GOP demands that Pelosi remarks be removed from record

Republicans on Tuesday demanded that Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) remarks blasting President Trump’s comments about four minority congresswomen as racist be removed from the record, freezing action on the floor ahead of a House vote condemning Trump.

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, demanded Pelosi’s remarks be removed, arguing she violated House rules forbidding personal attacks against the president or another lawmaker.

{mosads}Earlier, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) in the same debate asked that remarks made by Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) be stricken from the record for calling Democratic lawmakers anti-American.

The battle over floor speeches came as the House debated the resolution condemning the president’s comments, aimed at a group of minority, female Democrats, telling them to “go back” to where they came from. The remarks were widely criticized as racist.

In her comments, Pelosi said the remarks were “xenophobic attacks on our members, on our people.”

“How shameful to hear him continue to defend those offensive words, words that we have all heard him repeat, not only about our members, but about countless others,” she said.

“There is no place anywhere for the president’s words, which are not only divisive but dangerous, and have legitimized and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of color,” she added.

After Collins asked Pelosi if she would like to rephrase her comments, Pelosi said she had cleared them with the parliamentarian in advance. 

“I would like to make a point of order that the gentlewoman’s words are unparliamentary and ask they be taken down,” Collins said. 

Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), who was presiding over the floor then reminded members “to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president.”

Action on the floor froze at that point, as lawmakers and the parliamentarian debated next steps.

Cleaver, in a dramatic moment, later abruptly left his position presiding over the House in frustration.

Rep. Cleaver: “We don’t ever, ever want to pass up, it seems, an opportunity to escalate, and that’s what this is. I dare anybody to look at any of the footage and see if there was any unfairness. But unfairness is not enough, because we want to just fight. I abandon the chair.” pic.twitter.com/pvfJL54kw1

— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 16, 2019