Retiring GOP lawmaker blasts party for ‘toddler logic’ that shutdown will put pressure on Dems

Retiring Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) blasted his own party on Friday for “toddler logic” that suggested a partial government shutdown would end up putting pressure on Democrats.

Democrats will take control of the House on Jan. 3 and as the majority party will have “more leverage,” Costello argued on Twitter.

“The notion that a shutdown creates more pressure on Dems is toddler logic,” he wrote.

If and when the gvt shuts down, there’s no pressure on Dems. Then Dems control the House on Jan 3. Then Dems have more leverage. The notion that a shutdown creates more pressure on Dems is toddler logic. https://t.co/4veTNOF9Xw

— Ryan Costello (@RyanCostello) December 21, 2018

President Trump said earlier on Friday that Democrats will be to blame if a partial government shutdown begins at midnight.

“The Democrats now own the shutdown!” he tweeted.

{mosads}The president’s remarks were a reversal from his public comments last week when he said he would be “proud” to trigger a shutdown if funding for his proposed border wall was not included in a year-end spending bill.

Costello voted Thursday night to pass a spending bill that includes $5.7 billion for border wall funding and other border security.

The House-passed bill is unlikely to make it through the Senate, where it would need to overcome a 60-vote filibuster. Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority in the upper chamber.

Costello said on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” last month that one, large wall is not necessarily the best tactic to increase security along the border. 

“Some parts do better with infrared and other technological surveillance measures,” Costello said last month. “We need to beef up border control employees. IT’s a combination of things.”

“I have always viewed ‘build the wall’ more as a figure of speech,” he added. “It can be big and beautiful in certain parts, but there are more effective ways to do that along certain portions of the border.”