'The Office means nothing to me': Nancy Pelosi reacts to being booted from U.S. Capitol
"The office means nothing to me."
Days after the U.S. House of Representative’s historic vote to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) brushed off an order by Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry (R-NC) for her to vacate her Capitol hideaway office.
"That’s so incidental, Pelosi told FOX 11’s Elex Michaelson during an exclusive interview on the statewide political show "The Issue Is."
"I’m more concerned about the fact that they’re trying to cut 30% out of our food for children and women, infant children. I’m more concerned they want to take 70, 80% out of what we’re doing for LIHEAP, low-income energy for, mostly, low-income seniors," Pelosi said. "That’s what I’m concerned with."
In his first act as Speaker Pro Tem, McHenry also booted former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) from his Capitol workspace, a move that some on Capitol Hill have linked to McCarthy, a possible act of retaliation for Democrats not backing him during Tuesday’s historic vote to vacate the Speakership.
Pelosi told Michaelson that she made no guarantee to save McCarthy's "incredibly shrinking Speakership" from members of his own caucus.
"I have no promise to him. Our Democratic members made their decision," Pelosi explained. "Each party elects its speaker. You win the majority. You nominate the Speaker from your party, and elect the speaker. In all the years I've been there, 36 years, I remember one person crossing over to vote for the other party, and then he changed parties right at the same time."
"The integrity of the institution is something that's very important to me," Pelosi continued, pointing to Democrats’ concerns about McCarthy’s handling of January 6th, the debt ceiling, and impeachment, "but if you don't respect the institution, then don't expect us to bail you out."
Congressional Republicans are now in the process of finding their next Speaker. Among those being considered are House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH).
Michaelson asked Pelosi who she thinks will be the one to ultimately succeed McCarthy.
"I don’t know, I don’t think anybody knows," Pelosi said. "One would think the next person in line, Steve Scalise (R-LA), he’s the leader, the number two person, he’s highly respected in his community and the Congress."
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