Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is throwing her political weight behind San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan in an effort to ensure that her longtime congressional seat goes to the Democrat of her choosing.
Pelosi <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/28/us/pelosi-connie-chan-congress.html">endorsed Chan</a> two weeks before California&#8217;s June primary, but it remains to be seen whether the long-serving Congresswoman&#8217;s influence will be enough to get her chosen successor across the finish line.
Because of California&#8217;s top-two primary system — in which the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party — Chan will face off against another Democrat in November: far-left state Sen. Scott Wiener.
Wiener has made no attempts to hide the fact that he was gunning for Pelosi&#8217;s seat. He had previously said he would not run for the seat until Pelosi announced her retirement, but jumped into the race last October before she announced that she would not seek another term.
That timing has fueled speculation in San Francisco political circles that Pelosi&#8217;s aggressive support for Chan is partly motivated by frustration with Wiener.
Others have suggested that Pelosi is backing Wiener&#8217;s opposition because his early campaign announcement undercut a possible run from Christine Pelosi for her mother&#8217;s seat. The younger Pelosi is currently running for Wiener&#8217;s seat in the state Senate, and her mother has voiced nothing but support.
&#8220;She wants to have her own path in California, which I love,” Pelosi said. “There was never any thought that she would run for my seat, although they like to use that because they don’t know what they’re talking about.”
Christine Pelosi, who is also backing Chan for Congress over Wiener, likewise denied any ill will between her family and Wiener: &#8220;With respect, some of us do things for positive reasons.&#8221;
Nancy Pelosi also denies any animosity toward Wiener over his early campaign launch, and says her primary reason for backing Chan is to ensure that women keep one more seat at the table: &#8220;Nobody knows Congress better than I do. Nobody. And I think she would be the best member of Congress.&#8221;
Pelosi discussed the race at a recent event celebrating the 106th anniversary of the 19th Amendment — which codified women&#8217;s suffrage — and explained that she supported Chan because she believed women were losing power and she wanted to reverse course.
But despite Pelosi&#8217;s reputation as a deal-maker and world-class fundraiser, her influence may not be enough to drum up the kind of money and support Chan will need.
Since declaring her candidacy last November, Chan has <a href="https://jweekly.com/2026/08/03/new-polls-find-race-between-wiener-and-chan-closer-than-ever/">raised</a> about $1.1 million. Wiener, in contrast, has pulled in more than $4.5 million.
Pelosi&#8217;s on-the-ground efforts don&#8217;t appear to have moved the needle either. Her attempts to get labor leader Dolores Huerta to endorse Chan — in addition to Wiener — fell flat.
Democratic power broker — and Esprit clothing company founder — Susie Tompkins Buell questioned why Pelosi was throwing her considerable political weight behind someone with so little legislative experience: &#8220;It’s not about any woman. It’s about the right woman. Connie Chan is a place where progress goes to die.&#8221;
Recent polling shows Chan <a href="https://jweekly.com/2026/08/03/new-polls-find-race-between-wiener-and-chan-closer-than-ever/">gaining ground</a>, but still lagging slightly behind Wiener.

