Protesters have flooded the streets across the nation calling for an end to police brutality and racism, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is doubling down on her belief representations of those things should be taken down.
Pelosi took to the podium during a press briefing on Thursday to show her support for the removal of Confederate statues and symbols.
“I do believe that if people have committed treason against the United States of America, their statues should not be in the Capitol,” Pelosi said.
She added, “And we took down the paintings of the speakers who were members of the Confederacy and there will be legislation coming forth to remove those same people who meet that low description.”
Check out her comments below:
Pelosi responds to the controversies about removing Confederate statues and symbols: "I do believe that if people have committed treason against the United States of America, their statues should not be in the Capitol" https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/lbV7HYwbDI
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 2, 2020
In observance of Juneteenth, Pelosi previously sent a letter to Cheryl Johnson, Clerk of the House of Representatives, calling for the removal of portraits of former House speakers who served in the Confederacy, as IJR previously reported.
After sending the letter, it was announced four portraits would be removed on June 18.
Prior to calling for the removal of the portraits, Pelosi also called on Congress to remove Confederate statues in the Capitol, as IJR previously reported.
Pelosi hinted at a bill to remove the Confederate statues shortly thereafter.
She went on to explain the push to remove statues is not about the founding fathers, it is about previous members of the Confederacy.
Pelosi said in the past, art depicting the founding fathers should not come down.
She acknowledged while states may want to have a review of whether or not to take them down, the federal government can make the decision of whether or not to have them in the Capitol.
“Some of them is the states have put them there. The states may want to review, but in the meantime, while they may be in the Capitol, we can decide where they are in the Capitol,” Pelosi said.