Members of Congress who want to flex their Second Amendment rights are the “enemy,” according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday.
Pelosi touched on the need for increased security for members of Congress during her weekly media conference, according to a transcript of her comments.
“I do believe, and I have said this all along, that we will probably need a supplemental for 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.
After being asked point-blank who she defined as the enemy, Pelosi was quick to reply.
“It means that we have members of Congress who want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of Congress,” the speaker said.
Fox News reported that there are some GOP congressmen and women who have expressed their desire to remain armed on Capitol grounds.
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado has sought permission to carry her gun on the House floor.
Fellow Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland is being investigated for allegedly seeking to bring a gun into the U.S. Capitol, which is not allowed.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, however, has frequently voiced her suspicions of her fellow lawmakers.
“We still don’t yet feel safe around other members of Congress,” Ocasio-Cortez told Chris Cuomo in a CNN segment last week.
Many on Twitter pushed back against Pelosi’s comments.
Nancy pelosi should know what the actual enemy is within our American government 🤔☹️🖐️🇨🇳☣️ https://t.co/8aWJ5GEvyK
— 2witness (@oliver94697960) January 28, 2021
Yes and Pelosi and the squad are the enemies within. https://t.co/lykh7OEKxm
— 1kee (@1kee) January 28, 2021
pelosi liberal democrats have proven to be the enemy within, think of Seattle, Portland, Wisconsin violent antifa/blm riots much more violent than anything the capitol protest.
— 77002 (@droid919) January 28, 2021
Pelosi also called out former President Donald Trump in the news briefing.
“It shouldn’t be, it shouldn’t be that not only is the president of the United States inciting an insurrection, but keeps fanning the flame endangering the security of members of Congress to the point that they’re even concerned about members in the House of Representatives being a danger to them,” she said.
The speaker made several references to Trump during the media conference, as the former president faced his second impeachment trial this week.
“This trial is about the protection of the Constitution and the preservation of our republic,” she said.
“We will insist upon the integrity and fairness of the proceedings, recognizing the role that the Senate plays in all of this.
“No one is above the law — not even a president of the United States — and Trump must be tried and convicted to ensure that no future president will ever think it’s OK to incite insurrection, to stop the ascertainment of who the next president of the United States will be by falsely inflaming people, falsely, about the outcome of the election.”
Story cited here.