Nancy Pelosi visit to Ireland

Nancy Pelosi’s Attempt To Pick Her Successor Isn’t Going As Planned

Nancy Pelosi's Attempt To Appoint A Successor Isn't Going To Plan

California

Nancy Pelosi

Politics

Scott Wiener

U.S. House of Representatives

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is bringing the full weight of her political influence to bear in an increasingly bitter fight over who will succeed her in Congress.
Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco in Congress for nearly four decades, is throwing her support behind San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan as she works to defeat state Sen. Scott Wiener, and to do it, the retiring congresswoman has spent weeks mobilizing her network on Chan’s behalf. She has hosted major fundraisers for the supervisor, secured endorsements from congressional allies, and even loaned a top adviser to Chan’s campaign.
“Nancy has basically taken over Connie’s campaign,” Wiener told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/10/pelosi-wages-war-over-her-succession-01030149">Politico</a>, contrasting Chan&#8217;s operation with his own campaign, which he said has “enormous grassroots support.”
Pelosi has made clear that she intends to see Chan elected. “I know and love this district, I know the Congress, and I know Connie. I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress,” Pelosi said when she endorsed Chan.
Pelosi’s intervention is particularly notable because Wiener was once considered an ally. The two have known each other for decades, and Pelosi previously supported Wiener in his campaigns for local office. But their relationship deteriorated as Wiener positioned himself to succeed Pelosi. Wiener announced his congressional campaign in October 2025, before Pelosi publicly announced that she would not seek another term.
The timing of Wiener&#8217;s announcement has remained a point of contention among Pelosi&#8217;s allies. Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, a longtime Pelosi ally who now supports Chan, told Politico that Wiener had assured him he would not announce a congressional bid before Pelosi made her own plans public. Wiener disputes that account, calling it “fabrication” and saying he never made such a commitment.
Several of Pelosi’s longtime political allies and constituencies have followed her in backing Chan, including organized labor. Chan is also supported by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the California Working Families Party and Our Revolution. Wiener, meanwhile, has endorsements from the California and San Francisco Democratic parties, along with several major labor unions and a majority of San Francisco’s moderate-leaning Board of Supervisors.
The latest escalation in the intraparty feud came over an AI-powered campaign chatbot created by Wiener’s campaign to attack Chan. The website, ConnieChan.ai, portrayed Chan as someone who says “no” to proposals involving housing and public transportation. Pelosi and a coalition of Democratic lawmakers and San Francisco political organizations condemned the chatbot, arguing that it could reinforce sexist and racist stereotypes.
“Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power,” Pelosi and her allies said in a <a href="https://x.com/TeamPelosi/status/2085488807152136474">joint statement</a>. “We should not have to fight against artificial intelligence putting words in our mouths.” Wiener later apologized and announced that he would remove both the chatbot and the billboards advertising it.
The controversy has nevertheless given Pelosi another opportunity to draw a sharp contrast between her preferred successor and Wiener. Pelosi’s political intervention comes after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosis-pick-stumbles-as-pro-trans-radical-moves-one-step-closer-to-congress?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pelosi%E2%80%99s+Pick+Stumbles+As+Pro-Trans+Radical+Moves+One+Step+Closer+To+Congress">June primary</a> demonstrated that her endorsement alone may not be enough to determine the outcome. Wiener finished first with roughly 41% of the vote, while Chan received about 29%, sending the two into the November general election under California’s top-two primary system.
Pelosi has said her support for Chan is motivated in part by concerns over female representation in the Bay Area’s congressional delegation. Several prominent women who once represented the region, including former Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Rep. Jackie Speier and former Rep. Anna Eshoo, have all been succeeded by men.
With Pelosi deploying her fundraising network, congressional relationships and longtime San Francisco allies on Chan’s behalf, the November contest is shaping up as more than a race between two Democrats. It is also a test of whether one of the most powerful political figures in San Francisco history can determine who inherits the seat and influence she spent nearly 40 years building.

US Congressional Candidate Connie Chan Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

Nancy Pelosi Flexes Political Muscle In Fight To Pick Her Successor

2026 election

2026 elections

2026 midterm

2026 Midterms

California Elections

Democrat

Democratic establishment

Democratic Party

Democrats

Election

House Democrats

House of Representatives

midterm

Midterms

San Francisco

In a move that surprises absolutely nobody who has ever glanced at a California zip code, the University of California, Berkeley — the granddaddy of left-wing campus culture — has decided the perfect face for its shiny new &#8220;nonpartisan&#8221; democracy institute is an 86-year-old San Francisco Democrat who once told reporters she&#8217;s &#8220;out to get&#8221; Republicans and that they&#8217;re &#8220;dead.&#8221;
That&#8217;s right. UC Berkeley is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/29/us/berkeley-pelosi-democracy.html">hanging Nancy Pelosi&#8217;s name</a> on a civics institute. A woman who <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/14/pelosi-biden-trump-election">said</a> Trump&#8217;s name is &#8220;like swearing.&#8221; A woman whose daughter <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/476642-pelosis-impeachment-tactics-are-pursuit-of-power-for-its-own-sake/">bragged</a> she&#8217;ll &#8220;cut your head off and you won&#8217;t even know you&#8217;re bleeding.&#8221; A woman who ripped up the President&#8217;s State of the Union address on live national television with the glee of a kid unwrapping a birthday present.
But sure — totally nonpartisan.
Berkeley officials announced this week that the former House Speaker, who spent nearly four decades representing San Francisco, will lend her name, teaching talents, and fundraising Rolodex to the new institute, which has already raked in $35 million in donations from undisclosed sources. Pelosi herself — one of the wealthiest members of Congress — says she&#8217;ll chip in personally.
The school is billing the whole venture as academically rigorous and scrupulously neutral, focused on American democracy and civic leadership. Chancellor Richard Lyons insisted with a straight face that Berkeley wasn&#8217;t aligning itself with Pelosi&#8217;s politics. The UC system, he noted, actually has a policy against &#8220;political indoctrination&#8221; in the classroom.
This from a university currently under federal investigation for antisemitism and campus protests — though notably, the Trump administration hasn&#8217;t hauled Berkeley into court the way it has Harvard and UCLA.
Yet.
Pelosi, for her part, called her new academic role &#8220;almost an emancipation from partisanship&#8221; — a remarkable statement from someone who, just last year, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nancy-pelosi-calls-trump-a-vile-creature-and-the-worst-thing-on-the-face-of-the-earth?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Nancy+Pelosi+Calls+Trump+A+%E2%80%98Vile+Creature+And+The+Worst+Thing+On+The+Face+Of+The+Earth%E2%80%99">told</a> CNN that Trump is &#8220;a vile creature and the worst thing on the face of the earth.&#8221; She plans to co-teach a course alongside a political science professor and promises that Republican leaders will be invited to speak.
Well, some Republicans. She strongly hinted that those who don&#8217;t meet her personal test of patriotism need not apply.
She also impeached Trump twice, skipped his 2025 inauguration, and spent years refusing to even say his name aloud. She once said, “I hardly ever say his name. I think [Trump is] a grotesque word. … You just don’t like the word passing your lips. I just don’t. I’m afraid, you know, when I grew up Catholic, as I am now, if you said a bad word, you could burn in hell if you didn’t have a chance to confess. So I don’t want to take any chances.”
The institute&#8217;s stated mission is training the next generation of civic leaders — presumably those who share Pelosi&#8217;s very particular definition of democracy.
Only in Berkeley.

