House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday dismissed a Republican lawsuit against President Obama for his executive orders as an election-year ploy.
“They’re doing nothing here. They have to give some aura of activity,” Pelosi said at her weekly Capitol press conference. “It’s a subterfuge.”
Pelosi said the lawsuit, which House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) formally announced Wednesday morning, was an attempted distraction from other issues.
{mosads}”There really needs an adult in that room of the Republican caucus. I hope the Speaker is that adult. I trust that he is. I have great respect for the Speaker,” Pelosi said.
During his weekly Capitol press conference, the Speaker accused the president of violating his oath of office by not “faithfully executing the laws of our country.” But Boehner said the lawsuit would not lead to an attempt to remove Obama from office.
“This is not about impeachment,” Boehner said. “This is about his faithfully executing the laws of our country.”
Pelosi defended Obama’s use of executive orders on immigration, such as extending deferred action for those who came to the U.S. as children, in the absence of Congress passing a reform bill. She argued House Republicans were threatening the lawsuit to shield themselves from blame for inaction on the issue.
“Not only have we not passed an immigration bill, they have used the president’s actions to protect some vulnerable parties as a basis to sue the president,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi praised Obama’s predecessor for his views on immigration during his administration.
“He was so great on immigration, President George W. Bush. He cautioned in this debate to be respectful of the people that we’re talking about. That’s really not what’s happening right now,” Pelosi said.