House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) came under withering criticism on Saturday night after it was reported that he joked about hitting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to a group of Republicans.
According to the Washington Post's Michael Scherer, the senior Republican was gifted with an oversized gavel with "Fire Pelsoi" embossed on it at a GOP fundraising dinner in Tennessee and then proceeded to tell the crowd that he looks forward to the day when she hands him the speaker's gavel before joking, "It will be hard not to hit her with it but I will bang it down."
With just over six months past since the Capitol riot where pro-Trump insurrectionists attempted to track down Pelosi, claiming they were going to put her on trial and then hang her, critics of McCarthy trashed him for his "disgusting" attempt at a joke.
You can read some comments below:
@michaelscherer Yes Kevin, joking about assault w a deadly weapon is HILARIOUS. Manly resonant bonus laughs for it… https://t.co/svm9cb7M32— Stephen Andrew (@Stephen Andrew) 1627779684.0
@michaelscherer @GOPLeader He has no business continuing in public office if he uttered these words & must provide… https://t.co/snJ9CQ4o49— Joseph Robertson (@Joseph Robertson) 1627787011.0
So now we’re suppose to just normalize politicians threatening physical violence on female politicians just because… https://t.co/K5Jro8gh70— TG (@TG) 1627789400.0
Kevin McCarthy joking how it would be "hard not to hit Pelosi" with the gavel is particularly unacceptable, follow… https://t.co/ATcp5SZza3— Marcia (@Marcia) 1627788963.0
@michaelscherer Sounds like a threat to commit violence on an 80 year old woman.— Jill I Dippman, BA 🏡😷💉💉 (@Jill I Dippman, BA 🏡😷💉💉) 1627778431.0
@michaelscherer Hey can we not pass off violence as jokes? They came to literally kill her 6 months ago.— 🦯 🦊 Allie 💛🐝 (@🦯 🦊 Allie 💛🐝) 1627782215.0
@michaelscherer She calls him a moron. He retaliates with threats of violence.— Michele Miller (@Michele Miller) 1627782601.0
@aliberk65 @michaelscherer @GOPLeader You know he does. I’m sure there isn’t a conservative out there who didn’t chuckle at it.— Schawn Schoch (@Schawn Schoch) 1627784573.0
@michaelscherer Normalizing cruelty and violence is the point.— i know a predator when i see one (@i know a predator when i see one) 1627780310.0
@michaelscherer Another data point for the fact check… https://t.co/mmQiKgX4bf— Kindler (@Kindler) 1627782870.0
@michaelscherer Violence against women is still comic fodder in Tennessee.— Mark Kitterman (@Mark Kitterman) 1627778996.0
@AlyssaFafel @michaelscherer Should be grounds for dismissal— indigoiis (@indigoiis) 1627783053.0
It’s really disgusting that no Republican has the testicular fortitude to condemn Kevin McCarthy’s joke of violent… https://t.co/ynT1tNIqFY— David Weissman (@David Weissman) 1627786296.0
Kevin McCarthy should be censured for threatening violence against Speaker Pelosi. Unacceptable.— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch.com) 1627787635.0
I am fucking sick of watching the Republican leader in the House shit on cops and threaten Speaker Pelosi. This… https://t.co/BZyVkRkKzo— Adam Parkhomenko (@Adam Parkhomenko) 1627778023.0
Kevin McCarthy threatened Nancy Pelosi. He has no business being in Congress.— Iceberg Meidas Mighty! (@Iceberg Meidas Mighty!) 1627788012.0