Nancy Pelosi In Conversation With Katie Couric

University Names Institute After Woman Who Called Trump ‘Worst Thing On Earth’

UC Berkeley Names Democracy Institute After Woman Who Called Trump ‘Worst Thing On Earth’

Donald Trump

University of California Berkeley

Leftist California state Sen. Scott Wiener is one step closer to serving in Congress despite the last-minute decision from longtime Congresswoman and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to endorse his opponent. 
On Tuesday, San Francisco voters made their picks for Pelosi’s successor, selecting among Wiener, Supervisor Connie Chan, and Saikat Chakrabarti, the former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
With half the vote reported as of Wednesday morning, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-california-us-house-11-primary.html">Wiener and Chan lead the pack</a> with 41.3% and 28.6% of the vote, respectively. Under California’s “jungle primary” system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November regardless of party.
WATCH FROM TODAY&#8217;S EPISODE OF MORNING WIRE:
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The results delivered a slight rebuke to Pelosi’s political clout, who has represented San Francisco&#8217;s 11th Congressional District for 39 years in Congress. 
The liberal firebrand, who is serving her last term in Congress, threw her weight behind Chan. 
“I know and love this district, I know the Congress, and I know Connie. I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosi-shatters-dreams-of-san-franciscos-favorite-gay-liberal?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pelosi+Shatters+Dreams+Of+San+Francisco%E2%80%99s+Favorite+Gay+Liberal">Pelosi said</a>, appearing alongside Chan in a video endorsement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING: Nancy Pelosi endorses SF Supervisor Connie Chan to succeed her in Congress, saying Chan &#8220;stands above&#8221; all the other candidates.
The Speaker Emerita’s backing is one of the most coveted in San Francisco politics. Pelosi has held the seat for nearly 40 years. <a href="https://t.co/9osp5FpboM">pic.twitter.com/9osp5FpboM</a>
— Monica Madden (@themonicamadden) <a href="https://x.com/themonicamadden/status/2056495042613895512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Her endorsement threw a wrench into the primary <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/wiener-chan-chakrabarti-congressional-election-22224962.php">as most polls showed</a> Wiener holding a commanding lead. The pro-transgender leftist is considered one of the most radical members of the California State legislature. 
“My family escaped fascism in Europe. I never thought the United States would slip into fascism like we’re seeing today. San Francisco has always been on the right side of history,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-trans-leftist-launches-bid-for-pelosis-seat-before-she-has-a-chance-to-announce-retirement">Wiener said in his announcement video.</a>
In October 2025, Wiener called it “<a href="https://x.com/WomenAreReals/status/1982259108108743044">gross</a>” that San Francisco women turned up at his annual Halloween event to protest his transgender policies. He called the late Charlie Kirk a “vile bigot” <a href="http://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-wiener-responds-governor-newsoms-comments-transgender-women-sports">before</a> and <a href="https://x.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1967604784757940280">after</a> the conservative activist was assassinated. He called Trump-ally Richard Grenell a “<a href="https://x.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1673352593530294273">self-hating gay man.</a>”
“Make him the face of the Democrat Party,” <a href="https://x.com/RichardGrenell/status/2062095869864808735?s=20">Grenell said,</a> responding to the election results. Even Nancy Pelosi ran away from him.”
In California, Wiener has pushed policies like California’s transgender shield laws, creating a sanctuary state for those seeking cross-sex hormones and sex-change surgeries, and mandating that foster families recognize and accommodate trans-identifying children in their care. He was also behind a push to reduce the mandatory sentence guidelines for people who knowingly exposed others to HIV, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosi-shatters-dreams-of-san-franciscos-favorite-gay-liberal?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pelosi+Shatters+Dreams+Of+San+Francisco%E2%80%99s+Favorite+Gay+Liberal">The Daily Wire previously reported</a>. 
Tuesday&#8217;s results allow Pelosi&#8217;s machine to fight another day but shed light on the growing tension between the party&#8217;s old guard and an increasingly restless far-Left base.

