Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Thursday on CNN’s “Inside Politics” that the Republican Party could not grant Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) more power as a temporary speaker without officially electing him speaker.
Anchor Dana Bash said, “First question is about whether or not you and other Democrats will vote to grant Patrick McHenry more power, to expand his power so you can get on with the business of the American people, since the Republicans don’t have the votes to elect a speaker properly?”
Pelosi said, “Our leader Hakeem Jeffries has just managed this so very, very magnificently, as listening to our caucus, representing us so beautifully. He will decide what the agreement could be, if it there is one. So I’ll just leave it up to him.”
She continued, “However, I will say from a standpoint of the speakership, you really cannot give Mr. McHenry power, some would suggest it would let him do this or that. You have to make him speaker. Then he has the awesome power of the speakership. The question is, for how long? My hearing is that it will be to the end of this session, so until the end of the year.”
She added, “Secondly, what is the legislative scope of it, what does it contain, and third, the structure, what do they do anything about the motion to vacate or what we do about other motions on the floor?”
Bash said, “There’s been lot of discussions about expanding Patrick McHenry, who is just a temporary speaker. You’re saying no he has to be full speaker.”
Pelosi said, “You Have to elect him speaker.”
She added, “Do it for a limited amount of time and the other aspects of it relate to what agreement we come to.”
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