House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) weighed in on the growing controversy surrounding a member of her caucus, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). The Democrat congresswoman instructed protesters to “get more confrontational” with demonstrations, ahead of the verdict in the George Floyd trial.
"We got to stay on the street. And we've got to get more active, we've got to get more confrontational. We've got to make sure that they know that we mean business," Waters said to a group of protesters.
House Republicans quickly condemned Waters’ unhinged comments that undoubtedly will incite violence. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) called on Speaker Pelosi to take action.
Maxine Waters is inciting violence in Minneapolis — just as she has incited it in the past. If Speaker Pelosi doesn’t act against this dangerous rhetoric, I will bring action this week.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) April 19, 2021
GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney also called on Pelosi to act.
“This is dangerous and reckless. No elected official should ever incite violence. Speaker Pelosi must act,” she wrote in a tweet.
Pelosi showed no remorse for Waters’ disgusting rhetoric. The Democrat leader said that the congresswoman’s words did not incite violence and that Waters should not apologize.
Pelosi tells @AnnieGrayerCNN that Waters should NOT apologize for saying protestors should “get more confrontational” if Chauvin is acquitted. “No she doesn’t,” she said when asked if Waters should apologize. “Absolutely not,” she said when asked if her comments incited violence
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 19, 2021
“No, no, I don’t think she should apologize.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 19, 2021