White House and GOP scramble to pass budget after revolt by Democrats

Republicans formed an unlikely alliance with the White House in a late-night scramble to pass a $1.1tn federal budget over the objections of House Democrats, who claim it has been hijacked by Wall Street lobbyists and campaign finance interests.

In dramatic scenes that mirrored the lead-up to the government shutdown of October 2013, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough spent three hours locked in talks with the House Democratic caucus on Thursday night trying to persuade its members to drop their opposition to the so-called “cromnibus” and pleading with them that it was the best deal available.

“I don’t see the benefit of us losing our soul over two great issues that are the problems of our time,” said another Democratic congresswoman shortly after the caucus briefly united to vote unanimously against a procedural motion in the run-up to the main vote.

The fact that so many Democrats, including minority leader Nancy Pelosi, were willing to defy the White House suggests waning influence of Obama over the party after its heavy midterms defeat.

But it also hints at the rising power of what has been called the Elizabeth Warren wing of the party: leftwing Democrats appalled at measures to weaken Wall Street reforms, with the president apparently willing to turn a blind eye.

Warren has hitherto insisted she is not running for president herself, but spoke out passionately against the “cromnibus” and presents a growing challenge to what her supporters dismissively call the Wall Street wing of the party and its figurehead: Hillary Clinton.