Is Nancy Pelosi A Criminal?

Nancy Pelosi is an American politician who served as the 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and was the first woman to do so. She has been accused of breaking the law on several occasions, including tearing up Donald Trump's State of the Union address and her response to the Capitol riots. However, legal experts have stated that Pelosi did not violate any laws when she tore up Trump's speech, as it was not a government record or property. During the Capitol riots, Pelosi worked with other leaders to try to get the National Guard to the Capitol and was critical of Trump's inaction. While some have accused her of breaking the law during the riots, there is no evidence to support this claim.

Ripping up Trump's State of the Union speech

On February 4, 2020, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up President Donald Trump's State of the Union address moments after he finished delivering it. This action sparked outrage among Republicans, with some claiming that Pelosi may have broken the law and calling for an ethics investigation. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz sent a letter to the House Committee on Ethics, alleging that Pelosi's conduct was "deeply offensive" and potentially in violation of House rules and a federal law that prohibits the destruction of government records.

However, legal experts unanimously disagreed with this claim. They clarified that the copy of the speech Pelosi ripped up was not a government record or federal document. It was simply a personal copy given to her by Trump before he began speaking. Under House rules, members of Congress are not legally required to preserve or retain such documents. Furthermore, there were countless other copies of Trump's address, including the version posted online by the White House, ensuring that future generations would still have access to the speech.

Pelosi herself defended her actions, stating that she ripped up the speech because it was a "manifesto of mistruths" and that it was "the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative." She also pointed out that Trump often rips up papers when he is done with them, and his staff has had to tape shredded files back together to comply with the Presidential Records Act. Pelosi's move was seen as a symbolic gesture, giving her the last word over Trump and underscoring the tension between the two leaders.

Her opposition to banning members of Congress from trading stocks

Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker and one of the wealthiest Democrats in Congress, has been under scrutiny for her and her husband's prolific trading activities. Paul Pelosi, a venture capitalist and property investor, made around $5.3 million off Alphabet options before a House panel considered antitrust actions against Alphabet (Google's parent company). In 2022, he also acquired over $1 million in Nvidia call options before a congressional vote on providing subsidies to the chip manufacturing industry. These trades have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and insider trading.

Initially, Nancy Pelosi opposed a ban on members of Congress trading stocks, stating, "We are a free-market economy. They should be able to participate in that." However, she later appeared to backtrack on this position, saying, "It's complicated and members will figure it out. And then we'll go forward with what the consensus is."

Pelosi's opposition to a stock trading ban has been criticised by some of her fellow Democrats, including Representative Abigail Spanberger, who slammed Pelosi for her apparent inaction on legislation that would require lawmakers' investment assets to be placed in a blind trust. Spanberger's statement said:

> "After first signaling her opposition to these reforms, the Speaker purportedly reversed her position. However, our bipartisan reform coalition was then subjected to repeated delay tactics, hand-waving gestures, and blatant instances of Lucy pulling the football... It's yet another example of why I believe that the Democratic Party needs new leaders in the halls of Capitol Hill."

In February 2022, Pelosi and Democratic leaders greenlit a plan to craft legislation prohibiting members of Congress from trading stock, marking a shift in her position after months of resistance. The House Administration Committee is currently working on drafting the rules, and the legislation is expected to be put up for a vote, likely before the 2022 midterm elections.

Despite Pelosi's change of heart, attempts to pass a stock trading ban for members of Congress have faced resistance and delays. Some argue that such a ban would deny lawmakers the right to participate in free markets and punish them for choosing public service. There are also questions about how violations would be handled and what types of investments would be prohibited.

Her role in the Capitol riots

On January 6, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was sheltering in a secure location at Fort McNair, two miles south of the Capitol, and trying to take charge of the situation as rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. She was captured on video by her daughter, Alexandra, a documentary filmmaker, and the footage was later played during the House Jan. 6 committee's 10th hearing.

In the video, Pelosi is seen trying to maintain a sense of security and confidence in the government and the electoral process. She is heard saying, "There has to be some way [...] we can maintain the sense that people have that there is some security or some confidence that government can function and that you can elect the president of the United States." At the time, the violent mob had already disrupted the planned certification of the 2020 presidential election results.

Pelosi, along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, made calls to various officials to try to get the National Guard to the Capitol as police were being brutally beaten outside the building. They called state and federal officials, including Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia and the acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, to get more law enforcement to respond to the riot. They also discussed how to continue the certification of the election results.

Pelosi expressed her anger and frustration with President Donald Trump, who she felt had endangered their lives. She said, "I'm gonna punch him out," in response to the possibility of Trump coming to the Capitol. She also blamed Trump for inciting the riots, saying, "They're breaking the law in many different ways. And quite frankly, much of it at the instigation of the president of the United States."

The deployment of the National Guard was delayed for hours as Trump stood by and did little to stop the violence of his supporters. The footage of Pelosi and other leaders during the Capitol riots offered a rare glimpse into their real-time reactions and efforts to address the crisis.

Her stance on gun violence prevention

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been vocal about her commitment to ending the gun epidemic in the United States through the enactment of life-saving gun safety legislation. Pelosi has expressed deep concern over the rising tide of gun violence in the country, which claims the lives of approximately 45,000 Americans every year and leaves unimaginable grief in its wake.

Pelosi has praised the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, enacted by President Biden and a Democratic Congress, as a historic step forward in the fight against gun violence. This legislation includes critical provisions, such as support for state crisis intervention orders, protections for victims of domestic violence, enhanced background checks for buyers under 21, and investments in school safety and mental health services. Pelosi has also supported the reinstatement of the Assault Weapons Ban, which would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

In addition to federal legislation, Pelosi has applauded President Biden's executive actions on gun violence prevention. These actions include imposing new restrictions on the sale of "ghost guns" and allocating American Rescue Plan funds towards gun violence reduction and community violence intervention. Pelosi has also highlighted the importance of community-based violence prevention initiatives and the need to address the impact of gun violence on vulnerable communities, including women, children, and communities of color.

Pelosi has vowed to continue fighting to end the gun epidemic and bring about meaningful change to protect America's children and communities. She has urged Congress to pass additional gun safety legislation and stated that the political survival of lawmakers should never be placed above the survival of America's children.

Her involvement in the impeachment of President Trump

On September 24, 2019, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi initiated the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States. This came after a whistleblower alleged that Trump may have abused the power of the presidency by withholding military aid to pressure the newly elected Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, into pursuing investigations of Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, and to investigate a conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

On October 31, the House of Representatives voted to establish procedures for public hearings, which began on November 13. The House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Adam Schiff, said that Trump may have committed bribery, which is listed as an impeachable offence in Article Two.

On December 10, the House Judiciary Committee unveiled their articles of impeachment: one for abuse of power and one for obstruction of Congress. Three days later, the Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to approve both articles. On December 18, the House voted mostly along party lines to impeach the president on both charges.

Pelosi remained defiant about what Trump's impeachment meant for his legacy, stating:

> The president is impeached for life, regardless of any gamesmanship on the part of Mitch McConnell. There is nothing the Senate can do to ever erase that.

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