Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the prospect of Jim Jordan becoming Speaker of the House would be “appalling.”
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” on Tuesday, Pelosi said:
“These House Republicans were just —they didn’t have any interest in the peaceful transfer of power.”
“They were in denial about the election. And for all of the horror of that day, the violence, the desecration of the Capitol, this temple of democracy in the world, the violation of our Constitution, to have that day on the acceptance of the Electoral College vote.”
“The whole thing, the assault on our democracy, after we went back to the Capitol, took the vote, overwhelmingly, the Republicans voted against accepting the results of the Electoral College,” she said.
“This person that they’re putting forth to be Speaker of the House, it’s just appalling,” Pelosi said referring to Jim Jordan.
She continued:
“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.”
“They’re going to have to answer to their conscience, to their children, to their own legacy for doing something so disreputable.”
She added:
“This person that they’re nominating, Jordan, doesn’t have any legislation, never passed legislation. His big bill is to criminalize a woman’s right to choose with no exceptions, with no exceptions—the harshest possible position.”
“Again, not accepting the results of the election but voting. Again, you see these people voting for him when he voted against disaster assistance when fires came to the area when storms and hurricanes,” Pelosi said.
“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?”
“The instigator of the insurrection, Donald Trump, has asked them to.”
Pelosi concluded:
“The public has to understand what is at stake. Our democracy is at stake.”
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Pelosi: Jordan and his friends do a real disservice to their members to call upon them to vote for such a person for speaker. They're going to have to answer to their.. their own legacy for doing something so disreputable. For some of them, it's a good match pic.twitter.com/60Sc1oXncH
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 17, 2023
On Tuesday, Jordan was rejected by Republicans for House speaker on a first ballot.
The Associated Press reported:
Additional voting was postponed as the House hit a standstill, stuck while Jordan works to shore up support from Republican colleagues to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy for the job.
Reluctant Republicans are refusing to give Jordan their votes, viewing the Ohio congressman as too extreme for the powerful position of House speaker, second in line to the presidency. Next votes were expected Wednesday.
“We’re going to keep working,” Jordan said at the Capitol as evening fell.
It’s been two weeks of angry Republican infighting since McCarthy’s sudden removal by hard-liners, who are now within reach of a central seat of U.S. power.
The vote for House speaker, once a formality in Congress, has devolved into another bitter showdown for the gavel.
After the first vote, Jordan said he was not surprised and expected to do better in the next round. But the afternoon dragged on with no further votes on Tuesday.
“We feel confident,” he said, ducking into a leadership office.
READ: Pelosi Calls for ‘Intervention’ to Stop ‘Sick’ Trump from Becoming President
