America is in the middle of a government shutdown, fueled largely by intransigence from two New York Democrats: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

For Schumer, the shift is especially striking. Just months ago, he warned that even the threat of a shutdown would be catastrophic — a position Senate Republicans now say proves his current stance is pure obstruction.

During and after the Senate’s vote to fund the government earlier this year, Schumer took heat from his left-wing base, both in and outside Congress. He repeatedly defended his decision, arguing that a shutdown would devastate the country.“I had to do the right thing — for the country and our party,” Schumer said on NBC’s Meet the Press on March 23.

“The alternative being a shutdown makes things worse — much worse,” he told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes just ten days before.

Republicans are eager to highlight what they call Schumer’s glaring contradictions. Their messaging, obtained by the Washington Reporter, cites comments from Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Mark Kelly of Arizona — all warning earlier this year that shutdowns would harm veterans, seniors, and federal workers.

Many Republicans believe that Sen. Schumer has decided on having a government shutdown because he is terrified of New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeating him in a primary for his Senate seat.