- Nancy Pelosi worked against AOC getting coveted role in the new Congress
Democrats recommended that Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) be appointed to the party’s top role in the powerful House Oversight Committee.
It is a snub to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) who also wanted the influential position.
During a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee closed-door meeting on Monday, the panel voted 34 to 27 for Connolly over Oasio-Cortez.
All 215 House Democrats are expected Tuesday morning to take a full caucus vote by secret ballot following the recommendations, which usually leads how the party will lean.
There have, however, been instances where the Party overrules the panels’ vote.
It’s unlikely they would break with the will of the group closely aligned with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in favor of a progressive member of the so-called ‘squad.’
The position for top Democrat on the Oversight Committee opened after Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) challenged and ultimately ousted Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) for the top post in the Judiciary Committee.
Choosing Connolly, 74, shows a preference for a more establishment and much more senior member of the Democratic Caucus to take leadership in the highly influential panel. Connolly has served in the House since 2009.
The powerful House Democratic Steering Committee voted on Monday to recommend that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez not get the Party’s top position on the Oversight Committee
Instead, they recommended that Rep. Gery Connolly get the powerful role in the new Congress. The full Democratic Caucus will vote Tuesday morning on who will represent them in the top Oversight role
The Democratic Party will hold no power in any branch of government starting in January 2025.
The decision from the Steering Committee came after former Speaker Nancy Pelosi worked behind the scenes to put the kibosh on Ocasio-Cortez’s dream of taking a powerful House position in the 119th Congress.
The 35-year-old previously served as vice ranking member.
Pelosi may no longer be in House leadership but she still wields immense power and publicly backed Connolly for the position.
The 84-year-old California Democrat reportedly made calls on behalf of Connolly.
Last month Connolly revealed days after the 2024 election that he was diagnosed with esophagus cancer.
The congressman said he will undergo chemotherapy treatment.
AOC first signaled she was ‘interested’ in mounting a bid for ranking member earlier this month and said she was speaking with colleagues before formalizing her bid.
While Democrats are in the minority again in the new year, whoever serves as ranking member on the committee could hold massive power should Democrats retake the majority in the midterms.
Retaking the House would give them the ability to subpoena Trump administration officials as they carry out investigations.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who no longer holds any leadership role but is still massively influential in the Democratic Caucus, was reportedly working behind-the-scenes against AOC getting the Oversight position
Pelosi and AOC have been doing a delicate dance since the New York progressive Congresswoman came to Washington after a surprise upset ousting a powerful Democratic incumbent in the 2018 primary.
Ocasio-Cortez was among a group of protesters who stormed Pelosi’s office urging action on climate change in October 2018.
But Pelosi has also publicly praised the high-profile young congresswoman and downplayed reports of their feud in the past.
Earlier this year, AOC offered praise to the former speaker for ‘passing the torch’ to Minority Leader Jeffries.
