Pelosi reversal on Capitol dinner shows perils for Democrats in coronavirus era

“It’s very spaced,” the California Democrat assured reporters, arguing Friday night that the post-election reception she was about to host for just below 50 incoming and reelected members was socially distanced and authorised by the House doctor.

A couple of hours later, amid a livid backlash on social media — together with from individuals who questioned why they weren’t allowed to bury their lifeless whereas lawmakers attended fancy events — Pelosi canceled the dinner, turning it right into a takeout meal as a substitute.

It was the most recent in a sequence of strikes by the speaker, who has routinely knocked Republicans for appearing irresponsibly throughout the pandemic, which have performed into the fingers of critics who see a double customary.

For the primary 10 months of the pandemic, Pelosi rejected calls to institute common virus testing for lawmakers who fly backwards and forwards throughout the nation, although so too did her GOP Senate counterparts. And early on, she was recorded on digicam getting her hair carried out at a San Francisco salon regardless of a neighborhood prohibition on such companies.

The furor over Friday’s dinner is spotlighting a conundrum dealing with the Democratic Party as infections are once more hovering: With Joe Biden capturing the White House and plenty of celebration leaders advocating robust restrictions, Democrats must watch out to not seem hypocritical — particularly as Americans are urged to sharply restrict their Thanksgiving gatherings.

“We’ve seen a lot of double standards,” Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) mentioned. “They impose these draconian restrictions and then they go and violate their own regulations. I can tell you what the people back home think about it in Louisiana — I mean, they were very frustrated about what they see to be a double standard and they see political leaders saying one thing and then not practicing it.”

Still, Pelosi and the Democrats have been way more aware of coronavirus restrictions than Trump and the GOP. Unlike the outgoing president, the speaker has all the time worn a masks in public, whereas Trump mocked those that adopted docs’ orders and lined their faces.

Trump spent a lot of the autumn flying across the nation, attending campaign rallies and internet hosting White House occasions — finally contracting the virus himself following a Rose Garden celebration for then-Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, which turned an obvious superspreader occasion.

Over the weekend, whereas Pelosi canceled her reception, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) went forward along with his personal model of a brand new members’ welcome, internet hosting about 90 lawmakers in one room for a brief completely satisfied hour on the second flooring of the Capitol.

But in contrast to her GOP counterparts, Pelosi has portrayed herself and her Democratic colleagues as mannequin residents in this 12 months of disaster. She has dubbed Democrats “the party of science,” hitting Republicans all 12 months for appearing irresponsibly and ignoring docs’ beneficial precautions.

Pelosi struck that note again at midmorning Friday, rapping Trump and the GOP at a information convention for failing to “listen to science” and arguing that separation and isolation would assist “crush the virus.” That was about seven hours earlier than the dinner was scheduled.

Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.) mentioned switching to takeout was the proper transfer and that such selections usually are not all the time simple.

“I think members are trying to navigate this, the work in Congress and the welcoming of new members of Congress . . . just like people are trying to figure out how to have certain important events in their lives,” Cicilline mentioned. “This is all new for everyone.”

But the dinner initially threatened to offer the type of split-screen picture that has prompted critics to complain that elite leaders flout the tough restrictions they impose on the general public. And it wasn’t the primary time it had occurred to Pelosi.

The speaker caught flak earlier in the autumn when she acquired a non-public hair blowout in a salon regardless of a moratorium on these forms of companies. Pelosi mentioned that she didn’t know the actions have been prohibited and that she had been arrange by the salon’s proprietor.

She additionally has frequently traveled throughout the continent on business flights when federal officers have discouraged the general public from doing so, although her workplace says there isn’t a different selection. And till this week, she declined to just accept gives from army officers who’ve repeatedly provided coronavirus testing for lawmakers touring to and from their districts, regardless of her mantra of “testing, testing, testing.”

Pelosi’s defenders have argued that she has adopted the House doctor’s recommendation on all the pieces, together with Friday’s dinner. That occasion was slated to be socially distanced, her workplace mentioned — 4 folks to a 10-person spherical desk, for a complete of fewer than 50 attendees. The architect of the Capitol has additionally put in a brand new air filtration system to maintain folks secure, they mentioned, following tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But after an NBC reporter tweeted a photograph of the tables being arrange for the celebratory gathering, the criticism saved piling up on social media in addition to on Capitol Hill. Party leaders finally instructed incoming freshmen to easily seize a boxed dinner and head again to their workplaces.

“Our office strictly follows the guidance of the Office of Attending Physician, including for this dinner,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted amid the backlash. “To be a further model for the nation, this event has been modified to allow Members-elect to pick up their meals to go in a socially-distanced manner.”

Hammill famous that the workplaces of the Capitol architect and the House’s attending doctor oversaw the mendacity in state of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and civil rights icon John Lewis. Both occasions have been held throughout the pandemic, and neither resulted in any recognized covid-19 circumstances, Hammill mentioned.

Still, the problem has been a delicate one for House Democrats, who’re loath to criticize the speaker publicly — even whereas many privately complain. Asked concerning the optics of Friday’s incident, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the fifth-ranking House Democrat, walked away briskly. “You know I’ve got no comment on that — a big ‘no comment,’ ” he mentioned.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) added that “I don’t know enough about that” to remark. “I’m not invited to any dinner,” he mentioned.

Pelosi will not be the one Democrat to run afoul of coronavirus restrictions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has expressed regret for attending a celebration on Nov. 6 with a small group of associates on the unique French Laundry restaurant.

Beyond that, Pelosi’s allies argue that it’s unfair to criticize the speaker when the GOP has carried out far worse all 12 months. Republicans have persistently gathered in closed areas whereas Democrats have moved to cellphone, digital and out of doors occasions.

On Capitol Hill, many House Republicans have proven as much as committee hearings with out masks. That prompted a annoyed Pelosi over the summer time to require masks in public areas, whereas additionally arranging for committee hearings to be held remotely and permitting proxy voting on the House flooring.

This week, House Republicans are planning to carry their management elections in particular person, whereas Democrats will vote for their leaders electronically. In the Senate, Republicans nonetheless routinely collect for their weekly lunches in the Capitol.

On Sunday, following the Pelosi backlash, House Republicans did cancel a full plated dinner they have been planning for GOP freshmen. But they nonetheless wined and dined their latest colleagues in an abbreviated completely satisfied hour that seated two attendees every at 45 mini-tables — a gathering that Pelosi allies famous was twice as massive as her would-be dinner.

Republicans, lots of whom have appeared repeatedly in public with out facial protections, have additionally had extra infections than Democrats: Since April 1, 19 congressional Republicans have examined constructive, with Rep. Tim Walberg turning into the most recent. Eight Democrats have introduced constructive assessments, in keeping with a recent NPR tally.

The newest controversy comes as Republicans and Democrats continue to argue over the form of one other coronavirus reduction invoice to assist those that have suffered economically from the pandemic.

Pelosi has lambasted the GOP for refusing to again a $2.2 trillion proposal she mentioned would assist extraordinary Americans, whereas Republican lawmakers insist a smaller, extra focused bundle makes extra sense. Biden on Monday urged Congress to cross some model of Pelosi’s proposal, although even some House Democrats complain that she has performed hardball too lengthy in the negotiations.

Friday’s back-and-forth additionally shined a lightweight on the little-known House attending doctor whom Pelosi has repeatedly cited in justifying what some contemplate questionable coronavirus selections. Beyond Friday’s dinner, Brian Monahan initially agreed with Pelosi’s plan to not institute testing for members crisscrossing the nation earlier than they voted on the House flooring.

Monahan’s workplace didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Paul Kane contributed to this report.