A Pennsylvania Republican’s defense against House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s odd breach of decorum Friday has earned him the label “sexist.”
Pelosi crossed the aisle — physically, and not in a gesture of fuzzy bipartisanship — to scold Rep. Tom Marino for taking House Democrats to task for their work on immigration reform when they controlled the chamber during the first two years of Barack Obama’s presidency. Marino, responding to Pelosi’s off-mic comments from his podium, said, “I did the research on it. You might want to try it. You might want to try it, Madame Leader” — Madame Leader being more deferential and respectful than her preferred title of just “Nancy.”
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) described Marino’s behavior in disapproving terms.
“I would say that it’s sexist, and that it was patronizing,” the Illinois Democrat told the highly-watched “Politics Nation” with Rev. Al Sharpton Monday. ” ‘Do the research, Madame Leader,’ ” she continued, mocking Marino.
“He got exactly what he deserved. And then for him to claim, ‘Oh, I was the tough guy, I’m a street fighter.’ Really? On the floor of the House, misrepresenting what really happened, he did the research, and talking to her in that condescending way, I am really offended.”
Schakowsky added that she was “proud” of Pelosi for marching across the House chamber to berate a fellow member for saying something she didn’t like while he was recognized and controlled the floor.
