ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith stormed off stage during a NewsNation town hall on Wednesday after an air traffic controller told panelists he has a side gig as a delivery driver to pay his child’s tuition amid the government shutdown.
“I’m an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration. I’ve been there for 16 years. I’ve also been through the Obama shutdown and the Trump shutdown in the previous…” audience member Jack Criss Jr. told the panel, including NewsNation host Chris Cuomo, Bill O’Reilly, and several Democrat and Republican lawmakers.
“My question is, under the current political climate, do you think this shutdown could actually be longer than the previous shutdown?… I am actually driving DoorDash when I got off from work just to make sure I can pay for my daughter’s tuition,” Criss continued.
The longtime radio host became visibly fired up by the hardworking father’s testimony.
“I don’t think Washington understands how ticked off we truly are. … A young man walked up to the microphone and said that he had to leave here to go and work on DoorDash to help pay for his daughter’s tuition. Meanwhile, everybody up here is getting paid, but he ain’t,” Smith replied.
“This is why you have so many Americans so pissed off at Washington,” he said, while continuing a fiery rant on the government allowing the US debt to skyrocket past $37.8 trillion.
“We all look at our check and it’s been going to the government and somehow some way you’re supposed to be doing something constructive and productive enough to make sure that we don’t have that kind of deficit,” Smith said.
“You know what, I’m gonna take a break,” Smith exclaimed before storming off stage during the two-hour panel at The Kennedy Center
Smith’s abrupt departure sparked applause from audience members.
Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers have not been paid since the government shutdown began on Oct. 1.
Amid the shutdown, airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Hollywood Burbank have faced shortages, snarling travel.
The financial strain on hundreds of thousands of federal workers is among several points pressuring Democrats and Republicans to resolve the stalemate.
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