Mitch McConnell (left) and Nancy Pelosi.Photo: Sarah Silbiger-Pool/Getty; Stefani Reynolds/Getty
Less than a week after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to take up a measure increasing AmericanCOVID-19 relief paymentsto $2,000, the homes of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were vandalized withgraffiti messages.
Photos taken of McConnell’s Kentucky home on Saturday showed an expletive written on the Republican’s mailbox. “WERES MY MONEY” could be seen written below a wreath on the front door and “MITCH KILLS THE POOR” was scrawled over a window.
Pelosi’s San Francisco home was defaced with graffiti, as well, including “$2K,” “CANCEL RENT!” and “WE WANT EVERYTHING" written on the Democrat’s garage door.
According to the Associated Press, citing a police statement, a severed pig’s head and fake blood were also left at Pelosi’s home on New Year’s Day.
Pelosi was reportedly not at home when the incident took place. It’s unclear whether McConnell was home when his own home was vandalized, and his office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s inquiry on if he was home.
Graffiti reading, “Where’s my money” is seen on a door of the home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.Timothy D Easley/AP/Shutterstock
On Saturday, McConnellreleased a statementcondemning the vandalism, which he said was the result of a “radical tantrum.”
“I’ve spent my career fighting for the First Amendment and defending peaceful protest,” McConnell’s statement read. “I appreciate every Kentuckian who has engaged in the democratic process whether they agree with me or not. This is different. Vandalism and the politics of fear have no place in our society.”
The vandalism came in the wake of the passage of a $2.3 trillion government funding deal andCOVID-19relief bill, which was signed into law last week.
The passage of the bipartisan bill came after months of gridlock and included $600 relief payments for Americans making less than $75,000.
Though PresidentDonald Trumpwas expected to sign the bill shortly after it arrived on his desk, he instead stalled, suggesting he would veto the bill if it was not revised to include $2,000 checks (for which Democrats had initially pressed).
“I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said in afour-minute videoin which he called the bill a “disgrace.”
Trump also sought to have remove numerous spending measures he disliked removed from the bill.
Trump eventually signed the COVID-19 relief bill and government funding package, but still slammed McConnell for holding up the increased payments.
“Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP,” Trump tweeted after McConnell blocked Democrats' attempts to approve the larger checks.
source: people.com
