Pelosi on the threat of violence to House members: ‘The enemy is within’
Responding to a question about House security on Thursday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that “the enemy is within,” referring to representatives who threatened violence against other members and wanted to bring guns onto the floor of the chamber.
Video Transcript
- Just [INAUDIBLE], you've had 30-plus members of the House send you and the Minority Leader a letter asking for more money for security. You have members who are worried about not only their safety at the Capitol, but when they go back to their home district. You have a member who has talked about executing you. And you had a security bulletin yesterday from DHS about ongoing domestic violence threats. What are you saying to your members about protecting themselves, and what can be done for them to feel safe?
NANCY PELOSI: Well, first of all, I appreciate the letter from the members. But most of the questions-- items on their list have already been done. Perhaps they were not aware. And I take responsibility for them not being aware in terms of use of their MRA funds and some of the other issues that are in there.
Today, when I meet with General Honoré, he is looking at members here, members at home, and in between. So we want to have a scientific approach to how we protect members. I do believe-- and I have said this all along-- that we will probably need a supplemental for more security for members when the enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about in addition to what is happening outside.
But I think that, again, what's in that letter-- it's just a matter of communicating to them. That has been done-- the MRA, the rest of that.
I do think, though, that while it's appropriate that they use their MRA for their security, they shouldn't have to, because that money is there for them to meet the needs of their constituents. In the meantime, to protect themselves and their constituents when they communicate with them, that that is confidential, private, and not provocative, but then also for us to have-- and that's what we'll be looking at recommendations from. General Honoré will have some interim report today, and then he'll continue his work as we go forward. But it's very important.
- You've been the subject of threats that comes with the job of being Speaker. Many of your members-- not necessarily. Some of them feel like they're targets now. What do you say to your caucus, to your fellow House members?
NANCY PELOSI: Well, what we're saying is that we're going to approach it in a way that will truly protect them, that the issues they raised in their letter have by and large been in effect. So they may be relieved to hear that.
They'll be hearing also from the Sergeant at Arms today. You'll see his letter talking about how their further-- their protection is further enhanced by certain initiatives that were taken. And as I said, General Honoré is looking to see what really will work in terms of their service here, their service home, their transportation in between.
But I call to your attention the Sergeant at Arms letter, because they'll be more specific about air marshals, et cetera. But this is very, very important. It shouldn't be-- it shouldn't be that not only is the President of the United States inciting an insurrection, but keeps fanning the flame, endangering the security of members of Congress to the point that they're even concerned about members in the House of Representatives being a danger to them.
- Speaker Pelosi, what exactly did you mean when you said that the enemy is within? What exactly did you mean by that?
NANCY PELOSI: It means we have members of Congress who want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of Congress.
