McCarthy: Pelosi 'Common Denominator' on COVID Relief Delays

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the "common denominator" that is holding up additional coronavirus stimulus money, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday. 

"Just yesterday we put on the floor more money for PPP (paycheck protection)," the California Republican said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "Unfortunately, the Democrats voted that down. We created a discharge petition. If you get 218 signatures on it, it goes around Pelosi and could actually come to the floor."

And, as there are 200 Republicans who will all sign the measure, "we are very close," said McCarthy, and he thinks some Democrats are also frustrated by the delays. 

"She's done this with every COVID relief bill, " he said. "Remember her in front of that refrigerator when we needed more money from her and she said no, or when she flew back and held it up another week so the Kennedy Center could have more money?"

McCarthy said one has to wonder why Pelosi is holding up relief money not just for small businesses, but for the states, schools, airlines, and more. 

"Is she doing this because she wants the economy to fall before November?" said McCarthy. "Why would she hold it up all this time?"

McCarthy also spoke against potential plans to change the rules on presidential debates to include a mute button, after the bitter exchanges between President Donald Trump and challenger Biden Tuesday night. 

"Joe Biden's campaign uses a mute button on Joe Biden every day, where they put that lid on it seven of the last 14 days, so he is used to it," said McCarthy, "but the American people are not. If you are going to run for the free leader of this world we want to hear what you have to say."

McCarthy said he opposed allowing a moderator to determine what the American people can hear from our candidates. 

"Of course they want to change the rules," said McCarthy. "Anything that gives Joe Biden some type of advantage."

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