Nancy Pelosi's pledge for a new era in Washington has already gone up in flames. Rashida Tlaib used profanity on Capitol Hill just hours after being sworn in as a freshman representative, promising her constituents that she'd lead the effort to impeach the "mother f***er." She was talking about the president.
A few Democrats spoke out against Tlaib and her foul language, but unfortunately Pelosi was not one of those people. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who cordially handed her the speaker's gavel yesterday, was disappointed she has not had a serious conversation with Tlaib nor spoken out against her controversial remarks.
Tlaib used "foul language" and is "cheered" by the Democratic base and "we watched a brand new speaker say nothing to her," McCarthy said in summary.
"That action should not stand," he added.
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), who also attended this morning's presser on the hill, was just as outraged by Tlaib's words. She refused to repeat them because "she doesn't want her kids to hear them."
She and McCarthy wondered how they can work with the new Democratic class, who don't appear to be "serious about anything."
Pelosi reportedly did later respond to Tlaib's remarks, telling members of the press she plans to speak to the president about the new representative's language, adding, however, that she plans to speak to Trump about his language as well. There is no word yet on whether she will sit down with Tlaib and have a chat.
As of Friday morning, Tlaib clearly had no plans to apologize.
I will always speak truth to power. #unapologeticallyMe
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) January 4, 2019
This is not just about Donald Trump. This is about all of us. In the face of this constitutional crisis, we must rise.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) January 4, 2019
The congresswoman later shared an article she coauthored Thursday in which she outlined the Democrats' plans for impeachment, via special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian collusion.
Those who say we must wait for Special Counsel Mueller to complete his criminal investigation before Congress can start any impeachment proceedings ignore this crucial distinction. There is no requirement whatsoever that a president be charged with or be convicted of a crime before Congress can impeach him. They also ignore the fact that many of the impeachable offenses committed by this president are beyond the scope of the special counsel’s investigation.
We are also now hearing the dangerous claim that initiating impeachment proceedings against this president is politically unwise and that, instead, the focus should now shift to holding the president accountable via the 2020 election. Such a claim places partisan gamesmanship over our country and our most vulnerable at this perilous moment in our nation’s history. Members of Congress have a sworn duty to preserve our Constitution. Leaving a lawless president in office for political points would be abandoning that duty.
Tlaib's comments and subsequent plans for impeachment are just one in a string of controversial actions taken by the Democrats in the past 24 hours. Before Tlaib proudly called Trump an expletive, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) compared the president to Adolf Hitler.