House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) faced major backlash Tuesday following her remarks on the Derek Chauvin trial verdict, in which she thanked George Floyd for “sacrificing” his life for justice.
Pelosi tried clarifying her remarks Tuesday shortly after her original speech regarding the trial verdict with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), saying, “George Floyd should be alive today. His family’s calls for justice for his murder were heard around the world.”
She added, “he did not die in vain. We must make sure other families don’t suffer the same racism, violence & pain, and we must enact the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act.”
Her original remarks thanked Floyd for “sacrificing” his life for justice:
Thank you, George Floyd—for sacrificing your life for justice. For being there, to call out to your mom—how, how heartbreaking was that? Call out for your mom. “I can’t breathe,” but because of you and becuase of thousands, millions of people around the world, who came out for justice, your name will always be synonymous.
Pelosi said all of this while flanked by members of the CBC.
Reactions varied throughout twitter:
The Official Black Lives Matter DC account retweeted the following tweet: