House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is firing back at House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) due to his questions about her silence on the statues St. Junipero Serra being overturned by protesters in San Francisco.
The Republican lawmaker released a statement on Wednesday as he recalled the series of events that unfolded in Pelosi’s San Francisco district. He also challenged Pelosi to condemn protesters’ actions.
“Given that today is the Feast Day of Saint Junipero Serra, her condemnation of mob violence would be especially timely,” McCarthy said in a statement.
He continued, “Today should be a day for celebration. Instead, we’ve recently seen a violent leftwing mob tear down the statue of St. Serra in Speaker Pelosi’s district in San Francisco, California.”
Shortly after McCarthy’s statement was released, Pelosi spoke with the Washington Examiner where she dismissed the California lawmaker’s criticism. The top Democrat made her focus clear reiterating her focus on the pandemic.
“I’m trying to save the world from coronavirus,” Pelosi told the publication. “I have no interest in about McCarthy, who hasn’t had the faintest idea of our dynamic in our district.”
McCarthy’s remarks come amid nationwide concerns about the pandemic, its economical effects on the country, police brutality, and racial inequality.
Statues of President Ulysses S. Grant and Francis Scott Key where also toppled in Pelosi’s district.
Over the last five weeks, protests were held in more than 140 cities across the United States following the death of George Floyd.
Amid intense protests and riots, which have led to the toppling of controversial statues in various cities, a substantial number of states have seen rises in coronavirus.
At the same time, lawmakers have been battling over proposed bills for the coronavirus, police reform, and racial equality as local and state officials mull over safety and health protocols for handling the pandemic.
Pelosi also addressed the controversy surrounding the removal of statues insisting they all should be reviewed. The California lawmaker also confirmed she stands in agreement with the discussions detailing how the statues should be removed.
“I think we should all review the statues and make decisions,” Pelosi said. “I do agree they should come down more carefully.”