Liberal Democrats took to social media to express their displeasure after the new Republican House Speaker asked that Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) leave her opulent congressional office, generating a big uproar.
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), who briefly assumed the gavel after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was removed, delivered Pelosi an eviction notice the next day, infuriating members of her party.
Pelosi was quick to criticize the action.
“With all of the important decisions that the new Republican Leadership must address, which we are all eagerly awaiting, one of the first actions taken by the new Speaker Pro Tempore was to order me to immediately vacate my office in the Capitol,” she said on Wednesday.
She added, “Sadly, because I am in California to mourn the loss of and pay tribute to my dear friend Dianne Feinstein, I am unable to retrieve my belongings at this time.”
Several Pelosi fans stated their support online.
Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ex-wife, wrote: “What in the name of God? We best all wake up. This is way bigger than Kevin McCarthy. We all have to realize that our country and its future is on the line right now.”
Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) added, “Republicans have no class. The problem is not just that they are incompetent—it’s that they are mean and petty.”
“By the way, Nancy Pelosi is in California for the funeral of her dear friend, Diane Feinstein,” the lawmaker noted further.
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Left-wing novelist Claude Taylor observed, “So petty.”
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) slammed the move as well: “While Nancy Pelosi is in California mourning the loss of her longtime friend, @PatrickMcHenry does this. From top to bottom the @HouseGOP are classless and shameful people who are desperate to score cheap political points rather than govern.”
McHenry, who demanded quick action, told Pelosi to vacate her beautiful office immediately, emphasizing that it will be re-keyed after her departure.
“Please vacate the space tomorrow, the room will be re-keyed,” said an email sent to Pelosi’s office that was seen by Politico. The email noted further that the room would be used “for speaker office use.”
According to CNN, the decision was made by McCarthy, not McHenry, as previously understood.
Why? McCarthy wants Pelosi’s position.
According to the source:
According to Republican insiders, Kevin McCarthy was responsible for interim Speaker Patrick McHenry’s decision to expel former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and previous Majority Leader Steny Hoyer from their respective offices.
Following McHenry’s instruction, GOP Rep. Garret Graves publishes McCarthy’s claim on office space.
“Look, the deal is that the office that Pelosi is in right now is the office of the preceding speaker. Speaker Pelosi and other Democrats determined that they wanted a new … speaker, and it’s Kevin McCarthy. So, he’s getting the office,” Graves said.
“I don’t know what they’re complaining about,” Graves added about Democratic grumbling. “They created this situation.”
Pelosi was working from a secret office, which only a few members have access to. McCarthy permitted her to continue using the office since she was a previous speaker, but McHenry – a McCarthy loyalist — is clearly not on board.
Politico noted that “House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ staff helped Pelosi’s office make the move, according to a spokesperson for the former speaker.”
McCarthy’s dismissal from the Speaker’s chair was confirmed on Tuesday by a vote of 216 to 210. McCarthy has stated unequivocally that he has no plans to run for the office again.
Cleaning house, long overdue…