Ocasio Cortez Pelosi Democrats
Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez clash drags on, threatening Democratic unity. Democrats worry about long-term implications of the feud between the speaker and the freshman firebrand. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez savaged the Democrat Party leadership in Congress declaring that it was time to move on from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “I do think we need new leadership in the Democratic Party,” Ocasio-Corteztold the Intercepted podcast host, Jeremy Scahill. Jan 11, 2021 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is rejecting criticism from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that she is not receptive to younger members and does not groom them for future leadership roles.
- Pelosi said 'the enemy is within' about certain GOP lawmakers who've tried to carry weapons in the Capitol.
- Ocasio-Cortez said she and others members 'still don't yet feel safe around other members of Congress.'
- Greene has repeatedly accused Pelosi of treason and advocated for her to be given the death penalty.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued on Thursday that some Republican lawmakers, who she accused of 'threatening violence' against their Democratic colleagues, are 'the enemy' within the House.
Pelosi appeared to back Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democratic lawmakers who've claimed that some GOP members pose a threat to them in the wake of the deadly Capitol siege on January 6.
'I do believe ... that we will probably need a supplemental, more security for members when the enemy is within the House of Representatives - a threat that members are concerned about, in addition to what is happening outside,' Pelosi said during a press briefing.
When asked to clarify her remark, Pelosi added, 'It means that we have members of Congress who want to bring guns on the floor and who have threatened violence on other members of Congress.'
Some Republican members of Congress helped spread conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen by Democrats - lies that helped motivate the pro-Trump mob to invade the Capitol as Congress certified the Electoral College count and finalized President Joe Biden's victory.
—NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 28, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez told CNN last week that 'a very considerable amount' of Democratic lawmakers 'still don't yet feel safe around other members of Congress' following the siege. She condemned GOP Rep. Andy Harris, who last week attempted to violate House rules and bring his concealed gun onto the House floor.
'The moment you bring a gun onto the House floor, in violation of rules, you put everyone around you in danger,' Ocasio-Cortez said. 'It is irresponsible. It is reckless.'
A man who allegedly took part in the Capitol riot also posted death threats against Ocasio-Cortez online.
Far-right GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia released a campaign ad last year that showed her holding an assault rifle next to photos of Ocasio-Cortez and two other progressive congresswomen of color. Facebook removed the ad, citing its policy prohibiting violence and incitement.
'GOP lawmakers campaigned with images of them cocking guns next to photos of myself,' Ocasio-Cortez tweeted earlier this month. 'Now they are trying to violate DC law and House rules to sneak guns onto the House floor two weeks after a white supremacist insurrection that killed 5 people. Why?'
Greene has also repeatedly accused Pelosi of treason and advocated for her to be given the death penalty.
Pelosi also condemned the House Republican leadership on Thursday for their handling of Greene, who has trafficked in a slew of conspiracy theories, including lies about mass shootings at American schools. Pelosi expressed outrage over GOP leaders' recent decision to assign Greene to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
'Assigning her to the Education Committee when she has mocked the killing of little children at Sandy Hook Elementary School,' she said. 'When she has mocked the killing of teenagers in high school ... what could they be thinking? Or is thinking too generous a word?'
—Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 28, 2021
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Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will likely retain the House Speaker’s gavel by a very slim margin, and progressives are angry that Democratic Socialists — particularly members of the self-labeled “Squad” — are committed to casting ballots for Pelosi without negotiating for concessions from the current House Speaker.
In particular, progressives want Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to press for a vote on a “Medicare-for-All” plan, which both Pelosi and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden oppose.
Progressive radio host Jimmy Dore is leading the charge, demanding Ocasio-Cortez honor her earlier commitment to forcing a vote on “Medicare for All,” and suggesting that now when Pelosi is noticeably weakened, is a good time to press the issue.
“Progressives in congress CAN actually force a Med4all vote if they withhold their vote for Pelosi as speaker to do it,” Dore tweeted. “I ask all progressives to pressure ur favorite progressive congressperson to withhold their Vote 4 Pelosi & demand a Med4all vote!”
“The Plan that is BEST for Everyone is MEDICARE FOR ALL. 15 million Americans have lost there (sic) jobs and don’t have money to purchase insurance from your DONORS,” Dore added later, tagging Ocasio-Cortez. “Pressure your progressive representative to WITHHOLD THEIR VOTE UNTIL PELOSI HOLDS MED4ALL VOTE IN HOUSE!”
The radio host later doubled down, demanding to know why Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t engaging in public negotiations over the issue, and asking “what changed” in reference to the New York Democrat’s previous pledge to force a Medicare for All vote at the earliest opportunity.
The tweets started a snowball effect, with everyone from MSNBC anchor Krystal Ball to former Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson joining the call to have progressives demand a Medicare for All vote in return for casting ballots to keep Nancy Pelosi in charge.
“I’m enjoying @jimmy_doreputting House progressives on the spot on how they aren’t demanding anything in return for giving Pelosi their vote for Speaker. He’s pointing out they have not organized a coherent political agenda,” activist Matt Stoller added, pointedly.
“Progressives should either become a coherent independent Dem faction or fully embrace what they effectively are, a loyal supportive faction of Democrats with no independent policy goals,” he added, directing his ire at Ocasio-Cortez, specifically.
Stoller and some others did object to asking for Medicare for All specifically, noting that few Democrats are interested in a plan to transition to a fully state-run health care system without a concrete plan in place. Instead, Stoller suggested a number of more achievable goals: changes to House procedure, committee positions, and freedom to pursue a policy agenda separate from the Democrat bloc.
Late Sunday night, Ocasio-Cortez finally responded to the campaign, claiming that she was engaged in “negotiations” over her vote for Speaker, but that she was obligated to keep those negotiations quiet.
“‘They aren’t demanding anything’ is an assumption – and a false one,” Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter. “These structural negotiations happen, they just aren’t live-tweeted. These negotiations started months ago, & include House rules, PAYGO exemptions, committee makeup, vote commitments, investigations, etc.”
Nancy Pelosi Criticism Left
She did not respond to repeated requests, in her mentions, for specifics about the negotiations themselves. Instead, she claimed that progressives are hamstrung by more moderate Democrats.
“Last term progs got the 1st-ever Congressional hearing in history on Medicare for All, allowing for markup,” she said. “That happened despite thrashing opposition from other Dems. But it goes both ways. Progs do withhold, but Conservative Dems also do to block. The numbers matter.”
Pelosi is facing an uphill battle to retain the Speaker’s gavel, as The Daily Wire reported earlier Monday. With a narrower Democrat margin and simmering concerns stemming from the November election — Democrats lost races and suffered in down-ballot elections — Pelosi is facing questions over her leadership. In response, she demanded loyalists return to Washington, D.C., for the in-person Speaker vote on January 3rd.
Ocasio Cortez Pelosi Schumer
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