Sen. Van Hollen says Schumer should not get ‘blank check’ to be majority leader

Sen. Van Hollen says Schumer should not get ‘blank check’ to be majority leader Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) doubled down on his position that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) should not automatically retain his role as Senate Democratic leader. “I’ve said very clearly that we need to have a discussion in the Democratic caucus,” Van Hollen told journalist Alex Wagner at Crooked Media’s Crooked Con event on Saturday. “We need to understand what the Democrats are going to do with this new responsibility and these new powers. And that nobody should get a blank check without a full understanding from the caucus as to where we’re going to go.” Van Hollen made similar comments to reporters earlier in the week. He told Bloomberg News that senators should not commit to anyone without having a conversation and receiving specific commitments. Schumer, who currently serves as minority leader, has been criticized for some of his decisions over the past couple of years, including voting with Republicans to avoid a government shutdown. Some progressive groups have come out urging Democrats not to select Schumer as majority leader when Democrats take control of the chamber next Congress. However there are multiple Democratic senators who have expressed support for Schumer as leader in recent days. Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-Michigan) told CNN that he would support Van Hollen if he ran for majority leader. But Van Hollen has said he is not considering a run for majority leader.