Pelosi’s office denies report that she wants to retire from Congress

An aide to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is strongly denying a claim from her daughter that she is only staying in office because of her political donors.

Pelosi’s daughter Alexandra Pelosi told the conservative site Big Government that the former Speaker wants to retire from Congress but has faced pressure from campaign contributors to continue serving.

“She would retire right now, if the donors she has didn’t want her to stay so badly. They know she wants to leave, though,” Alexandra Pelosi said. “They think she’s destined for the wilderness. She has very few days left. She’s 71, she wants to have a life, she’s done. It’s obligation, that’s all I’m saying.”

Pelosi’s daughter cautioned in a text message, however, that she had not talked with the minority leader about her take on the situation.

“I have never talked to Nancy Pelosi about any of this,” she wrote in the text. 

In a statement Thursday, Pelosi’s office said the report on Big Government is “totally untrue.” 

“This may be wishful thinking on the part of a right wing blog but it is totally untrue. When the day comes and Leader Pelosi’s work is done, she won’t be announcing it there,” Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said Thursday in a statement. 

There has been no indication among Pelosi’s Democratic colleagues that they are expecting her to retire. In fact, Democrats have expressed optimism that they will retake the House majority in the 2012 election and restore Pelosi to her previous role as Speaker.

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