House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s return to the majority gavel in Congress was a rocky road. After losing numerous elections, Pelosi’s 2018 bid to retake the House leadership role was opposed by many Congressmen and women in the Democratic Party.
“Never Nancy” voters said it was time for a change at the top and asked for new leadership heading into this year’s session.
Despite the resistance, though, Pelosi officially retook the speaker position earlier this year.
And on Tuesday, she launched her revenge campaign.
“Pelosi exacted revenge against one of her most outspoken detractors Tuesday night, blocking Rep. Kathleen Rice from landing a seat on the high-profile House Judiciary Committee,” POLITICO reported.
Rice was seen as a shoe-in by many for the position, but Pelosi had other ideas. In an extremely tense, closed-door meeting this week, Pelosi “boxed out” Rice from the powerful committee… despite angry protests from the powerful New York delegation.
Instead, Pelosi put her own people in charge — and that’s just the beginning.
“She was boxed out and the result was cooked before we walked in the room. If you went by seniority then yes [Rice should have been put into the position],” an insider that was present claimed. “But that’s not what happened.”
“Scores being settled was first priority,” that source told the website.
For critics, the nasty political backstab was business as usual for Pelosi.
“Pelosi’s move to block Rice comes despite a promise to rebels trying to oust her this winter that she would not seek to retaliate against them,” POLITICO reported. “As part of a deal that won the Californian the last votes to claim the gavel, Pelsoi vowed not to enact revenge against the group that tried to push her out of leadership.”
Rice hasn’t been Pelosi’s only victim. Another young New York Democrat that opposed Pelosi, freshman Rep. Anthony Brindisi, faced her wrath the day before.
Brindisi was denied a position on the influential Armed Services Committee on Monday — another victim of Pelosi’s backroom deals.
And this is just the beginning.
Folks, welcome back to Washington, D.C. under Pelosi’s rule.
— The Horn editorial team