The Hill News

Washington, D.C., Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) on Thursday unleashed on Congress for veering toward a government shutdown.

Norton, whose city would be greatly affected by a shutdown, appeared visibly angry during an television interview, during which she lobbed attacks at the legislature and Republicans for their behavior during the budget talks.

{mosads}“District residents are being treated as colonists of the Congress of the United States. We are absolutely outraged. This is the functional equivalent of bombing innocent civilians,” she said on WTTG-TV. 

Norton's words are some of the toughest against congression! al negotiators, who are still at an impasse over a 2011 budget proposal. If GOP and Democratic leaders cannot reach an agreement by the end of Friday, it would trigger a shutdown. 

She chastised Republicans for pushing for a policy rider to be included in a proposed stopgap spending measure that would prevent taxpayer funds from paying for abortions in D.C.

"It’s time that the District of Columbia told the Congress to go straight to hell," she said.

“We’re listening to the American people, who want us to keep the government open while cutting spending to help the private-sector create jobs.  It’s difficult to see how this rhetoric helps," responded Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Washington, whose government is partially funded by the federal government, would endure massive cutbacks to city services should a shutdown occur.

The city's many federal workers could be furloughed, and cit! y services like libraries and trash collection would be suspen! ded. Was hington's many museums and parks could also close.

"We've sustained attack after attack as the Republicans invade our right to govern ourselves," Norton said, adding she is not confident lawmakers will reach a deal.

"I'm not confident. But if they don't get a deal done, if these Republicans insist that if they don't get the whole pie, they'll take the whole country down with them, then we have got to make them pay the price."

h/t DCist