Speaker Pelosi, Rep. Collins (GA)
Republican Congressman Doug Collins (GA) challenged Speaker Pelosi on Tuesday as she spoke in favor of condemning Trump’s “racist” tweets from the House floor.
Rep. Collins demanded that Pelosi’s remarks be “taken down,” in an extraordinary rebuke of the House Speaker Tuesday afternoon.
Rep. Collins’ challenge to Pelosi was bold and was the first of its kind in decades — his rebuke of the Speaker could actually result in Pelosi being barred from speaking on the House floor for the rest of the day.
“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,” Pelosi said. “It’s so sad because you would think that there would be a given that we would universally, in this body, just say, ‘Of course. Of course.'”
“There’s no excuse for any response to those words but a swift and strong unified condemnation. Every single member of this institution, Democratic and Republican, should join us in condemning the president’s racist tweets. To do anything less would be a shocking rejection of our values, and a shameful abdication of our oath of office to protect the American people. I urge a unanimous vote, and yield back the balance of my time,” Pelosi added.
Congressman Collins stood up and asked if Speaker Pelosi wanted to “rephrase that comment.”
“I have cleared my remarks with the parliamentarian before I read them,” Pelosi retorted as she walked away from the lectern.
“Can I ask the words be taken down? I make a point of order that the gentlewoman’s words are unparliamentary and be taken down,” Rep. Collins said.
Collins once again asked if to strike Pelosi’s comments.
Speaker Pelosi then left the House floor which is another violation of House Rules themselves when someone’s words are taken down, Fox News Congress reporter Chad Pergram said.
Pergram also reported that “Things have gotten really weird on the House floor Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) was presiding over the House. And then he told the House he was trying to make a fair ruling about Pelosi but people weren’t cooperating so Cleaver then just said “I abandon the chair” and LEFT!”
WATCH:
.@SpeakerPelosi: "Every single member of this institution…should join us in condemning the president's racist tweets. To do anything less would be a shocking rejection of our values and a shameful abdication of our oath of office to protect the American people." pic.twitter.com/nsskh7TuCS
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 16, 2019
