In a swift move shortly after assuming the role of speaker pro tempore following the ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Tuesday, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has directed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to vacate her office by tomorrow.
An email addressed to Pelosi’s office, seen by Politico, conveyed the message: “Please vacate the space tomorrow, the room will be re-keyed.” The email further explained that the room is to be designated “for speaker office use.”
Pelosi, who currently occupies a hideaway office reserved for a select few members, was granted permission by McCarthy due to her status as speaker emerita. However, it seems that McHenry, a close ally of McCarthy, is less enthusiastic about her continued use of the space.
Pelosi expressed her disapproval of this move, referring to it as “a sharp departure from tradition.”
Leaving the office might pose a challenge for Pelosi, as she is currently in San Francisco attending memorial services for her dear friend and former Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who passed away last week.
In response to the situation, Pelosi stated, “Regrettably, I am unable to retrieve my belongings at this time due to my presence in California to mourn the loss of my dear friend, Dianne Feinstein.” This absence led to her missing Tuesday’s pivotal vote, during which McCarthy was removed from his position.
The vote to remove McCarthy ensued after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) submitted a motion to vacate the chair, resulting in a full House vote where eight Republicans joined 208 Democrats in favor of McCarthy’s removal.
