Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is a walking reminder that it pays handsomely in modern-day America to become a âpublic servantâ in the halls of the U.S. Congress.
Pelosi is raising eyebrows by spending part of her August recess vacationing at Italyâs Lake Como, where she was seen at the luxury Villa dâEste, one of Europeâs most expensive hotels. Pelosi, 85, stayed at the resort from Aug. 25 to Aug. 28, according to sources cited by the Washington Free Beacon. Nightly rates at the Villa dâEste often exceed $3,000, with the property described by the Times of London as âobscenely opulent at every turn.â Video footage obtained by the outlet showed Pelosi walking through the grounds as other visitors enjoyed the late summer weather.
The California Democrat, who served as House speaker from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023, holds the title of âSpeaker Emeritaâ after Democrats lost control of the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections. She announced earlier this year that she intends to run for reelection in 2026, though she faces a primary challenge from Saikat Chakrabarti, a former aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Pelosiâs wealth â estimated at around $260 million â has fueled long-standing criticism from political opponents who say her family has benefited from her position in government. Much of the scrutiny has centered on her husband, venture capitalist Paul Pelosi, who has drawn attention for a series of well-timed stock trades. Among them, Paul Pelosi sold $500,000 in Visa stock before the government launched antitrust proceedings against the company, and he divested 5,000 shares of Microsoft stock shortly before a Federal Trade Commission probe. Critics, including former President Donald Trump, have alleged that the coupleâs fortune was boosted by insider information, though Pelosi has consistently denied wrongdoing.
The controversy resurfaced in July when Pelosi clashed with CNN anchor Jake Tapper during an interview. When presented with Trumpâs claim that she had grown her wealth through âinside information,â Pelosi grew visibly frustrated. âWhy do you have to read that?â she asked. âWeâre here to talk about the 60th anniversary of Medicaid. Thatâs what I agreed to come to talk [about].â
Pressed on the allegations, Pelosi rejected them outright. âThatâs ridiculous,â she said, insisting that her husbandâs investments had nothing to do with her position in Congress. âI very much support the efforts to stop the trading of members of Congress. Not that I think anybody is doing anything wrong. If they are, they are prosecuted, and they go to jail. But because of the confidence it instills in the American people, donât worry about this.â âI have no concern about the obvious investments that have been made over time. Iâm not into it. My husband is, but it isnât anything to do with anything insider,â she added, before remarking that Trump was âalways projectingâ when attacking his political rivals.
The interview came amid renewed debate in Washington over congressional stock trading. The Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act â legislation spearheaded by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) â advanced through committee in July. The bill would bar members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from buying and selling individual stocks. Interestingly, the Republican-led bill is backed by hard-left Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. Pelosiâs appearance in Lake Como placed her in the same Italian retreat frequented by other Democratic figures. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, considered a possible contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, was photographed vacationing there with his wife aboard actor George Clooneyâs yacht. Clooney, who maintains an estate on the lake, has hosted prominent Democrats at his home, including Barack and Michelle Obama, and has publicly endorsed Moore as a future presidential candidate.