54th Annual San Francisco LGBTQ Pride Parade

Pelosi’s Pick Stumbles As Pro-Trans Radical Moves One Step Closer To Congress

News

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) may have ended the political aspirations of San Francisco&#8217;s favorite gay liberal when she weighed in Monday on the race to fill her soon-to-be-vacated seat in Congress.
Pelosi chose to back City Supervisor Connie Chan over state Senator Scott Wiener and tech entrepreneur Saikat Chakrabarti ahead of the June 2 primary, the latter of whom previously worked for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez but failed to snag her endorsement in the race.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Nancy Pelosi endorses SF Supervisor Connie Chan to succeed her in Congress, saying Chan &#8220;stands above&#8221; all the other candidates.
The Speaker Emerita’s backing is one of the most coveted in San Francisco politics. Pelosi has held the seat for nearly 40 years. <a href="https://t.co/9osp5FpboM">pic.twitter.com/9osp5FpboM</a>
— Monica Madden (@themonicamadden) <a href="https://twitter.com/themonicamadden/status/2056495042613895512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I know and love this district, I know the Congress, and I know Connie. I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress,&#8221; Pelosi said, appearing alongside Chan in a video endorsement.
Pelosi followed that with an additional statement, adding, &#8220;Connie understands San Francisco — our values, our diversity, our communities, and our responsibility to lead with both compassion and strength. She’s a mom who knows her power and knows her why. I am confident Connie is ready to bring clarity and purpose to the work ahead — For The Children.&#8221;
But Pelosi&#8217;s choice appears to have left some scratching their heads.
Wiener, who has consistently <a href="https://x.com/IAPolls2022/status/2038981239407854060">polled</a> as the top contender, represents a State Senate district that overlaps substantially with Pelosi&#8217;s Congressional District — but several reports suggest that Pelosi&#8217;s issues with Wiener are more personal than political.
It&#8217;s been no secret, for example, that the openly gay senator has been waiting for the 20-term congresswoman to retire so that he could make the move to the U.S. House. He also may have angered the former House Speaker more recently when, knowing that her daughter Christine Pelosi was eyeing a run at his state senate seat, Wiener opted not to resign his seat while running for Congress.
&#8220;Nancy Pelosi hates Scott Wiener on a personal level, and Saikat tried to unseat her; she’s trying to settle scores. The idea that this means Connie Chan is some kind of insider trading mega Zionist is silly. Pelosi also endorsed a DSA candidate. San Francisco is weird!&#8221; comedian Kate Willett <a href="https://x.com/katewillett/status/2056560038047608948">observed</a>, adding, &#8220;Pelosi hates the creepy SF tech bro sh*t Wiener embodies more than she hates having the odd progressive in power. She loved what San Francisco was. She resents her beautiful, gay city being turned into an incel fiefdom.&#8221;
While some more moderate Democrats have voiced concern over Chan&#8217;s far-left positions on many issues, Wiener&#8217;s legacy in California may be more troubling. He has consistently supported laws like California&#8217;s transgender shield laws, creating a sanctuary state for those seeking cross-sex hormones and sex-change surgeries, and mandating that foster families recognize and accommodate trans-identifying children in their care. He was also behind a push to reduce the mandatory sentence guidelines for people who knowingly exposed others to HIV.
Wiener also <a href="https://x.com/ICANAction/status/2010648955500077532">sparked backlash</a> when he, as co-chair of the California Jewish Caucus, accused Israel of &#8220;committing genocide&#8221; in Gaza.
A recent campaign event featured a drag queen pig in frilly pink attire singing, &#8220;Scott Wiener is a girl&#8217;s best friend.&#8221;
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Creepy Scott Wiener campaign event featured drag queens including one mocking women while dressed as a pig singing “Wiener is a girl’s best friend” in front of kids
This is one the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen <a href="https://t.co/Ceaz5oSWfT">pic.twitter.com/Ceaz5oSWfT</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2056407589206847885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Pelosi&#8217;s endorsement is likely to open the donor floodgates for Chan, who has been trailing Wiener in terms of cash on hand, and should give her a much-needed boost in the polls as well.

