Politics

House Republicans To File Lawsuit Against Pelosi To Block Proxy Voting

Photo by SAUL LOEB:AFP via Getty Images 2136548

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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A group of 20 House Republicans will file a lawsuit against Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to block the House’s new system of voting by proxy, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s staff confirmed on a background call Tuesday.

McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney, Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy all helped lead the effort to file the lawsuit against Pelosi. A House Aide said they plan to file the lawsuit later Tuesday.

In March, Pelosi came out against remote voting, despite the fact that at least five members of Congress are infected with coronavirus. When asked about remote voting, Pelosi reportedly said “let’s not waste time” talking about “something that’s not going to happen.” Adding that it would only be possible in the future, if then, according to PBC Correspondent Lisa Desjardins. (RELATED: Pelosi Comes Out Against Remote Voting, As Five Members Of Congress Are Infected With Coronavirus)

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) holds a news conference about legislation addressing the coronavirus pandemic at the U.S. Capitol March 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

A GOP aide said the lawsuit will be filed in a D.C. district court and that the copy of the lawsuit will be available to review later Tuesday.

 “Americans send their representatives to Washington to represent them, which in no small part means voting, not institutionally delegating that representation to another member and diluting the authority entrusted to us by constituents. Two weeks ago, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats upended 231-years of procedure by allowing proxy voting. We didn’t allow proxy voting during the Civil War, the Spanish Flu, while the Capitol was on fire, or in the wake of 9/11. Today, my colleagues and I are filing this lawsuit to ensure the People’s House remains the people’s, not a body dictated by the whims of a few dozen members,” Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy told the Daily Caller.

(Developing…)