Appearing at a Tennessee Republican fundraising event on Saturday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy joked that it “will be hard not to hit” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the gavel if he were to become the new speaker should Republicans take over the chamber after the 2022 midterm elections.
McCarthy, a staunch ally of Donald Trump from Bakersfield, California, made the joke when he was handed an oversized gavel by a member of the state's congressional delegation.
"I want you to watch Nancy Pelosi hand me that gavel. It will be hard not to hit her with it," said McCarthy in his speech.
McCarthy made the comments as the keynote speaker of the Statesmen's Dinner, a fundraising event hosted by the Tennessee Republican Party that took place at the Music City Center in downtown Nashville.
Here’s audio of @GOPLeader’s comment on @SpeakerPelosi: https://t.co/tSmcteVcdk pic.twitter.com/yLC4lzGEVV
— Vivian Jones (@Vivian_E_Jones)
Two of the five House Republicans McCarthy recommended for the panel were rejected by Pelosi. McCarthy and Pelosi have been back and forth at it since.
Pelosi has been quoted calling McCarthy a “moron” when masks were mandated again in the House. McCarthy questioned her science behind the mandate.
The comments are getting attention from Democrats who are calling McCarthy out. “Violence against women is no laughing matter,” New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said on Twitter.
"America has suffered enough violence around politics. @GOPLeader McCarthy is now a would-be assailant of @SpeakerPelosi," said California Rep. Eric Swalwell on Twitter.
Spokesperson, Drew Hammill for Pelosi made comments on Twitter as well saying, "A threat of violence to someone who was a target of a #January6th assassination attempt from your fellow Trump supporters is irresponsible and disgusting."
Violence against women is no laughing matter.
Apologize.https://t.co/Q1LitsUlRr
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries)
