Major Controversies Surrounding Chuck Schumer: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Chuck Schumer—discover key moments of controversy.

Chuck Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York, serving since 1999. A Democrat, he has led the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2017, serving as Senate Majority Leader from 2021 to 2025. He has also served as Senate Minority Leader. Schumer became New York's senior senator in 2001 and is currently the longest-serving U.S. Senator from New York, having been elected to a fifth term in 2022. He is the dean of New York's congressional delegation.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1994: Schumer Joins Campaign Against Holy Land Foundation

In 1994, Schumer joined the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Congress in a campaign to urge the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of the Palestinian-American charity, the Holy Land Foundation.

April 2002: Schumer Criticizes Bush Administration's Middle East Policy

In April 2002, during a Senate speech, Schumer criticized the Bush administration's Middle East policy, labeling it as "muddled, confused and inconsistent." He also expressed opposition to the planned meeting between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Yasser Arafat, stating that it would contradict Bush's stance against terrorists.

2002: Schumer authors provision to bankruptcy bill

In 2002, Chuck Schumer authored a provision to an industry-sponsored bill intended to make it harder for people to erase their debts by filing for bankruptcy. Anti-abortion activists opposed the measure, claiming it restricted their ability to use bankruptcy courts to write off court fines.

August 2004: Expressing concern over the leak of Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan's arrest

In August 2004, Schumer expressed concern over American officials leaking the arrest of Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan to reporters, citing that the public had learned little of Khan's role in providing the information that led Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to announce a higher terror alert level.

July 2006: Schumer signs letter criticizing al-Maliki for failing to condemn Hezbollah

In July 2006, Schumer, along with Harry Reid and Dick Durbin, signed a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki criticizing him for not condemning Hezbollah's aggression and Israel's right to defend itself. The letter raised concerns about Iraq's ability to play a constructive role in resolving the crisis in the Middle East.

November 2006: Nat Hentoff criticizes Schumer's Indifference to the Administration's War on the Constitution

In November 2006, Nat Hentoff of the Village Voice criticized Schumer's indifference to the Bush administration's war on the Constitution and on laws and treaties, particularly on the issue of torture.

March 11, 2007: Called for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign

On March 11, 2007, Schumer became the first lawmaker in either chamber to publicly call for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign for firing eight United States attorneys. Schumer stated that Gonzales didn't understand that he was no longer just the president's lawyer on CBS News's Face the Nation.

Loading Video...

April 19, 2007: Demanded Resignation of Alberto Gonzales During Testimony

On April 19, 2007, during Alberto Gonzales's testimony, Schumer, angered by Gonzales's repeated claims of not knowing or recalling details about the controversy, demanded his resignation, saying further questioning was pointless given Gonzales's lack of knowledge regarding his department's operations.

June 26, 2008: Publicly releasing letters about IndyMac Bank

On June 26, 2008, Schumer publicly released letters he had written to regulators about IndyMac Bank, expressing concern about its financial deterioration and the risks to taxpayers and borrowers.

October 18, 2008: Wall Street Journal Article Suggesting Conflicts of Interest

On October 18, 2008, The Wall Street Journal published an article suggesting that an investment company's interest in IndyMac might have prompted Schumer's letter, and his reported close ties to the founders of OneWest Bank have long been of interest to many action groups.

December 22, 2008: OTS regional director removed from position

On December 22, 2008, The Washington Post reported that the OTS regional director in charge had been removed from his position for allowing IndyMac to falsify its financial reporting.

June 2010: Schumer's Comments on Gaza Blockade Draw Criticism

In June 2010, during an Orthodox Union event in Washington D.C., Schumer made comments about Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip that were later criticized. He pointed to economic prosperity in the West Bank due to cooperation with Israel and called for Israel to "strangle them economically" in Gaza for voting for Hamas, while also providing humanitarian aid.

2010: Comparing Infosys Technologies to a "chop shop"

In 2010, while discussing an immigration bill on the Senate floor, Schumer compared Indian tech giant Infosys Technologies to a "chop shop," which caused outrage in India and led to him acknowledging his characterization was incorrect.

2011: Schumer's neighborhood opposes bike path

In 2011, Chuck Schumer was reported to have joined a group of neighbors on his street in Park Slope, Brooklyn who attempted to remove a new "parking-protected" bicycle path on their street. Schumer's wife, Iris Weinshall, is a prominent opponent of the project, and Schumer has reportedly lobbied against the bike path behind the scenes.

January 18, 2012: Demonstration against PROTECT IP Act

On January 18, 2012, the NY Tech Meetup and other cybertech organizations held a demonstration with 2,000 protesters in front of the offices of Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who also supported the PROTECT IP Act, a bill that would restrict access to websites judged to be infringing copyrights.

October 2016: Lost Confidence in James Comey

In October 2016, Schumer said he had lost confidence in FBI director James Comey after Comey announced the reopening of an investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.

November 2016: Schumer warns Trump on Supreme Court nominees

In November 2016, Chuck Schumer warned President-elect Trump that Democrats would challenge him if he did not nominate mainstream Supreme Court justices and that Republicans lacked "clean hands" due to their obstruction of Merrick Garland's nomination.

March 2017: Schumer opposes Gorsuch confirmation

In March 2017, at the end of Senate hearings for Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, Chuck Schumer announced that he would vote against his confirmation and called on Democrats to block an up-or-down vote on Gorsuch.

May 2017: Schumer Co-sponsors Israel Anti-Boycott Act

In May 2017, Schumer co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, Senate Bill 720, which would make it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

May 2017: Comey's Firing

In May 2017, after President Donald Trump fired Comey, Schumer told reporters they were aware the FBI had been investigating whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia.

January 2018: Schumer's statement on the Mueller Investigation

In January 2018, Schumer commented on the conspiracy theories surrounding the Mueller investigation.

June 2018: Schumer on Supreme Court becoming more political

In June 2018, Chuck Schumer voiced concerns that the Supreme Court was becoming more political, citing the court's ruling in favor of anti-abortion clinics in California. He criticized the court for aligning itself with the "hard right" by affirming a discriminatory travel ban, unleashing dark money in politics, and undermining the Voting Rights Act.

March 2020: Schumer criticized for statements about Gorsuch and Kavanaugh

In March 2020, Chuck Schumer faced criticism for statements he made about Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. At a rally, Schumer stated that if Kavanaugh and Gorsuch voted against abortion rights, they would "pay the price". His comments were widely condemned and seen as inciting violence. Schumer later apologized for his remarks.

March 14, 2024: Schumer calls for elections to replace Netanyahu

On March 14, 2024, in a Senate speech, Schumer stated that Israeli prime minister Netanyahu was an impediment to peace in the Middle East and called for elections to replace him when the Gaza war abated. He noted that the high number of civilian deaths in Gaza was causing international support for Israel to fall to historic lows, leading Netanyahu to arrange a video address to a Senate GOP conference.

March 12, 2025: Opposition to Continuing Resolution

On March 12, 2025, Schumer initially announced his opposition to the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to fund the 2025 United States federal budget until September 30, 2025.