"That tweet about the $1.50 a week is not a PR mistake. It is really what they think," Hawaii Democrat Sen. Brian Schatz wrote of House Speaker Paul Ryan's deleted tweet. | Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Democrats slam Ryan over deleted tweet
The speaker's campaign erased a tweet touting a woman saying her pay went up $1.50 a week because of the tax cut law.
Democrats slammed House Speaker Paul Ryan on Saturday, after the speaker deleted a tweet touting how the new tax cut law increased one woman's take home pay $1.50 a week, enough to pay for her Costco membership.
"A secretary at a public high school in Lancaster, PA, said she was pleasantly surprised her pay went up $1.50 a week ... she said [that] will more than cover her Costco membership for the year," a tweet from Ryan's campaign account read, before it was deleted.
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It's unclear why Ryan (R-Wis.) decided to delete the tweet, which included a link to an Associated Press report that includes an anecdote about Julia Ketchum, the secretary in question.
Democrats and liberals on Twitter immediately bashed the message.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Ryan deleted the "embarrassing" tweet, because "he and Republicans don’t want you to know the truth" about the party's tax plan.
"Paul Ryan deleted his embarrassing tweet of a blatant admission because he and Republicans don’t want you to know the truth: the #GOPTaxScam is a gift to corporate America and the top 1% at your expense," Pelosi wrote on Twitter.
"Did you tell her how much the paychecks of the 1% went up a week? Or that hers could have gone up a lot more if you had given them a lot less? #GOPTaxScam," Rep. Eric Swalwell wrote on Twitter.
Hawaii Democrat Sen. Brian Schatz added: "That tweet about the $1.50 a week is not a PR mistake. It is really what they think."
A spokeswoman for Ryan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.