House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Thursday slammed the chamber's Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi for being more focused this week on voting on legislation to legalize marijuana and outline big cat ownership than they are on working on a deal for coronavirus relief.
"You know, 38 times since the summer, the Democrats have voted against any COVID relief," the California Republican said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "With all the challenges America has right now, we think COVID relief should be on the floor, but instead, the Democrats put out cats and cannabis this week ... they're they're picking weed over the workers."
McCarthy also accused Pelosi of having double standards.
"How many times did Speaker Pelosi tell us we would not leave Congress until we got some COVID relief bills," said McCarthy. "That was months ago. There is a discharge petition on the floor that Democrats can sign that they said they would, and they haven't, that would bring money to the small business workers."
Meanwhile, McCarthy said he stands with calls for a more targeted stimulus bill than the larger plans Pelosi favors, but added that she already won't let money that's already appropriated go forward.
"There's more than $100 billion that's already been appropriated that would go to states that help them with their schools and the unemployment and others," he said.
McCarthy also spoke out against the "double standards" being put on display by some leaders in his state after they called for lockdowns, including Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was seen with associates at an expensive restaurant recently.
"It's okay if you're one of those elite Democrats that dictate what you can do in your life, but not within their own," said McCarthy. "This is what makes America so mad. These are Democratic leaders that think they are above everyone else and can tell us what to do, but again, they could do whatever they want ... I was a small business owner. I know what it's like to have a dream, but to have government crush you in every aspect? That's just despicable."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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