House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., apparently does not hold a grudge.
On Friday, the junior member who tried to supplant her as House Democratic leader last month touted his advancement to a ranking position on the Appropriations Committee. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, will serve as the top Democrat on the spending panel’s legislative branch subcommittee.
Leadership doles out ranking positions, usually by seniority, but can pass over members for any reason. In 2006 Pelosi famously skipped past former Rep. Jane Harman for the Intelligence Committee gavel even though the Californian was the panel’s most senior Democrat. The two lawmakers had been tight but the relationship soured after Harman returned to Washington after an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid.
“I am proud to have joined the ranks of Democratic Leadership on the powerful House Appropriations Committee,” Ryan stated in announcing his new position.
After Pelosi easily dispatched with Ryan during an internal, secret ballot voting among Democrats last month, the 43-year-old Midwesterner said he didn’t anticipate retribution.
“It would be very, very difficult for her to try and have any retribution at all,” he said then. The 63 Democrats who supported him would “be very upset” if Pelosi came after him, he said.