53rd Annual San Francisco Pride Parade And Celebration

Pelosi Shatters Dreams Of San Francisco’s Favorite Gay Liberal

Pelosi Shatters Dreams Of San Francisco's Favorite Gay Liberal

Media

In his State of the Union address, President Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7whtgZ2MQI">highlighted</a> the need to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks. He pointed to stopping members like Nancy Pelosi, whose stock portfolio has performed extremely well — imagine that.
To the American citizen working hard, paying the bills, and trying to do the right thing, this is not only suspicious but also extremely frustrating. Trust is already at an all-time low. A recent Pew Research study found that just <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/12/04/public-trust-in-government-1958-2025/">17% of Americans</a> say they trust the government. That is partly because members of Congress, like Nancy Pelosi, are trading stocks.
To show you how big a deal this is, Nancy Pelosi earned an estimated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-josephs-knows-pelosis-stock-trades-better-than-anyone-he-says-they-should-be-banned">$130 million</a> while in Congress, often purchasing or selling stocks just before legislative announcements affecting the industries in which she had investments. In 2024 alone, her portfolio grew by 70%. Unfortunately, this isn’t just Nancy Pelosi — it’s a problem across Congress.
What happens when Americans believe the system is rigged? They disengage. They stop believing their votes make a difference and that their government is working on their behalf. We need to restore confidence in elected leaders. That will not happen until the line is clearly drawn. Rebuilding trust requires accountability — and that starts with ending practices that put private profit ahead of the public interest. It also requires transparency and rules that apply equally, without exception or delay.
So, to join President Trump’s call to end this loophole that is eroding the trust of the American people, I introduced the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7008">Stop Insider Trading Act.</a> It says that if you are a member of Congress, or you’re married to one, or you’re the child of one, you cannot purchase individual, publicly traded stocks. To do so is wrong. This legislation is clear, enforceable, and leaves no room for loopholes. The bill also requires a seven-day public notice before sales of stocks that members and those closest to them already own can take place.
There have been previous attempts to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, but no final ban has passed. Every day, lawmakers are attending committee hearings and briefings, meeting with stakeholders, and writing and voting on legislation that could change the course of an industry. Clearly, there is a conflict of interest. How can the American people be sure their elected officials are making decisions for the public good, and not for private gain? The answer is, they can’t.
That is why there is such strong public support for the Stop Insider Trading Act. In fact, one <a href="https://publicconsultation.org/united-states/stock-trading-by-members-of-congress/#:~:text=A%20survey%20by%20the%20Program%20for%20Public,in%20individual%20companies%20by%20Members%20of%20Congress">poll</a> by the Program for Public Consultation shows that 86% of people support banning stock-trading in individual companies by members of Congress. That includes 87% of Republicans, 88% of Democrats, and 81% of Independents. Clearly, most Americans are on the same page when it comes to this issue. Yet, Congress has done nothing, further fueling public skepticism.
The American people deserve more out of their elected officials, and rightfully so. Considering the overwhelming support for banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, every single member of Congress should support my Stop Insider Trading Act. If they don’t, it says exactly where their priorities lie.
Elected leadership is about public office, not private profit. We don’t let referees bet on games. Congress should not be any different. My bill makes sure that public service is actually about serving the public, not getting ahead of it.
If you are a lawmaker, you should not be a day trader. That’s a good principle that most people agree on. Now, let’s make it a law.
* * *
Sen. <a href="https://thehill.com/people/bill-cassidy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Cassidy,</a> M.D., has represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate since 2015.

White House Officials Hold All-Members Briefings On Iran Strikes For House And Senate

We Don’t Let Referees Bet On Games. So Why Does Congress Get To?

Congress

Insider Trading

Money

Stock Market

U.S. Senate

wealth

A recently resurfaced video of then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) may be a stumbling block for Democrats who are all too eager to insist that President Donald Trump does not have the authority to take military action against Iran without first getting a permission slip from Congress.
Pelosi, after then-President Barack Obama took similar criticism for striking Libya in 2011, defended his actions and claimed that he did not need authorization from Congress before engaging in military action.
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Credit: CSPAN
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&#8220;Madam Speaker — Madam Leader, you&#8217;re saying that the president did not need authorization initially and still does not need any authorization from Congress on Libya?&#8221; a reporter asked her.
Pelosi replied with just one word — &#8220;Yes&#8221; — before she concluded the briefing.
But Pelosi has either forgotten her previous statements, changed her tune in the intervening years — or, because of a change in presidents — said exactly the opposite when Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury.
&#8220;President Trump’s decision to initiate military hostilities into Iran starts another unnecessary war which endangers our service members and destabilizes an already fragile region. The Constitution is clear: decisions that lead our nation into war must be authorized by Congress,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/2027767074118869334">claimed</a> on Saturday, as American and Israeli forces executed joint strikes against the Iranian regime.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) offered a similar take, saying, &#8220;Trump ripped up the Iran nuclear deal and created this mess. Now, he&#8217;s putting service members in harm&#8217;s way with no clear plan and no Congressional approval. The American people deserve answers — and Congress needs to do its job.&#8221;
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said essentially the same, arguing that Trump had &#8220;single-handedly&#8221; started a full-scale war in Iran, adding, &#8220;&#8216;America first&#8217; doesn’t mean dragging the United States into another forever war built on lies while ignoring the needs of Americans here at home. The Constitution is clear: only Congress can declare war. The Senate must come back in session immediately to vote up or down on a War Powers Resolution.&#8221;
But Pelosi&#8217;s own prior defense of Obama (not to mention the War Powers Resolution of 1973) stands in direct opposition to those claims.
The War Powers Resolution, as Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rubio-unloads-on-reporter-who-asks-why-trump-didnt-notify-congress-before-striking-iran">Marco Rubio</a> noted on Monday, only requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours once hostilities have begun — and further allows him to wage war for 60 days, with an additional 30 days for any necessary troop drawdowns, without a vote from Congress authorizing the action.

