Pelosi In No Win Situation

Nancy Pelosi is in a no win situation. She wrote the following letter to William Jefferson:

May 24, 2006

Congressman William J. Jefferson
2113 Rayburn House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Congressman Jefferson:

In the interest of upholding the high ethical standard of the House Democratic Caucus, I am writing to request your immediate resignation from the Ways and Means Committee.

Sincerely,

Nancy Pelosi
Democratic Leader

Jefferson politely declined, so what does she do now? It's a tough call. Any serious attempt to push Jefferson out will probably cost her the support of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), who is reportedly protecting Jefferson, in any future leadership races. On the other hand, party activists, who view Jefferson as a hindrance in the attempt to retake the House, are out for blood. If Pelosi isn't seen as being firm enough with Jefferson, they will probably exert enormous pressure on their Congressperson to vote for someone else when the next Congress is convened.

If we take back the House, I don't look for Pelosi to be speaker. She simply got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, which is becoming exceedingly easy to do in the brave new world of the ever shortening news cycle. Jefferson will probably be indicted by the middle of June, but that's an eternity for the the now, now, now crowd. (Which I am certainly sometimes guilty of) In the old days she could have simply waited for this thing to run its course. Those days are gone.