- Thu Feb 28, 2019 3:58 pm
#113838
‘This is not a day at the beach’: Pelosi tells moderate Dems to stop voting with GOP or pay the consequences. House Democrats held an emotional debate behind closed doors Thursday over how to stop losing embarrassing procedural battles with Republicans — a clash that exposed the divide between moderates and progressives.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) took a hard line at the caucus meeting, saying that being a member of Congress sometimes requires taking tough votes and sticking together. Pelosi also said vulnerable Democrats who had the “courage” to vote against the Republican motions to recommit would become a higher priority for the party leadership and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. We will be watching closely and taking notes on those who vote against us.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the superstar New York freshman lawmaker, added to the threat by saying she would alert progressive activists when Democrats are voting with the GOP.
Several members stood up in the meeting and challenged this view, without specifically calling out Pelosi or Ocasio-Cortez.
Freshman Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.), grew visibly emotional when speaking and pointedly said courage looks different to different people, and feels it's inappropriate to threaten members if they don't vote the way the majority want them to vote.
Some lawmakers and aides exited the meeting frustrated with Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks, with one member saying the freshman’s comments sounded like a passive-aggressive threat to Democrats who may vote with GOP motions.
- By johnforbes