Mass arrest of federal employees outside Sen. McConnell's office: 'Where is Mitch? We want to work!'

Jen Hayden

Daily Kos Staff

Wednesday January 23, 2019 · 1:16 PM PST

2019/01/23 · 13:16

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 23: Union leaders and federal workers participate in a civil disobedience outside the office of Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) at Senate Russell Office Building January 23, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Federal employees from different unions participated in a "Occupy Hart" protest on Capitol Hill against the partial government shutdown. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Federal employees are growing increasingly impatient as they stand to miss their third paycheck. Today they took their complaints directly where they belong—to the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who refuses to even bring a bill to open the U.S. government to the floor for a vote and get back to work.

Here is video of the federal employees putting their bodies on the line outside Mitch McConnell’s office, chanting “Where is Mitch?” and “We want to work!”

Live from Mitch McConnellÃ¢ÂÂs office https://t.co/qJghfWTbtg
Ã¢ÂÂ Kristin Mink (@KristinMinkDC) January 23, 2019

After the federal employees were arrested and the hall was clear, Getty photographer Win MacNamee captured a jovial, extremely-wealthy-and-not-missing-any-paychecks Senator McConnell returning to his office.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 23: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (C) (R-KY) returns to his office after the U.S. Senate adjourned for the day January 23, 2019 in Washington, DC. McConnell has indicated the Senate will vote on two bills to end the partial government shutdown on Thursday of this week. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Federal employees took over the Hart Senate Building as well, with loud chants of “No more food banks—they need paychecks!”

Meanwhile, down the street at the Hart Senate building there is a major protest against the shut down, with demonstrators yelling Ã¢ÂÂNo more food banksÃ¢ÂÂthey need pay checks!Ã¢ÂÂ pic.twitter.com/xpcJzWN9RR
Ã¢ÂÂ Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) January 23, 2019

These are just some of the millions of people being hurt while Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump play politics with people’s lives.

Hey @senatemajldr Ã¢ÂÂ have you no shame? pic.twitter.com/GrSiBbtW5D
Ã¢ÂÂ Millennial Politics (@MillenPolitics) January 22, 2019

Take one minute to pick up the phone and call your representatives and Mitch McConnell’s office and tell them to reopen the government NOW.

WASHINGTON - AUGUST 18: The phone number of the U.S. Capitol switchboard is displayed during a news conference to call on Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to open up a debate on offshore drilling on Capitol Hill August 18, 2008 in Washington, DC. House Republicans have urged people to call Democratic House Representatives in their districts to return to the Congress from their recess for the debate. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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