Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Monday encouraged House Democrats to stay focused on an agenda that “puts the American people first,” and made no reference to new investigations into President Trump that the House Judiciary Committee launched Monday.
“This week, we will continue our For The People agenda to restore the American people’s faith that government works for the public interest, not the special interests,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to Democrats. “In the weeks ahead, we will continue to bring legislation to the Floor that puts the American people first.”
The letter makes no mention of a major announcement Monday from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler that he is launching a massive probe into President Trump and his business dealings, campaign, transition team and even the inaugural committee.
“Over the last several years, President Trump has evaded accountability for his near-daily attacks on our basic legal, ethical, and constitutional rules and norms,” Nadler, D-N.Y., said Monday when he announced the probe. “Investigating these threats to the rule of law is an obligation of Congress and a core function of the House Judiciary Committee.”
Pelosi’s letter signals her long held desire to focus House Democrats on passing a progressive agenda, rather than an effort to impeach President Trump. Many House progressive Democrats want to impeach the president, but Pelosi has long downplayed the possibility.
“Impeachment is a divisive issue in our country, and let us see what the facts are, what the law is, and what the behavior is of the president,” Pelosi said Thursday when asked by reporters about the threshold for trying to oust the president.
In her Monday letter, Pelosi told fellow Democrats the House would in the weeks ahead vote on legislation to legalize Dreamers, ensure equal pay and restore “net neutrality.” The House on Friday will vote on the sweeping campaign finance reform and voting rights legislation.
“We must reduce the role of big, dark special interest money in politics, advance fair elections by strengthening the Voting Rights Act, and restore ethics and integrity to Washington,” Pelosi wrote.
Pelosi said last week she did not watch the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee question Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, although she praised committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., for how he handled the hearing.
She said she’s more concerned with Trump’s use of a national emergency declaration to use military construction spending to build physical barriers along the southern border. Pelosi also said she is “anxiously awaiting” the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into alleged cooperation between the Trump campaign and the Russians and she pointed out the Southern District of New York is also probing the president.
“So let’s see what that is,” Pelosi said.
