are some pretty hard critics, but we appreciate it. At least I do, appreciate it a lot.”

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