Nancy Pelosi joined MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Tuesday night to discuss current congressional dysfunction, encouraging Republicans to regain control of their party from former President Donald Trump.
The former Democratic House speaker told Hayes that she is “rarely surprised in politics,” but “It is surprising that the Republicans do not honor the oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, to honor the institution in which we serve, and to respect the obligation that we have to the American people to get the job done for them.”
“Whatever differences we may have,” Pelosi continued, “at some point, you have to come to a decision as to how you’re going to get the job done.”
Pelosi then brought up former Trump’s White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who reportedly was granted immunity for testifying under oath against the former president. According to an ABC News report, Meadows admitted that Trump was being “dishonest” with the public when claiming to have won the 2020 election.
Meadows “is getting immunity for what he has to say about what the president knew about the election,” Pelosi said. “And you have the Republicans in Congress listening to a president in court whose own chief of staff is saying he was wrong.”
“They’re using that as the basis on how they go forward,” Pelosi added.
“The Republicans in America, take back your party, the Grand Old Party, a great party that made such a contribution to our country, with great leadership in so many ways,” she urged.
Pelosi continued, “Who am I to be advocating for a strong Republican party, but it’s what our country needs in addition to a strong Democratic party.”
“But not to have a cult to really effectively have a thug as the manifestation of the Republican party,” Pelosi said.