House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not hold back on her criticism of former President Donald Trump after he defended insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, calling him a “twice-impeached Florida retiree.”
In a statement on Thursday, Pelosi linked to an article from the Huffington Post quoting the former president’s remarks he made during a press conference announcing his lawsuit against Big Tech firms.
“It was an unfortunate event. I say, though, however, people are being treated unbelievably unfairly,” Trump said, adding, “There were no guns in the Capitol, except for the gun that shot Ashli Babbit. … There was no reason for that.”
Pelosi responded to the statement, “Twice-impeached Florida retiree – and de facto leader of the Republican Party – Donald Trump joined House Republicans today in disrespecting the Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers, who valiantly defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, decrying how rioters ‘are being treated unbelievably unfairly’ now that they are facing legal consequences for their actions.”
She added, “Like Donald, House Republicans have shown time and time again that they stand with traitors – not with our law enforcement.”
Only two House Republicans joined Democrats in June to support the formation of a select committee to investigate the January 6 riot, Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
In May, Senate Republicans blocked a bill to establish an independent commission to investigate the events.
The Republicans who voted in favor of the bill were Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Bill Cassidy (La.), and Rob Portman (Ohio).
Pelosi announced her picks to the select committee, including Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), as chairman, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Texas), Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.).