Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a number of controversial statements during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, voicing her opinion that protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza are in someway in cahoots with Russia, urging the FBI to conduct a probe.
"For them to call for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin's message. Make no mistake," Pelosi said. "This is directly connected to what he would like to see . . . I think some of these protesters are spontaneous, and organic, and sincere. Some I think are connected to Russia. Some financing should be investigated and I want to ask the FBI to investigate that."
As Reuters points out in its coverage of Pelosi's interview, her comments "marked the first time a prominent U.S. lawmaker has accused Russia's leader of backing U.S. protesters calling for a ceasefire."
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, issued a statement on Pelosi's comments, saying, "It is unconscionable that an individual with such influence in this nation would spread unsubstantiated smears targeting those who seek an end to the slaughter of civilians in Gaza and a just resolution to that conflict. Her comments once again show the negative impact of decades of dehumanization of the Palestinian people."
A spokesperson for Pelosi said in a statement to Salon: “As Speaker Pelosi said on CNN, we have to focus on stopping the suffering in Gaza, and she will continue demanding that all hostages be freed now. Speaker Pelosi has always supported and defended the right of all Americans to make their views known through peaceful protest. Informed by three decades on the House Intelligence Committee, Speaker Pelosi is acutely aware of how foreign adversaries meddle in American politics to sow division and impact our elections, and she wants to see further investigation ahead of the 2024 election.”
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