Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) shifted blame for the delayed coronavirus relief bill, which will replenish funds for the Paycheck Protection Program, to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) during her "Morning Joe" interview on Wednesday.
Pelosi said it was wrong for Senate Republicans to just focus on adding more funds to the PPP, which allows businesses to keep workers on the payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"But again, Mitch McConnell likes to say that we delayed the bill. No, he delayed the bill. Two weeks ago, he came to the floor and said, 'This is all we’re doing. Just the 250.' And Democrats were reunited, House and Senate, the Senate Democrats went to the floor and said, no, no to that, we have a better idea about hospitals and testing and more funds for all of the businesses, the lower — shall we say the unbankable small businesses," Pelosi said.
"So we were very pleased that he finally came around to the fact that we had to go forward with this. So he was the one wasting time. I say that because I keep hearing him say we delayed, no, he delayed. But here we are and we’re ready to go on to the next bill to help our heroes, our health care workers, our firefighters, our first responders, EMS, our folks who are doing all the wonderful work to save lives as they risk their lives and now they may lose their jobs," she added.
When announcing a deal had been reached, McConnell reminded everyone it was Democrats who delayed the additional funding for the PPP after it had run out so more items could be added.
"Republicans never wanted this crucial program for workers and small businesses to shut down. We tried to pass additional funding a week before it lapsed. But Democratic leaders blocked the money and spent days trying to negotiate extraneous issues that were never on the table."
Other Republicans fired back at Pelosi's claim.
Speaker Pelosi and her revisionist history:
— Senate Republican Communications Center (@SRCC) April 22, 2020
Democrats would rather point a finger than take responsibility for closing small businesses and American workers losing their jobs.
ICYMI: Watch Speaker Pelosi congratulate Senate Democrats on blocking paycheck funding... https://t.co/LKJGYYWkYy pic.twitter.com/gc6wF9Aloi
Speaker Pelosi just blamed Mitch McConnell for delaying the latest #coronavirus relief package.
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) April 22, 2020
Seriously?
The Speaker literally congratulated Senate Democrats for blocking the bill last week! pic.twitter.com/55mqa4smdI
Speaker Pelosi is helpfully providing us with the very *definition* of gaslighting.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 22, 2020
Everyone saw video of her congratulating Senate Democrats for blocking the bill in front of those now famous refrigerators. https://t.co/E4U9xSEO5k
"The only explanation for Speaker Pelosi to blame anyone but herself for the Paycheck Protection Program delay is that she still has a brain freeze from all that expensive ice cream. The program ran out of money last week and millions more filed for unemployment benefits, but she still needlessly stood in the way of workers and small businesses getting essential relief," a senior GOP aide told Townhall.
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