Resurfaced Pelosi Clip Haunts Dems Crying Foul Over Iran Strikes

WATCH: Resurfaced Pelosi Clip Haunts Dems Crying Foul Over Iran Strikes

Barack Obama

Iran

Iran Airstrike

When CNN anchor Jake Tapper contrasted President Trump’s blunt remarks with those of past presidents, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn’t hesitate. He delivered a sharp counterpunch that instantly reframed the moment.
Tapper glossed over the behavior of Democrats at Tuesday evening&#8217;s State of the Union address by suggesting that the real problem was the fact that President Donald Trump had noticed — and dared to say something about it. Speaking to Duffy after the speech, he complained that Trump effectively shattered the fourth wall when he spoke directly to the American people about the Democrats in the chamber who refused to stand for even the most basic of shared values.
WATCH:
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JAKE TAPPER: &#8220;He said, &#8216;these people are crazy I&#8217;m telling you, they&#8217;re crazy.&#8217; That&#8217;s not something we ever heard from Obama or Biden from that that stage.&#8221;
SEAN DUFFY: &#8220;We&#8217;ve never had a Speaker rip up a speech either&#8221;
This is why Trump likes TV guys in his cabinet. <a href="https://t.co/4c2NrUvHGu">pic.twitter.com/4c2NrUvHGu</a>
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasMHern/status/2026524857668649365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;He said, quote, &#8216;These people are crazy, I&#8217;m telling you, they&#8217;re crazy,'&#8221; Tapper said, referencing Trump&#8217;s brief departure from his remarks to call out Democrats who would not stand in support of key policies. &#8220;I mean, but that&#8217;s not something we ever heard from Obama or Biden from that stage.&#8221;
&#8220;Yeah. We&#8217;ve never had a Speaker rip up a speech either,&#8221; Duffy punched right back, referencing former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi&#8217;s performance during the 2020 State of the Union, when she dramatically ripped up her copy as Trump concluded his remarks.
Duffy went on to argue that what Trump was saying at the time — addressing concerns about illegal aliens being given commercial driver&#8217;s licenses and putting American citizens at risk — should not have been a partisan issue.
&#8220;You have states that are issuing driver&#8217;s licenses to illegals — illegals who haven&#8217;t been trained to drive an 80,000-pound truck on an American road,&#8221; Duffy continued. &#8220;We have a little girl that has been — had her life impacted for the rest of her life — and she&#8217;s five years old, it was an illegal who hit her. I think the question becomes, why doesn&#8217;t every Democrat stand up and go, &#8216;No, we want well-qualified drivers on American roads.'&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s not partisan,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We don&#8217;t want illegals who can&#8217;t speak the language, contrary to American law for decades, to be on American roads. I think these are easy issues, Jake, and I don&#8217;t think we saw Democrats stand up and support them.&#8221;
Duffy noted that there was one truly bipartisan moment during the speech — when the U.S. Olympic hockey team entered the chamber after winning gold for the first time in 46 years — and said that was truly &#8220;too bad.&#8221;
&#8220;If inflation is down, Democrats should applaud it. If real incomes are up, Democrats should applaud it. Those are good things that we should support as Americans,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;Just because Donald Trump&#8217;s in office doesn&#8217;t mean you have to sit on your hands.&#8221;

Sean Duffy

WATCH: Sean Duffy Torches Tapper With One Brutal SOTU Reminder

Jake Tapper

Without support from a single House Democrat, Republican Wisconsin Representative Bryan Steil’s “Stop Insider Trading Act” passed the House Administration Committee and will move on to the House floor for consideration.
If enacted, the bill would restrict members of Congress from buying individual securities and would require notice seven to 14 days before a sale. Lawmakers would be able to continue to buy index and mutual funds, as well as continue investing dividends in previously purchased securities.
Democrats continue to argue that the bill is not strong enough, with many stating that trading should be banned entirely and that lawmakers should be required to fully divest before taking office.
Throughout the two-hour markup, Democratic House reps proposed amendments. Ranking member Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) proposed requiring “Congress and the President and the Vice President” to fully divest. Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) offered a similar amendment that would mandate full divestment without providing relief from capital gains taxes.
Steil pushed back, warning that mandatory divestment could discourage qualified candidates from seeking office.
“Under the amendment offered by our colleague from Texas, that [capital gains tax] would obviously continue to apply &#8230; [and] for some people that may be a very significant financial impact,” he said.
He added that the financial burden could lead “some individuals … to not come to Congress — and not because they did anything wrong, but because they had a successful private sector career.”
Chris Josephs, the co-founder of Autopilot, an app that allows average Americans to trade the same stocks Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) trades, previously voiced the same concerns to The Daily Wire about legislation requiring full divestment.
“I think it would demotivate a major class of successful people from running,” Josephs said. “Businesspeople are successful. They know how to run things. They know how to lead. They know how to hire. They know how to create strategies. They know how to execute on those strategies. We should not just say no to those potential candidates just because they own businesses and they&#8217;re not gonna sell.”
Josephs told The Daily Wire he suspected that the 2024 election would have looked drastically different with full divestments in place.
“The 2024 election, you got Trump and Vance. Vance is an ex-venture capitalist, ex-business guy. He owns a lot of individual stocks that are private. And then you’ve got Trump, who owns a lot of stuff. On the other side of the ticket, though, you’ve got Kamala, who&#8217;s a career-long politician. You’ve got Tim Walz, who proudly doesn&#8217;t even own a house. And if that bill were to be passed, just based on how that would work, Trump and Vance wouldn&#8217;t be allowed to run unless they sold their stuff, which I doubt they would have.”
After full-divestment amendments were rejected, Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) introduced an amendment to prohibit the reinvestment of dividends. Republicans voted it down, keeping dividend reinvestment permissible under the bill.
Steil defended the decision, arguing that dividend payments do not pose the same insider trading risks.
“Those dividends are structured within the company with advanced notice, outside of the control of any given member. It doesn&#8217;t carry the risk of insider trading,” he said. “Because it doesn&#8217;t carry the risk of insider trading, what we allowed for was the reinvestment of dividends.”
He later emphasized the bill’s intent, saying, “The focus here is to prevent members from being able to profit off of insider information — not to make elected officials poor.&#8221;

