Defiant Chuck Schumer hits back at Nancy Pelosi, vows Im not stepping down

A defiant Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed that he will not step down from his leadership role any time soon while strenuously defending his decision to vote against blocking a GOP bill to avert a partial government shutdown.Schumer (D-NY), 74, who has been facing a progressive revolt over his shutdown vote earlier this month, reiterated that he “did this out of conviction” and fired back at detractors such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer told NBC’s “Meet the Press” in a pre-taped interview that aired Sunday.

“I did it out of pure conviction as to what a leader should do and what the right thing for America and my party was.People disagree.”Critics, from both the moderate and far-left wings of the party alike, contended that the government shutdown fight was a rare instance when Dems had leverage to extract concessions from Republicans.

At noon on Sunday, New York City progressives are set to hold a rally organized by the Big Apple chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America demanding Schumer step down from his leadership post due to his actions in the shutdown fight.Similar protests against him have popped up across the country, particularly in New York and Washington, DC.The longtime senator was forced to postpone his book tour last week in response to security concerns over the demonstrations.One of the most prominent detractors against him was Pelosi, 84, who publicly threw shade at Schumer, noting how she doesn’t “give away anything for nothing.”“What we got, at the end of the day, is avoiding the horror of a shutdown,” Schumer countered.

“There was no leverage point that we could’ve asked for things.They just would’ve said no.”Republicans had passed their bill to avert a partial government shutdown — known as a continuing resolution (CR) through the House of Representatives.

That was the first time the GOP passed a CR through the House without needi...