Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, refuted claims that she had committed to back her Californian counterpart, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, during his removal as Speaker.
When questioned by FOX 11 Los Angeles anchor Elex Michaelson about McCarthy’s allegations, Pelosi firmly denied making such a commitment. She remarked, “I never gave him such an assurance. It was our Democratic members who made that call.”
Earlier this week, McCarthy was dethroned from the Speaker’s position when a faction within the Republican group, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, initiated a vote to vacate the chair. The motion saw support from eight Republicans and the entire Democratic caucus, leading to McCarthy’s removal.
Following the outcome, McCarthy held the Democrats responsible, suggesting they should have opposed the motion for the sake of preserving institutional traditions. He alleged that prior conversations with Pelosi had her vouching support.
Pelosi countered by referencing the GOP-initiated impeachment proceedings against President Biden and McCarthy’s endorsement of former President Donald Trump post the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol incident. She stated, “If you undermine the institution, don’t anticipate our support.”
Post this development, McCarthy revealed he won’t be contending for the Speaker role in the future. While dismissing rumors about quitting Congress, he said, “I’m not stepping down. There’s much more I aim to accomplish.”
Following McCarthy’s exit, the role of Speaker Pro Tempore was taken up by Patrick McHenry, a Republican from North Carolina. He is expected to be an interim choice before the House finalizes a permanent replacement. One of McHenry’s initial moves was to have Pelosi vacate her exclusive Capitol office. This was perceived by some as retribution for McCarthy’s removal.
Nevertheless, multiple Republican representatives clarified to Fox News Digital that the office reshuffle was procedural. The office is designated for the most recent ex-speaker.
Louisiana GOP Rep. Garret Graves stated, “Pelosi was shifted out as that space is meant for the last serving speaker. It was her call to move Kevin McCarthy. It was her own doing.”
Scott Perry, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, from Pennsylvania, added that the office reallocations weren’t driven by spite. He noted, “Due to recent changes, the former Speaker requires an official space as per regulations. So, the current allocation had to be updated. It’s simply standard protocol.”
