WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing a rebellion over his decision to help pass a six-month spending bill to avert a federal shutdown last week— and Republicans have noted that one of Democratic megadonor George Soros’ groups is helping to lead the charge.
Indivisible, an activist hub that has received more than $7.6 million since 2017 from Soros’ Open Society Foundations, has called for Schumer to step down for helping pass the bill and is hosting a virtual event Saturday in which activists are encouraged to write happy retirement cards to the Brooklyn Democrat.
“The Democrats will have an important question to answer in the coming days: Who actually leads their party — Schumer or Soros?” a Trump White House official told The Post — though a source close to Soros dismissed the notion as a “daydream.”
“Democrats are eating their own — selling out to the far-left crazies and mega-donors who are funding clown show protests across the country. It’s painfully obvious that George Soros doesn’t believe that ‘Leaders’ [Hakeem] Jeffries or Schumer have the backbone to lead,” added NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle.
Indivisible claims to have 1,600 local chapters and lists 10 paid staffers on its website. It’s unclear to what extent the organization receives permission from major financial backers before making significant political decisions such as calling for Schumer, 74, to retire.
The group’s co-executive director Ezra Levin announced the drive to oust Schumer this past Saturday, saying shortly after the funding bill passed: “Senator Schumer should step aside as leader. Every Democrat in the Senate should call for him to do so, and begin making plans for new leadership immediately. “
Levin added that the spending fight should have been used by Democrats as a “rare, precious point of leverage,” but “Schumer did the opposite. He led the charge to wave the white flag of surrender.”
Indivisible is helping gin up attendance for at least 17 home-district town hall events where Democratic members of Congress are expected to be asked about Schumer’s fate.
Thus far, the anti-Schumer push has had limited success and he appears secure in his post — after arguing that averting a partial government shutdown was necessary despite the “awful choice” for Democrats.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), asked about the minority leader at a town hall event Wednesday, said “it’s important for people to know when it’s time to go” without endorsing the effort.
Indivisible also has organized against Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting initiative — offering $200 reimbursements to activists who partake in “Musk or Us”-themed protests against his purge of federal workers and grants.
“This week, we have watched Democrats partner with radical activist groups organizing Soros-funded demonstrations across the country, vandalizing property at Tesla dealerships, and now setting their sights on ousting the leader of their party,” the White House official said.
“With no coherent message, they’ve rallied around the same radical-left lunatics that were loudly rejected by the American people in November.”
A source close to Alex Soros, who now dispenses his father’s investment fortune and frequently represents him in public, told The Post that the family hasn’t taken sides against Schumer despite Indivisible’s actions, calling it a “daydream of the hard right.”
The source argued it was ironic that Musk has himself clashed with Republican officials, including at a contentious recent Cabinet meeting.
“The Republicans have lost their party to tech billionaires who have finally cracked the GOP code,” the source said.
“Keeping the focus on George Soros is catnip to keep everyday Republicans distracted with what’s really going on with tech billionaires: they’re in the hard drive of the GOP.”
Schumer’s office declined to comment and neither Indivisible nor the Open Society Foundations responded to requests for comment.
