MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Tuesday advised Democrats not to make a deal with Republicans on spending and immigration to avoid a government shutdown unless the bill includes measures to protect immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation.
"Republicans own Washington, D.C. You should not give them a single vote in keeping the government running," Scarborough said on "Morning Joe."
Congress needs to strike a deal to fund the federal government by the end of the week to avoid a shutdown, but some Democrats have said they will not vote for a government-funding bill unless it protects so-called "Dreamers." President Donald Trump in September rescinded the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which provides legal protections to Dreamers, and gave lawmakers six months to find a legal solution.
Scarborough argued that, given the Republican Party's control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, it is the GOP's responsibility to avoid a government shutdown, adding that there is no reason for Democrats to own a bad deal.
"That's their [Republicans'] job. This is their government. This is their Congress. This is their presidency. The American people said they wanted Republicans to run Washington, D.C. Let them run Washington, D.C.," he said. "Don't give them a single vote unless they give you a clean bill on Dreamers."
"If you do, let me say again, you are too weak and too spineless and too stupid when it comes to politics, and too cowardly to be given control of Congress in 2018," Scarborough continued. "Listen to the people in the streets, listen to the people that knock on doors that are going to be making phone calls for you in 2018. Don't do a deal in 2018 with this guy. No DACA, no deal. That simple."
Hours after Scarborough's comments, former Hillary Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon said on CNN, unprompted, that he agreed with the MSNBC host's advice.
"I don't think Democrats should be seeking to shut the government down," Fallon said. "But I agree with Joe Scarborough, who rarely I agree with, but—former Republican congressman, host from another network."
"I think if the Democrats entertain any further concessions, as Joe Scarborough said, they should tuck their tail between their legs and walk away," Fallon added.