After playing a significant role in the coup against outgoing President Joe Biden, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is back doing what she knows best: plotting another ouster within the Democratic Party.
According to a New York Times report, Pelosi seeks to shake up a critical House Committee. She is leading an effort to replace longtime Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) as a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. She is quietly urging Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-CA) to challenge Nadler, and according to reports, he is strongly considering it.
However, the NYT pointed out that Nadler and Raskin’s close friendship stands in the way.
Raskin is a loyalist in Democrat's eyes. He played a leading role in pushing several hoaxes, including the bogus Russian disinformation claims involving President-elect Donald Trump. He also suggested he would refuse to certify Trump’s 2024 win.
The report alleges that Pelosi is concerned that the Democratic Party’s current leadership is not suited to take on Trump’s agenda and his allies in Congress.
Although Raskin has not publicly announced his candidacy, Nadler has already hit the ground running, eager to hold on to his position. Nadler proudly said he led the Judiciary Committee’s efforts of two impeachments against Trump. The NYT also highlighted an additional advantage Raskin brings: his skill in engaging in impromptu debates. The report noted that House Democrat leaders are staying neutral for now.
However, with current House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) being a staunch ally of Trump, Democratic efforts to block House investigations must go through his committee.
Seventy-six-year-old Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and 79-year-old Rep. David Scott (D-GA) are also facing challenges from younger candidates who are vying for their seats.
In Jonathan Alter’s new book, American Reckoning, Pelosi was reportedly furious that the “only bloody fingerprints on the knife were hers” after Biden was forced out of the race. As a result, she is orchestrating the ousting of Nadler more carefully.