Pelosi Slammed for Gloating, Celebrating as House Delivers Trump Impeachment Articles
Democratic House speaker hands out souvenir pens to Democrats to celebrate occasion
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Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has been blasted for gloating and celebrating as she signed a resolution on Wednesday to transmit two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate for trial.
Speaker Pelosi drew criticism for signing the documents with gold commemorative pens - with her name on them - which she then handed out to Democrats as souvenirs to celebrate the occasion.
Critics slammed Pelosi and other anti-Trump Democrats, saying the tone of the event seemed celebratory.
The mood was a far cry from December when the Democrat-controlled body voted to impeach the president on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress allegations.
On that day, Pelosi wore black and insisted on the House floor it was a “solemn” day.
Later, when the articles were adopted, she even cut short two rounds of cheers from Democrats.
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“Nancy Pelosi’s souvenir pens served up on silver platters to sign the sham articles of impeachment,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham tweeted in response.
“She was so somber as she gave them away to people like prizes.”
Nancy Pelosi’s souvenir pens served up on silver platters to sign the sham articles of impeachment...She was so somber as she gave them away to people like prizes. https://t.co/RMOiNeoMu0
— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) January 15, 2020
“You know what you hand out pens for? Accomplishments,” Republican National Committee spokeswoman Elizabeth Harrington blasted.
"Like, say, signing a historic trade deal with China," Harrington added, referencing Trump -- who on the same day as Pelosi's impeachment signing entered a landmark trade agreement with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in the East Room of the White House.
You know what you hand out pens for? Accomplishments.
— Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) January 15, 2020
Like, say, signing a historic trade deal with China.
So it's fitting that Democrats are handing out pens for their sole accomplishment: impeachment
Democrats have done NOTHING for the American people pic.twitter.com/SPKGrD0SkL
Trump maintains the House impeachment effort -- based on unfounded accusations that he pressured Ukraine to launch an investigation into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for U.S. military aid -- is a “hoax.”
The presdient argues that he is a victim of a political “witch hunt” led by Pelosi.
He is the third president in U.S. history to be impeached.
“So it's fitting that Democrats are handing out pens for their sole accomplishment: impeachment,” Harrington added.
"Democrats have done NOTHING for the American people."
Before the signing Wednesday, aides set out two small trays containing more than two dozen black pens emblazoned with Pelosi's signature.
She entered the room and sat at a table with the documents and pens before her.
House prosecutors and the committee chairmen who had worked on Trump's impeachment were standing around her.
Pelosi picked up each pen, signed a bit, and handed each one to a lawmaker.
Sometimes, she was smiling.
“Embarrassing spectacle - Pelosi using sterling silver platters and handing out ceremonial pens to everyone in sight, made it ridiculously theatrical and so tacky and clownish. What goofballs,” Mark Simone, a conservative radio host, tweeted.
Embarrassing spectacle - Pelosi using sterling silver platters and handing out ceremonial pens to everyone in sight, made it ridiculously theatrical and so tacky and clownish. What goofballs: #IMPOTUS #ImpeachmentDay pic.twitter.com/hvfLZTc3Vu
— MARK SIMONE (@MarkSimoneNY) January 16, 2020
“Impeachment is so 'Prayerful' that Pelosi was handing out pens in celebration. Pathetic,” Benny Johnson, chief creative officer for Turning Point USA, added.
Impeachment is so “Prayerful” that Pelosi was handing out pens in celebration.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 16, 2020
Pathetic.
pic.twitter.com/HWQ39juuH3
At a Dec. 5 news conference, Pelosi had shot back at a reporter who accused her of hating Trump, saying that she, as a woman raised in a Catholic home, actually prays for the president.
“This is about the Constitution of the United States and the facts that lead to the president’s violation of his oath of office,” Pelosi exclaimed.
"And as a Catholic I resent your using the word 'hate' in a sentence that addresses me.
"I don’t hate anyone," Pelosi declared as she angrily wagged her finger at the reporter.
"I was raised in a way that is full, a heart full of love, and always pray for the president.
"And I still pray for the president. I pray for the president all the time.
"So don’t mess with me when it comes to words like that."
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In a letter sent to Pelosi the day before the Dec. 18 impeachment vote, Trump questioned whether she was sincere about her faith and alleged she was waging a war on American democracy in her decision to launch the House-led impeachment inquiry back in September.
“Even worse than offending the Founding Fathers, you are offending Americans of faith by continually saying 'I pray for the President,' when you know this statement is not true, unless it is meant in a negative sense,” Trump countered.
Pelosi’s signature Wednesday sent the articles to the Senate for trial, which is expected to open Thursday.
After the House vote, Pelosi withheld the articles for about four weeks from the Senate in an effort to pressure Senate Republicans to commit to seeing additional documents and testimony as part of trial proceedings.
That promise never came, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told reporters Tuesday he was considering allowing both sides – Democrats and Republicans – to call additional witnesses.