House Dems Save Healthcare Presser

GOP Advances Bill To Stop Congress From Trading Stocks Without Any Dem Support

Money In Politics

America’s frustration with congressional stock trading exploded after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) trades were exposed by Autopilot investment app co-founder <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-josephs-knows-pelosis-stock-trades-better-than-anyone-he-says-they-should-be-banned">Chris Josephs</a>. Five years later, lawmakers may finally be forced to respond.
On Monday, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) <a href="https://x.com/RepBryanSteil">introduced</a> the “Stop Insider Trading Act,” delivering a sharp message to his colleagues. “If you want to trade stocks, you should go to Wall Street,” he said.
&#8220;We are very excited by this bill as we believe it is the most reasonable one proposed to date,” Josephs told The Daily Wire.
Steil’s bill would prohibit lawmakers from buying individual stocks during their tenure, though it would not force them to divest securities they owned before taking office. And while their buying power is limited to index funds, their selling power is left largely unrestricted. Lawmakers would be able to sell individual securities as long as they provided notice at least seven days before the trade.
The legislation does not put limits on other types of investments such as real estate, bonds, or commodities.
Josephs said the bill meaningfully tightens the rules. &#8220;Although it&#8217;s not perfect, it has stricter penalties and forces politicians to buy broader market index funds, which are much harder to insider trade on.”
The bill doesn’t just end with lawmakers; it puts the same restrictions on their spouses and dependent children. Previous efforts have drawn criticism for potentially limiting the careers of the children of the lawmakers. Addressing those concerns, the legislation limits coverage to minor children and adult children still claimed as dependents on a lawmaker’s tax return.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) takes credit for getting this legislation to the floor.
&#8220;After years of insider trading, the discharge petition we brought forward and the members both Democrat and Republican who chose to put their names on it to stop the individual trading of stocks has finally worked,&#8221; the lawmaker said. &#8220;A bill is expected to be passed out of committee as early as this week that will prohibit members of Congress from buying individual stocks.&#8221;
<a href="https://x.com/RepLuna/status/1996664845375078584">Previously</a>, Luna argued that half-measures are insufficient. “The only way to close the loophole is to ban congressional stock trading in its entirety.&#8221;
Along with Luna&#8217;s support, Steil says he has support from House GOP leadership, who have promised to give it a floor vote once the legislation is debated and amendments to the text are considered. Steil looks at the legislation as “an opportunity to regain America’s trust.”
However, the bill is not the only recent effort to attempt to “regain the country’s trust.” In 2020, several senators were accused of trading stocks after private COVID briefings, triggering bipartisan outrage. From 2021 to 2023, multiple bills were introduced, including mandatory blind trusts and outright trading bans, but none became law.
Any proposal would ultimately require lawmakers to vote to restrict their own trading, a hurdle Congress has repeatedly failed to clear. Josephs acknowledged the familiar pattern. 
“We&#8217;ve seen this rodeo before though, so still lots to come on if it&#8217;ll actually pass, but it definitely is a step in the right direction.&#8221;

gettyimages-1198675355-594×594

‘Opportunity To Regain America’s Trust’: New Bill Aims To Close Lucrative Congressional Loophole

Wall Street

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who once served as House Majority Leader, House Minority Whip, and Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, will be retiring from Congress at the end of his current term. He has been in Congress longer than any other Democrat.
“I have decided not to seek another term in the people’s House,” he said on Thursday on the House floor. “I make this decision with sadness, for I love this House, an institution the framers designed to reflect the will of the American people and to serve as the guardian of their liberty and their democracy.”
Hoyer is 86 years old, and he took office in 1981. He’s been a statewide figure in Maryland politics since 1967, when he first joined the Maryland Senate.
There was an outpouring of messages from some of the biggest voices in Washington following his announcement.
“Steny Hoyer is a model public servant, always keeping the American people front and center,” House Minority Whip Katherine Clark posted amid the news. “[House Democrats] are so grateful for his leadership and wish him and Elaine all the best in their next chapter.”
“Steny Hoyer’s departure is truly the end of an era in House Democratic politics. Steny always chose the more civil path, which is why he earned the mutual respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle—as a fair dealer, a respected leader, and an institution within the institution he most loved,” former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy posted.
Hoyer joins Rep. Nancy Pelosi in not seeking re-election. The two worked together for many years when Pelosi was House Speaker.
&#8220;Steny has been a steady presence for our Caucus in Democratic Leadership and a valued colleague. His deep knowledge of the institution, respect for its traditions and commitment to public service have earned him the admiration of colleagues on both sides of the aisle,&#8221; Pelosi <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/2009298968530796725">wrote</a> on X. &#8220;Personally, Steny has been not only a trusted partner in leadership, but a dear friend. As he concludes his extraordinary service in Congress, we celebrate Steny’s legacy of decency and devotion to country. Our gratitude to him and his family is boundless, and we wish them every happiness in the years ahead.&#8221;
Pelosi is 85 years old, and both of their departures will likely create highly competitive Democratic primaries in their deep blue districts. Age is becoming a major factor in the Democratic Party&#8217;s discussions on how to move forward in the Trump era, especially after former President Joe Biden decided to exit the 2024 election last summer.
However, some Republicans said his departure is another indicator of the Democratic Party shifting further to the Left, especially in the wake of Democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s election in New York City.
“Democrat Dinosaur Steny Hoyer is the latest domino to fall in the radical socialist takeover of the Democrat Party, just months after he drew a primary challenger from the left,” the National Republican Campaign Committee <a href="https://x.com/NRCC/status/2009284197865652244">posted</a>. “The far-left is pushing out Democrat Dinosaurs to make room for Mamdani&#8217;s socialist minions!”
Hoyer is one of 45 representatives who will be leaving the chamber in 2026, according to Ballotpedia.

