Disputes between long-time political allies Nancy Pelosi and Jerry Nadler is causing a stir in House Democratic ranks. The latest dispute is over the handling of the Corey Lewandowski hearing. The Washington Post reports:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told a group of lawmakers Wednesday evening that Corey Lewandowski should have been held in contempt “right then and there” when he talked over members, dodged their questions and promoted his possible Senate campaign at a House hearing.
The report says “Several lawmakers in the room took her remarks as a dig” at Nadler, who threatened to hold Lewandowski in contempt but never followed through with it.
Then there’s an even bigger question lingering over their heads? To impeach Donald Trump, or not to impeach, reports Politico.
House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) opposes impeachment proceedings on practical grounds: she insists the votes are simply not there.
Judiciary Committee chairman Nadler (D-NY) wants to charge ahead.
Politico says that in a closed-door meeting last week, Pelosi “stunned lawmakers and aides with a swipe at Democratic staff on the House Judiciary Committee,” criticizing the committee’s approach to impeachment “in harsh terms.”
“And you can feel free to leak this,” Pelosi added, according to “multiple people in the room” who did so — to Politico.
Pelosi and Nadler have served in the House and worked closely together for more than 25 years. Both insist their relationship remains strong.
“But their rift over impeachment is getting harder and harder to paper over amid Democrats’ flailing messaging on the topic and a growing divide in the caucus,” Politico says, suggesting that Nadler and Pelosi must “get on the same page” if the party is to avoid “a rupture that threatens its chances of holding on to the House majority and beating Trump in 2020.”
The key to the veteran lawmakers’ dispute is their approach to the matter, according to one insider.
“Nadler is talking about law, Pelosi is talking about politics,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a member of the Judiciary Committee, told Politico. “Nadler is looking at high crimes and misdemeanors, and we are inundated with them in the Judiciary Committee. But Pelosi is looking at the political side of it.”
A Politico/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday shows 37% of voters support beginning impeachment proceedings, while 50% oppose doing so, with 12% undecided.
