(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)On Wednesday afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) canceled President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber, which was originally scheduled for January 29. Now, the Governor of West Virginia is making her pay, calling her petty political stunt the “most ridiculous stuff I’ve ever seen.”
In response to correspondence from President Donald Trump daring her to follow through with the suggestion that next week’s State of the Union address be put off, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) officially canceled the annual speech.
“This afternoon, I sent @realDonaldTrump a letter informing him that the House will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened,” Pelosi tweeted on Wednesday.
This afternoon, I sent @realDonaldTrump a letter informing him that the House will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened. https://t.co/r1oad0xEAh pic.twitter.com/kGEbayx95u
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 23, 2019
In a letter to the president, the Speaker wrote, “When I extended an invitation on January 3rd for you to deliver the State of the Union address, it was on the mutually agreed upon date, January 29th. At that time, there was no thought that the government would still be shut down.”
“In my further correspondence of January 16th, I said we should work together to find a mutually agreeable date when government has re-opened and I hope that we can still do that,” she added. “I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened.”
“Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened,” she concluded passive-aggressively.
It seems that there is literally no end to the petty political games Pelosi is willing to play during the current government shutdown. But while she seems intent on stonewalling Trump’s speech, others would be happy to host him.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice claimed Pelosi’s behavior was silly, and he offered to host the State of the Union address from the West Virginia Capitol if the president looks for other venues.
“President Trump and I are great friends, and I know he’s got his hands full with probably the silliest and most ridiculous stuff I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Justice. “This government shutdown is just hurting so many people, and really and truly, I go back to just this: What is he asking for? He’s asking for something that will help all of us — to protect our borders, to keep the bad stuff out. And what is the other side doing? The other side is just hitting back and saying, ‘No, because we don’t like you.'”
Justice claimed the $5.7 billion that Trump has requested for the wall is a “gnat on a dinosaur” in comparison to the national budget.
Gov. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) can’t believe the drama that has unfolded around the State of the Union address.
To recap, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asked President Donald Trump to delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol, per his constitutional responsibility. However, as the shutdown continued into record-breaking status, Pelosi rescinded the invitation and asked the president to reschedule.
The speaker’s move spiraled into an escalated feud between her and the White House that included Trump postponing Pelosi’s trip abroad and Pelosi sending yet another letter telling Trump he wasn’t invited to speak from the Capitol until the shutdown ended. [Source: IJR]
If President Trump decides to deliver his State of the Union address before the partial government shutdown has officially ended, he certainly will have no shortage of venues in which to do so. He has supporters in every state who would be happy to host him.
