Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had harsh words for Speaker Designate Jim Jordan (R-OH) and those who voted to give him the gavel, saying, “They’re going to have to answer to their conscience, to their children, to their own legacy for doing something so disreputable.”
Jordan failed to secure the requisite votes to become speaker on Tuesday because of 20 Republican holdouts, which, combined with all House Democrats in opposition, is far too many for the slim majority the House GOP possesses. Pelosi had no remorse for the House Judiciary Committee chairman.
JORDAN HOLDOUTS FLOAT NEW POWERS FOR HOUSE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE IN INTERIM
“Mr. Jordan and his friends do a real disservice to their members on the Republican side to call upon them once, maybe more, we’ll see tomorrow, to vote for such a person for speaker,” the California Democrat told MSNBC. “For some of them, it’s a good match. Some are right in there with him, but for some of them, you can see this has to be very painful for them.”
Pelosi contrasted Republicans in the lower chamber with Democrats, who are organizing behind one person, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). She spoke glowingly of the New York lawmaker, whom all Democrats have backed for House speaker.
The main reason Pelosi is critical of Jordan, like many liberals, is that he has refused to acknowledge that former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. She has also condemned the Ohio Republican because he supports a nationwide abortion ban “with no exceptions,” which, to her, is the “harshest possible position.”
“… you see these people voting for him when he voted against disaster assistance when fires came to their area, when storms and hurricanes and just, well, that’s why you see some people voting against him from New York, but there are many others voting against the interest of their constituents because you know why?” Pelosi rhetorically asked. “The instigator of the insurrection, Donald Trump, has asked them to.”
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The House remains at a standstill without a speaker, viewed as especially problematic because of lawmakers’ interests in providing aid to Israel and Ukraine, as well as sending additional resources to the southern border. The government is only funded until November 17.
Because of the GOP’s slim majority in the House and Democrats rallying behind Jeffries, Jordan can only afford to lose four Republican votes in his speakership bid. A second vote is expected on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
