Pelosi Bristles When Asked About Fellow Dem Slamming Her Leadership: ‘Is That Your Question? Who’s Next?’
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi bristled at a reporter who asked about Virginia Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger‘s slam on Pelosi’s leadership, then asked if she’ll step aside after the midterms.
Rep. Spanberger lashed out Friday over her stock-trading ban by releasing a scathing statement that singled out Speaker Pelosi as helping to “string along” supporters of the bill. It read, in part, that the failure of the bill to advance is “yet another example of why I believe that the Democratic Party needs new leaders in the halls of Capitol Hill, as I have lon
On Friday afternoon, Speaker Pelosi held her weekly press conference, at which a reporter asked about the statement, and Pelosi’s plans for the future. The query was not well-received:
REPORTER: We have a rather striking statement here from Abigail Spanberger criticizing the Democratic leadership over not pulling up the STOCK bill here. I know that that is just, put out the new version just a couple of days ago. She criticizes the process, but she says it is time for new leadership. What do you say in response to her criticism? But generally going forward, as we get after the midterms, people start to wonder whether you’re going to be here and other leaders are going to be here in the new Congress?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Which question do you want me to answer? Choose one.
REPORTER: Do you intend to be here in the new Congress as the Speaker, as the speaker– as the minority leader?
SPEAKER PELOSI: I’m strictly focused on winning the next election. Do you want to talk about that? Okay. Is that your question? Who’s next? And let me just say about Spanberger’s letter. First of all, her bill is contained in this bill. Other members had ideas too, to improve upon the bill. So I didn’t see that. I mean, I don’t know what her statement is, but it is contrary to what the House Administration Committee — I said to them, whatever you, whatever the members want to do, I fully support. And and they took her bill, added other others that made the bill stronger as a matter of fact. So this is an interesting press release, but it’s more important to write a bill.
REPORTER: What she’s saying is she’s criticizing the failure to bring it up for…
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well you have to have the votes to bring it up.
REPORTER: You don’t think you have the votes?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, we’ll see. We’ll work at it. We don’t go from one day to the next. But I think we should have legislation. There are others who have spoken out against the bill. And again, this is the legislative process. But it is, what you, how you described her. Her characterization is not accurate. Her bill is in the bill. Others had ideas, too. And that’s what the committee put forth. But it’s good press because you asked the question. Anybody else?
Watch above via C-SPAN.
