Democrat Law Professor Calls on Pelosi to Resign

Katie Pavlich | February 05, 2020 2:00 PM

George Washington University Law professor and self described Democrat Jonathan Turley is calling for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to resign if she can't maintain the dignity of her position.

"While many will celebrate her trolling of the president, she tore up something far more important than a speech. Pelosi has shredded decades of tradition, decorum, and civility that the nation could use now more than ever. The House speaker is more than a political partisan, particularly when carrying out functions such as the State of the Union address. A president appears in the House as a guest of both chambers of Congress. The House speaker represents not her party or herself but the entirety of the chamber. At that moment, she must transcend her own political ambitions and loyalties," Turley writes at The Hill. "If Trump made the State of the Union look like Oprah, then Pelosi made it look like Jerry Springer."

In his piece, Turley chides the Speaker for failing to use proper titles while introducing President Trump and called her decision to rip up the text of his speech "revolting." Pelosi justified her behavior by saying it was the "courteous thing to do."

Nancy Pelosi on why she ripped up a copy of President Trump's #SOTU: "It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative." https://t.co/hxIJguOJ9p pic.twitter.com/iTuR070GRk
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 5, 2020

"Pelosi has demolished decades of tradition with this poorly considered moment. Of course, many will celebrate her conduct and be thrilled by the insult to Trump. However, even those of us who disagree with his policies should consider what Pelosi destroyed in her moment of rage. She shredded the pretense of governing with civility and dignity in the House. Notably, she did not wait to rip up her copy of the speech until after she left the House floor. Pelosi wanted to do it at the end of the speech, in front of the camera, with the president still in the chamber," he continued. "That act was more important to Pelosi than preserving the tradition of her office. In doing so, she forfeited the right to occupy that office. If Pelosi cannot maintain the dignity and neutrality of her office at the State of the Union, she should resign as the speaker of the House of Representatives."