Representative Steny Hoyer

Top House Democrat And Pelosi Ally Announces Retirement

Steny Hoyer

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) lavished praise on current House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), claiming that he is a &#8220;unifier&#8221; and more than qualified to take over as Speaker and insisting that Democrats would regain control of the House in 2026.
Pelosi sat down with ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl to discuss her lengthy tenure in the United States House of Representatives — and as the first female House Speaker — on Sunday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;This Week,&#8221; as she is set to begin her final year in Congress.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi says she thinks the Democrats will re-take the House of Representatives in 2026: “Hakeem Jeffries is ready, he&#8217;s eloquent, he&#8217;s respected by the members, he is a unifier.” <a href="https://t.co/ZnRxKy0sL5">https://t.co/ZnRxKy0sL5</a> <a href="https://t.co/O6RtIf76eh">pic.twitter.com/O6RtIf76eh</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2005313931665953007?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;So, if the Democrats win the House back —&#8221; Karl began, but Pelosi interrupted.
&#8220;No, no — when. When the Democrats win the House back, because we will,&#8221; Pelosi insisted.
&#8220;How does the next Democratic speaker of the House deal with Donald Trump?&#8221; Karl asked. &#8220;What would be your advice?&#8221;
&#8220;Be yourself. Just do your own thing, just be yourself,&#8221; Pelosi said. &#8220;Hakeem Jeffries is ready, he&#8217;s eloquent, he&#8217;s respected by the members, he is a unifier &#8230;&#8221;
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&#8220;You have no doubt it will be Hakeem Jeffries?&#8221; Karl asked.
&#8220;No.&#8221;
Karl asked whether there were already plans in place going into the second half of Trump&#8217;s presidency, specifically whether there were plans for impeachments or investigations — &#8220;or do you deal with him and get something done on all the other issues?&#8221;
Pelosi argued that it would be &#8220;hard to come up with something that [Trump] will sign because of the problem that he is,&#8221; and claimed that Trump would &#8220;hold up&#8221; anything useful that Democrats were able to force through.
But while Jeffries apparently has Pelosi&#8217;s full confidence, he has already run into trouble as the Minority Leader in recent weeks.
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-catches-hakeem-jeffries-in-straight-up-lie-about-government-shutdown">challenged Jeffries</a> during an interview while Senate Democrats were keeping the government shutdown going, rebuffing his claim that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was refusing to speak with him about bringing the shutdown to an end. Within seconds, it was revealed that Johnson and Jeffries had spoken about ending the shutdown — and that Johnson had initiated the conversation — and that Jeffries had written him off because he was not willing to simply give up and let Democrats have what they wanted.
Jeffries also ran into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hakeem-jeffries-earns-annoyed-eye-roll-from-cnbc-anchor">several challenges</a> from CNBC hosts who disputed his claims that Republicans were the ones at fault for the government shutdown and that Democrats were offering reasonable solutions to the potential extension of COVID-era Obamacare subsidies.
During a recent press conference, when asked a question about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hakeem-jeffries-trashes-dr-oz-gets-hit-with-brutal-fact-check">Dr. Mehmet Oz</a> — who is currently serving in President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration as the 17th administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, Jeffries trashed the renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon as &#8220;woefully unqualified.&#8221;
In short order, Fox News anchor John Roberts replied with a fact-check: &#8220;@hakeemjeffries just insisted that @DrOz is ‘unqualified.&#8217; Just a quick fact check for the minority leader: Mehmet Oz: Undergraduate degree — Harvard; MD — UPenn; MBA — Wharton School; He was a renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital before taking the leap into TV.&#8221;

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi Is Certain Dems Will Retake House, Praises Jeffries As ‘Unifier’

Nancy Pelosi Is Certain Dems Will Retake House, Praises Jeffries As 'Unifier

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