Doug Collins to Newsmax: Dems Using Vets as Leverage 'Sickening' (Connecting the Dots: Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Veterans Affairs, The SNAP Program Administered by The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Doug Collins to Newsmax: Dems Using Vets as Leverage 'Sickening' (Connecting the Dots: Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Veterans Affairs, The SNAP Program Administered by The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) & Soros Funding, All Networking)

By Newsmax Wires    |   Friday, 31 October 2025 10:16 AM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/doug-collins-newsmax-veterans/2025/10/31/id/1232688/

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins on Friday sharply rebuked congressional Democrats, telling Newsmax they’ve said the quiet part out loud by using veterans and working families as political leverage to extend the federal government shutdown — a move he called both “sickening” and “hypocritical.”

“It’s really sad that we’ve come to this point in time where they actually use people and veterans as leverage,” Collins said on “National Report.” “They could open back up the government — they choose not to. They’re using people as leverage.”

Collins pointed directly to comments by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who acknowledged that Democrats are blocking a reopening despite Republican control of Congress and the White House. Collins said the admission underscored what he called “the hypocrisy” of the left’s shutdown narrative.

"Well, the problem is he well knows the filibuster stops that in the Senate. He just admitted, as they all do,” Collins continued. “It’s sickening that they could open back up the government. They choose to use people as leverage.”

The secretary said the partisan gridlock is hurting veterans nationwide, noting that more than 1.2 million veterans will be cut off from essential SNAP assistance beginning Saturday due to the impasse.

Democrats "claim to love veterans, but yet they do this to our veterans who are out trying to struggle and make a living,” he said. “How do they do this? By cutting off 1.2 million veterans from SNAP assistance that they need.”

Collins reserved particular outrage for House Democrat Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., citing her recent remark that the shutdown “will be painful for families, but they’re our leverage.”

“Since when did they become hostage holders to the American people?” Collins asked. “That’s what’s happening.”

The VA chief praised Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., for revealing the political stalemate’s roots, noting Fetterman admitted to voting repeatedly for “the Joe Biden CR.”

“Think about that,” Collins said. “It’s not the Republicans’ CR — they’re just continuing the Biden CR. If Democrats were so concerned, where were they six months ago?”

As the shutdown drags on, Collins said the VA continues working to protect critical veteran services but warned that Democrat obstruction is directly undermining those efforts.

“I’d like them to look some of my veterans in the eye and tell them they’re leverage,” he said.

Connecting the Dots:

Eric K. Shinseki was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Togo D. West Jr. was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Chuck Hagel was the deputy administrator for the U.S. Veterans Administration, the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).  

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Rajiv Shah is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for research, education & economics for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Madeleine K. Albright was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the president of the Truman Center for National Policy and an advisory board member of the Truman National Security Project.

R. Hunter Biden is a director at the Truman Center for National Policy, a director at the Truman National Security Project and Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son.

Kamala D. Harris is an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy, an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project and was the vice president of the Joseph R. Biden Jr administration.

Tammy Duckworth is an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy, an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project and was the assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Eric K. Shinseki was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Togo D. West Jr. was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Chuck Hagel was the deputy administrator for the U.S. Veterans Administration, the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).  

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Rajiv Shah is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for research, education & economics for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Ramona E. Romero was the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a director at the American Constitution Society.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the American Constitution Society.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Mario M. Cuomo was a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society and the New York state government governor, lieutenant governor, & secretary of state.

Cliff Sloan was a director at the American Constitution Society, the Guantanamo Bay envoy for the U.S. Department of State and a publisher for Slate.

Eliot Spitzer is a columnist for Slate and an adjunct professor for the City University of New York.

Iris Weinshall is the vice chancellor for the City University of New York, a friend of Merryl H. Tisch, married to Charles E. Schumer and was the transportation commissioner for New York (NY).

Merryl H. Tisch is a friend of Iris Weinshall, a trustee at the Sesame Workshop, a director at the International Rescue Committee and a friend of Michael R. Bloomberg.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

Michael R. Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign, a friend of Merryl H. Tisch and Josh Isay was his political consultant.

Josh Isay was Michael R. Bloomberg & Charles (Chuck) Schumer’s political consultant.

Charles E. Schumer’s political consultant was Josh Isay, is the Senate Minority Leader, married to Iris Weinshall and Richard J. Durbin is his Washington housemate.

Richard J. Durbin is Charles E. Schumer’s Washington housemate, a U.S. Senate senator and a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

Mary Kay Henry is a director at the Economic Policy Institute and the president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

David M. Rubenstein is a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden.

Warren B. Rudman was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, received his MPP from Georgetown University and is an American politician and attorney who has served as House minority leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. Currently in his seventh term, Jeffries has been the U.S. representative for New York's 8th congressional district since 2013 and served three terms as a member of the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Hakeem Jeffries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Jeffries#Personal_life

Personal life
Hakeem and Hasan are the nephews of Leonard Jeffries, a former professor at City College of New York.^[227][232] While in college, Hakeem Jeffries wrote an editorial defending his uncle and Louis Farrakhan when his uncle was invited to speak at Binghamton University.^[232][233] He has said he only has a "vague" recollection of the events. His spokesperson said, "Leader Jeffries has consistently been clear that he does not share the controversial views espoused by his uncle over thirty years ago.

Louis Farrakhan is Hakeem Jeffries’s uncle, the acting head for the Nation of Islam and was awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from the Trumpeter Newsmagazine.

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. is the senior pastor for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago) and was a member of the African American Religious Leadership Committee.

African American Religious Leadership Committee was an advisory group for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Barack Obama was the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Oprah Winfrey was a supporter for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign. 

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Madeleine K. Albright was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a professor at Georgetown University.

Hakeem Jeffries received his MPP from Georgetown University, is an American politician and attorney who has served as House minority leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Madeleine K. Albright was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee a professor at Georgetown University, an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the president of the Truman Center for National Policy and an advisory board member of the Truman National Security Project.

R. Hunter Biden is a director at the Truman Center for National Policy, a director at the Truman National Security Project and Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son.

Kamala D. Harris is an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy, an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project and was the vice president of the Joseph R. Biden Jr administration.

Tammy Duckworth is an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy, an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project and was the assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Eric K. Shinseki was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Togo D. West Jr. was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Chuck Hagel was the deputy administrator for the U.S. Veterans Administration, the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).  

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Rajiv Shah is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for research, education & economics for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Resources: Past Research

Trump Picks Ex-congressman Doug Collins for Veterans Affairs Sec (Connecting the Dots: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Hunter Biden, Kamala Harris, The Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

Thursday, November 14, 2024

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2024/11/trump-picks-ex-congressman-doug-collins.html

Federal Judge Challenges SNAP Suspension Proposal (Connecting the Dots: U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, The University of California, Berkeley, The U.S. Department of Agriculture, The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) The U.S. Department of Justice & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the U.S. Department of Justice)

Thursday, October 30, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/10/federal-judge-challenges-snap.html

Schumer, Jeffries Want to Meet With Trump Before President Goes to Asia (Connecting the Dots: Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Obamacare, Louis Farrakhan, Al Sharpton, Jerome Powell, Letitia James & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer & Louis Farrakhan)

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/10/schumer-jeffries-want-to-meet-with.html