In a surprising turn of events, interim House speaker Patrick McHenry has issued an immediate eviction notice to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, instructing her to vacate her Capitol office by Wednesday. This move, deemed a “sharp departure from tradition,” was communicated via email, informing Pelosi that the room would be re-keyed and reassigned for “speaker use.”
This development unfolded just hours after McHenry assumed the role of House speaker pro tempore following the historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy in a vote on Tuesday. Pelosi, who had previously served as speaker during two separate stints, expressed her dismay at the urgency of this move, especially given the pressing issues facing the new Republican leadership.
Pelosi, currently in California mourning the passing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, found herself unable to retrieve her belongings from the office as a television and bags were seen being removed.
Despite downplaying the significance of office space, Pelosi questioned the priorities of the new leadership and urged them to focus on matters crucial to the American people.
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“With all of the important decisions that the new Republican Leadership must address, which we are all eagerly awaiting, one of the first actions taken by the new Speaker Pro Tempore was to order me to immediately vacate my office in the Capitol,” Pelosi said in a statement, referring to McHenry (R-NC).
“Office space doesn’t matter to me, but it seems to be important to them,” she added. “Now that the new Republican Leadership has settled this important matter, let’s hope they get to work on what’s truly important for the American people.”
This eviction follows the removal of McCarthy as House speaker, with eight Republicans joining Democrats in a 216-210 vote to strip him of power. The unusual circumstances surrounding Pelosi’s eviction add a layer of intrigue to the unfolding political landscape on Capitol Hill.
