Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry, a representative from North Carolina, has issued an order for Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi to vacate her private office in the Capitol building. This came after a historic vote on Tuesday, in which McCarthy, the previous Speaker of the House, was removed from his position by a coalition of Democrats and eight Republicans in a 216-210 vote. Pelosi had previously served as Speaker from 2019 to 2023, before the Democrats lost control of the House.
McHenry’s order came in the form of an email, hours after the vote, and stated that Pelosi must move out of her office by the next day, as the room will be re-keyed. This means that Pelosi will no longer have access to the office, and will have to find a new space to work from in the Capitol building. This step was necessary as McCarthy’s first choice for Speaker pro tempore was McHenry, who serves as the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
Pelosi, who was unable to retrieve her belongings from the office at the time, explained that she was in California to attend a funeral for her friend, Dianne Feinstein. She expressed her disappointment at having to leave the office, saying that it holds sentimental value for her.
The motion to remove McCarthy from his position as Speaker was put forward by Republican Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida on Monday. This came after the passing of a continuing resolution that averted a government shutdown on Saturday. McCarthy, who had previously stated that he would seek to reclaim the speakership, announced on Tuesday evening that he would not be doing so, after losing the vote on the motion to vacate the chair.
In his statement, McCarthy shared that he is proud of his time as Speaker, and is optimistic for the future. He believes that his goals of making tomorrow better than today have not changed, and that his ability to fight for what he believes in remains the same, even in a different form.
???? Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry Orders Pelosi To Vacate Her Office: ‘The Room Will Be Re-Keyed’https://t.co/OZrLlLHcRJ
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 4, 2023
At the time of writing, Pelosi had not responded to the request for comment. However, it is expected that she will comply with McHenry’s order and vacate the office. This will mark the end of her time in the space that has been her private office for many years. As the political landscape continues to shift and change, it remains to be seen what the future holds for both Pelosi and McCarthy, and who will ultimately take on the role of Speaker of the House.