House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew swift backlash on Tuesday after she thanked George Floyd for “sacrificing [his] life for justice” following the guilty verdict delivered against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
“Thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for justice, for being there to call out to your mom — how heartbreaking was that? — call out for your mom, ‘I can’t breathe,’” Pelosi said at a press conference with the Congressional Black Caucus. “But because of you and because of thousands, millions of people around the world who came out for justice, your name will always be synonymous with justice. And now we have to make sure that justice prevails in the sentencing.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Chauvin was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for his role in killing Floyd. His sentencing is expected to take place in eight weeks.
Take a look at some of the reactions to Pelosi’s remarks below.
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) April 20, 2021
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) April 20, 2021
Pelosi, a politician with unimaginable power, thanking a murdered man for dying is honestly a new level of disgraceful. I’m in disbelief.
— Matt Hunziker 🍉 (@matthunzi) April 20, 2021
Nancy Pelosi talking about George Floyd’s stolen life as a “sacrifice” for “justice” has me going absolutely feral, I’m so livid.
— Trung Lê Nguyễn (only kind of around) (@Trungles) April 20, 2021
If I'm ever killed, please don't let Nancy Pelosi thank me for dying
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) April 20, 2021
Nancy Pelosi just thanked George Floyd for “sacrificing” his “life for justice.”
These people are sick.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) April 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1384628334026530816
