House Minority Whip Steve Scalise chimed in on the dispute that has broken out across the political aisle between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Nancy Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez thrust their fight into overdrive this week. The freshman representative claimed that the speaker was “singling out” the newly elected progressives — including herself and Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, because they are young women of color.
Obviously, this fight is not a great look for the Democrats as Nancy Pelosi is trying to show her caucus as unified front against President Trump.
During an interview on Fox News with “America’s Newsroom,” Steve Scalise was asked about the infighting across the aisle. Scalise noted that he expects the rhetoric being used by both sides to keep “getting uglier.”
“Well, it’s ugly and getting uglier. And you are seeing this fight between the far left socialists and liberals. It used to be, in the Democratic Party, a fight between liberals and moderates.” He said.
“There are no moderates left. It’s literally liberals versus socialists and the socialists are winning. And for Nancy Pelosi to think that she can silence A.O.C. and these others these other far left socialists, just shows that she’s out of touch with what is happening in her own conference. And that, I think, is shocking a lot of people.” Scalise said.
He also reiterated that he believes Nancy Pelosi is “misreading” the “grip” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and her peers have on the Democrats in Congress. Scalise also claimed that the Dems in moderate districts have been trying to appease the far-left side of the party by fully supporting issues like gun control and abortion, but it isn’t enough to keep Rep. Ocasio-Cortez happy.
“A.O.C. is threatening some of the liberals that she’s going to run somebody in their primary if they don’t vote for mainstream policies. I mean, a lot of them ran saying they were going to be pro-life, pro-gun, and anti-Pelosi. And they’re all voting to allow a baby to be murdered after it is born alive.” He said.
“They’re voting to raise taxes, they’re voting to take away your gun rights, and they’re voting down the line with Nancy Pelosi. And yet, that is not enough for A.O.C. it and the socialist. So, they’re having this internal struggle.” Scalise claimed.
Although Steve Scalise criticized Nancy Pelosi, he didn’t have many kind words for Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, either. Scalise claimed that she is making this issue “all about her,” rather than the work of the American people.
