Pelosi Slammed on Social Media for Handing Out Souvenir Impeachment Pens

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew criticism Wednesday for handing out commemorative pens — with her name on them — after signing a resolution to transmit two articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate for trial.
To critics, the tone of the event seemed celebratory — a far cry from December, when Pelosi wore black and insisted on the House floor it was a “solemn” day before the Democrat-controlled body voted to impeach the president on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress allegations. Later, she even cut short two rounds of cheers from Democrats when the articles were adopted.
“Nancy Pelosi’s souvenir pens served up on silver platters to sign the sham articles of impeachment,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham tweeted in response. “She was so somber as she gave them away to people like prizes.”
Nancy Pelosi’s souvenir pens served up on silver platters to sign the sham articles of impeachment…She was so somber as she gave them away to people like prizes. https://t.co/RMOiNeoMu0
— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) January 15, 2020
These are the pens Nancy pelosi used to sign the articles & she gave them out to colleagues. Wow they look like bullet cases. Join us now. @MorningsMaria @FoxBusiness pic.twitter.com/muD9bfUnGK
— Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiromo) January 16, 2020
The commemorative Impeachment pens that were handed out had “United” spelled wrong on them.
It doesn’t surprise me that the Democrats couldn’t spell that word since it was a partisan, one sided, and divisive vote. pic.twitter.com/UQ026hLIsV
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 16, 2020
CNN panel bashes Nancy Pelosi for handing out impeachment pens. It was a “jarring” “celebration” pic.twitter.com/oQlI8tgIW0
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 15, 2020
One by one, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi picked up pens lined up beside her and used them to sign a bit of her name on the impeachment articles against President Donald Trump. Then she handed each signing pen to the assembled chairmen and House managers who will prosecute the case in the Senate.
Signing pens are swag in Washington, often doled out on more celebratory occasions. They can be seen framed and hung in lobbies across the city as trophies of proximity to power. Trump has engaged in the tradition himself.
But Pelosi handed out the pens on a darker day, as she signed the impeachment articles against only the third president in history.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham on Wednesday criticized Pelosi both for the pens and the speaker’s demeanor, which got some blowback on social media for being too cheery for such a grave development.
Pelosi’s signature sent the articles against Trump to the Senate for trial, which is expected to open Thursday. The House-passed documents charge the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for pressuring Ukraine to help him politically. Trump says the whole thing is a “hoax” and claims he is a victim of a political “witch hunt” led by Pelosi. He is the third president in U.S. history to be impeached.
Before the signing, aides set out two small trays containing more than two dozen black pens emblazoned with Pelosi’s signature. She entered the room and sat at a table, the documents and pens before her. Standing around her were the House prosecutors and the committee chairmen who had worked on Trump’s impeachment. Pelosi picked up each pen, signed a bit, and handed each one to a lawmaker.