Pelosi Takes a Shot at Progressive Congressman Mark Pocan - Report
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California had stern words for her Democratic caucus on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
And her comments appeared to be directed at one progressive member in particular, as Politico noted.
Citing two sources in the room, Politico reported that Pelosi told lawmakers: “If you have a complaint about our members, come talk to me about it, don’t tweet about it.”
Other journalists also reported that Pelosi said something along those lines.
More @SpeakerPelosi: “So, again, you got a complaint? You come and talk to me about it. But do not tweet about our Members and expect us to think that that is just ok.”
and a truth:
“Some of you are here to make a beautiful pâté but we’re making sausage most of the time.”
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) July 10, 2019
Per source, @SpeakerPelosi told House Democrats today: “So, again, you got a complaint? You come and talk to me about it. But do not tweet about our Members and expect us to think that that is just ok.”
— David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) July 10, 2019
“So, again, you got a complaint? You come and talk to me about it. But do not tweet about our members and expect us to think that that is just OK,” Reuters’ David Shepardson reported that Pelosi told her caucus.
It’s unclear if Pelosi addressed him by name, but her remarks appeared to take aim at Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Pocan took issue last month with moderate House Democrats’ support for an aid package to address the humanitarian crisis on America’s southern border. Pelosi herself eventually supported the $4.6 billion package.
“Since when did the Problem Solvers Caucus become the Child Abuse Caucus?” Pocan tweeted June 27. “Wouldn’t they want to at least fight against contractors who run deplorable facilities? Kids are the only ones who could lose today.”
Since when did the Problem Solvers Caucus become the Child Abuse Caucus? Wouldn’t they want to at least fight against contractors who run deplorable facilities? Kids are the only ones who could lose today.
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) June 27, 2019
In context, Pelosi’s remarks Wednesday seemed to be directed at Pocan.
“You make me the target, but don’t make our blue dogs and our new dems the target in all of this because we have important fish to fry,” she said, per CNN’s Manu Raju.
More details: Pelosi told Dems to take complaints to her: “You make me the target, but don’t make our blue dogs and our new dems the target in all of this because we have important fish to fry. … But do not tweet about our Members and expect us to think that that is just ok” https://t.co/JssQOXQYsy
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 10, 2019
While some in the room interpreted Pelosi’s remarks as a shot at Pocan, a spokesperson for the speaker later denied this was the case and told Politico the speaker called Pocan to make this clear.
“She didn’t even know about my tweet, and she wasn’t referring to it,” Pocan told Politico later in the day. “She’s not a shy individual, if she wants to tell you something, she’ll tell you. She actually called to say just the opposite.”
The comments Wednesday from both Pocan and the Pelosi spokesperson came several hours after publication of this article.
According to Politico, Pelosi also took a shot at Saikat Chakrabarti, the chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
Chakrabarti accused Blue Dog Democrats on Twitter over the weekend of being “New Southern Democrats,” saying, “They certainly seem hell bent to do black and brown people today what the old Southern Democrats did in the 40s.”
Pelosi directed her caucus to tell their staffers to “think twice” before they tweet, Politico reported.
In her remarks Tuesday, Pelosi appeared to defend her stance on the aid package.
Pelosi added: ”We are never satisfied. But to have nothing go to the children. I just couldn’t do that. I’m here to help the children when it’s easy and when it’s hard. Some of you are here to make a beautiful pâté but we’re making sausage most of the time.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 10, 2019
”We are never satisfied. But to have nothing go to the children. I just couldn’t do that. I’m here to help the children when it’s easy and when it’s hard. Some of you are here to make a beautiful pâté but we’re making sausage most of the time,” she reportedly said.
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